LINGAYEN, PANGASINAN—Launched in the early second quarter of this year, the present administration envisioned planting one million trees and mangroves in strategic areas in the province within a year.
Based on records prepared by the Provincial Population Cooperative and Livelihood Development Office (PPCLDO), a total of 24,342 seedlings were planted as of August 16, 2023. Seedling varieties include narra, cashew (kasuy), sugar apple or sweetsop (atis), tamarind (sampalok), jackfruit (langka), coffee (kape) and cacao which are provided by the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPAg.
Aside from its reforestation component, the tree planting project also aims to establish the culture of volunteerism among provincial government employees.
In his first State of the Province Address (SOPA) last March 27 of this year, Gov. Ramon V. Guico III called on the active participation of all provincial government employees, the Local Government Units (LGUs), line agencies, and various stakeholders to join hand in reclaiming homegrown values of Filipinos to include “pagtutulungan and bayanihan” or the sense of solidarity.
In July, the areas served by the Green Canopy project (Cash for Work program) include the following: Sta, Catalina, Binalonan; Brgys. Don Matias, San Miguel, Ilio-Ilio, Poblacion in Burgos; Bolinao Salt Farm and Brgy. Zaragoza in Bolinao town.
Tree planting activity for August or as of press time were held in the following sites: Dasol Community Hospital, Malasiqui Sanitary Landfill, Brgy. Doliman in Infanta, and Brgy. Bantog in Asingan.
In Bolinao Salt Farm, a total of 5,000 mangroves were planted in the area last month.
The PPCLDO, headed by Ellsworth Gonzales assured that more activities are scheduled in coordination with the Municipal/City Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO/CENRO) of each town and city in Pangasinan. (Ruby R. Bernardino/Pangasinan PIO)
