BAGAC, Bataan – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Friday launched Pres. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino’s National Greening Program. More than 2,000 people who planted 10,000 tree seedlings below the slopes of historic Mt. Samat in Barangay Parang, here joined the event.
Lawyer Ricardo Lazaro, provincial environment and natural resources officer, said they are targeting to plant trees on 833 hectares in Bataan for 2011 alone.
It will cover four priority components: reforestation, agro-forestry, protected areas and urban parks, he said.
Members of the Philippine National Police, Philippine Army, government workers, members of people’s and non-governmental organizations, workers of big firms like Petron Bataan Refinery and the GN Power Plant joined the activity.
Regidor De Leon, assistant secretary for Luzon Operations of the DENR, said the activity in Bataan is part of the centerfold program of the President that targets to plant 1.5 billion trees in 1.5 million hectares of forest lands in the country from 2011 to 2016.
“We call this as the most ambitious program because if we attain the target, it will surpass the accomplishments of previous administrations for the last 25 years,” De Leon said.
He said Aquino planted the first tree seedling in the official launching of the program at DENR’s central office some three weeks ago.
De Leon added that DENR Sec. Paje has sought the involvement of all Filipinos in the project.
“Pati foreigners na gustong sumali iimbitahan,” he said. He also added that they have already got the commitment of 10 million students and 1.2 million government employees to participate in the program.
“We are planting seedlings to grow them as trees, hindi bilang pagpapa-pogi at hindi para sa Guiness Book,” De Leon quoted the DENR secretary as saying.
He said the project will address the country’s problems on food security, biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation and adoption, including unemployment.
To be planted in the six-year program are narra, mahogany, indigenous species to bring back the old classes of trees and also agro-forest trees like fruit trees.
“Ang pagkakaiba sa ibang programa, ang mga beneficiaries ang mag-aani at makikinabang sa mga bungang-kahoy at hindi kukunin ng gobyerno,” De Leon said.
He also assured that after planting, the trees will not be left behind to wither as in past projects. “May patuloy na mag-aalaga sa mga puno tulad ng people’s organizations sa tulong ng local government units at ibang environmental groups,” the assistant secretary said.
Ricardo Calderon, DENR Region 3 executive director, said in the Central Luzon area, they target to plant three million tree seedlings in 5,000 hectares of lands.
