PIA Press Release
Wednesday, January 04, 2012 Kalinga gov't employees to hold tree planting every monthby Peter A. BalocnitTABUK CITY, Kalinga, Jan. 4(PIA) -- The provincial government and national line agency employees will conduct tree planting every third Friday of the month to help boost the national greening program (NGP) of President Aquino. Governor Jocel Baac directed the department and provincial environment and natural resources offices to identify planting sites in the municipalities as well as maintain nurseries and propagate seedlings. “Our aim is to become number one in the region on the number of forest trees and fruit bearing seedlings planted; the widest in area planted and highest in participation to the NGP program,” Baac said. To institutionalize the program in the local level, Vice Governor Allen Jesse Mangaoang said he will work with the members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan the formulation of policies and enactment of laws that requires reforestation as a priority program in the annual investment plan of LGUs and appropriating funds for seedling propagation and tree planting activities. On the other hand, Provincial Department of Interior and Local Government Director Francisco Gamatero also directed municipal and barangay councils to establish barangay tree parks and help in the production of seedlings and mobilize their constituencies to plant trees. He said the barangays are mandated under the NGP program to establish their own nurseries and adopt forest tree parks where they could reforest and sustain. Provincial DENR Officer Joseph Insigne said their office has already identified a total of 1,040 hectares to be reforested which are mostly cogonal areas and denuded hills. (JDP/PAB-PIA CAR,Kalinga) | 
