REVILLA CALLS FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN NATION'S GREENING PROGRAM

Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. joined Senate Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change Chairperson Sen. Cynthia A. Villar in urging the public to participate in tree planting activities to widen the country's whole-of-nation reforestation effort.

"Tama si Sen. Villar na dapat talagang makilahok ang bawat isa sa atin sa pagtanim ng mga puno. Alam naman natin na malaki ang ginagampanan ng mga ito upang mapanatili ang ating buhay lalo na sa mga panahon ng sakuna. Kung maibabalik natin sa dati ang malagong kagubatan, at mas makakapagtanim rin tayo sa kalungsuran, mas mababawasan ang panganib na dulot sa atin ng bagyo, baha, at iba pa," the solon said.

However, Revilla said that the Department of Environment and Natural Resource (DENR) should still take the lead as the implementor of the government's greening program. The veteran lawmaker further opined that DENR should not only focus on the planting of the seedlings but should also assure its survivability.

"Dapat ang DENR, tutukan din nila yung survivability ng mga punla na itinatanim nila. Hindi natatapos sa pagtatanim ang pagpapalago ng puno. Base sa report nila noon, napakarami nang naitanim. Pero bakit hindi natin makita at maramdaman na dumadami ang mga puno?"

Revilla also encouraged the public to only plant species endemic to the region where the seedlings will be planted to avoid invasive species to propagate.

As part of his agenda to champion environmental laws in the chamber, Revilla has filed Senate Bill No. 1538 that seeks to require all graduating elementary, high school, and college students of public educational institutions to plant 10 trees each as a prerequisite for graduation.

The solon said that he filed this measure to complement the government's National Greening Program (NGP) and to ensure the cultivation of socially-responsible citizenry among the future generations of Filipinos.

"Kaya hinain natin ang panukalang batas na ito para mas makatulong sa reforestation program ng gobyerno. Higit pa doon, lagi nating sinasabi na ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan. Kaya naman dapat nating silang gabayan kung paano mas magiging maayos ang kalikasan sa kanilang kinabukasan," he added.

As provided in the bill, trees shall be planted in any of the following: forestlands, mangrove forests, protected areas, ancestral domains, civil and military reservations, urban areas under greening plan of local government units, inactive and abandoned mine sites, and other suitable lands.