LINGAYEN, PANGASINAN—The provincial government of Pangasinan led by Governor Ramon V. Guico III encourages Pangasinenses to take active participation in greening the environment.
With this as the objective, the present administration aimed to plant one million trees until June 2024 under Pangasinan Green Canopy Project, an environmental rehabilitation project of the province.
For the month of September, the Provincial Population Cooperative and Livelihood Development Office (PPCLDO) reported that a total of 5,892 will be planted to identified areas in the towns of Pozorrubio, Mangatarem, Mabini, Alcala Burgos, Dasol, Manaoag, Natividad and Aguilar.
To date over 30,000 tree seedlings were planted in different locations in Pangasinan.
The project is a multi-sectoral approach to promote co-ownership in protecting and rehabilitating the environment, raise community awareness and education in planting and saving trees, and mobilize stakeholders and solicit community participation in planting trees.
Under the project, a minimum of 25,000 seedlings per Local Government Unit (LGU) and their partner office or hospital must be planted and nurtured. Trees to be planted should be native, rare and endangered species and fruit-bearing trees. Priority areas to be reforested are watersheds, riverbanks, coastal and other vulnerable areas.
Also, “joint stewardship” strategy is implemented where provincial government offices partner with specific LGU for the simultaneous tree planting activities province-wide.
The activity requires partner LGUs to mobilize the support of its constituents to include the LGU employees, Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Department of Education (DepEd), Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Barangay Health Workers (BHWs), Barangay Service Point Officers (BSPOs), Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS), barangay councils, Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) members, and Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries.
Monitoring team had been organized to regularly monitor and evaluate the progress of the project.
As an incentive, a reward system was established such as Best Office/Employee/LGU Implementer. Basis of which will be based on performance and project inputs of the participating individuals and offices or groups. (Ruby R. Bernardino with report from Analyn T. Cervantes/Pangasinan PIO)
