Couples securing marriage license: Plant trees first

By Susan Aro

ITOGON, Benguet — Instilling awareness among couples the concept of balanced ecology with a shared responsibility in caring for the environment was the essence of a measure crafted by municipal officials of Itogon encouraging would-be couples to plant trees when  securing marriage license.

This is also to ensure people s participation in replenishing the declining number of trees in its environs.

Would-be  married couples  are encouraged to plant at least five seedlings of trees either in idle or vacant lots, public parks in rural areas, private lands, backyard or anywhere near their residence.

Tree seedlings for planting may be secured from the barangay council, Municipal Agriculture Office, Department of Environment and Natural Resources-CAR or the Department of Agriculture.

The barangay captain or the sangguniang barangay chairman on committee on environment will then issue certificate of compliance which will be submitted to the Office of the Civil Registrar along with other requirements for the release or issuance of marriage license.

Authored by Itogon councilors Annie Galiega and ArnelBahingawan, Ordinance 50 series 2015, was referred to the provincial board s committee on legal matters for further study and appropriate action.