138 hectares identified for Baguio regreening

By Dexter A. See

BAGUIO CITY – The city government identified Monday 138 hectares of land in this city for tree-planting in response to the national government’s call for support to the national regreening program.

Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan said the area being proposed covering a land area of 138.5533 hectares is located in Barangays Camp 7, Bakakeng Norte/Sur, Sto. Tomas Proper and Sto. Tomas School Area which is suitable as a greenbelt area.

Domogan said there is an urgent need to identify planting areas in the city in order to properly direct the tree planting activities of schools, government and non-government institutions and to facilitate the monitoring and evaluation of the said activities.

The area is planned to be covered with trees by students, government employees, private individuals and companies who are mandated by law to participate in the NGP by planting trees as provided for under Executive Order 26, series of 2011 which was issued by President Benigno S. Aquino III.

The Palace order identified resource conservation and protection as well as climate change mitigation and adaptation as major priority programs of the government which must be supported by the populace and that the President ordered the consolidation and harmonization of greening initiatives of the government and the private sector under the noble environmental protection program.

Under the law, all students identified by the Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education and all government workers shall be individually required to plant a minimum of 10 seedlings per year within the next six years as enshrined under the NGP.

Domogan said, the city known for its pine trees and lush vegetation needs to address its rapidly dwindling green patches, which continue to pave the way to concrete structures and other related forms of development, to sustain its vision of a breath-taking city of pines in the future.