by Jose Alsmith Soria
Tacloban City (May 19) — In line with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyos 8 by 08 priority thrusts, seven government agencies and the Philippine Army from Leyte, Southern Leyte and Biliran provinces, recently launched in Eastern Visayas, the Greening Philippines Program.
The launching was done during the first technical working committee meeting of the EV Greening Philippines Program, on May 16 at Ormoc City.
Greening Philippines Program is a nationwide activity aimed to encourage the civil society to plant trees, whether fruit bearing or not, simultaneously on June 29, 2007, at 9:00 oclock in the morning.
With the theme Berdeng Pilipinas, said program is geared towards environmental protection, preservation and conservation including beautification and orderliness of the surroundings. It even expects to provide livelihood opportunities to the people.
The heads of the agencies which will implement the program, signed a memorandum of understanding on April 26, 2007 for them to fully support and implement the program.
The coordinating agencies include the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Department of Agrarian Reform, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Education, the Department of Public Works and Highways, the Department of Interior and Local Government, the Philippine Information Agency and the Philippine Army which serves as the chairman.
The member agencies in the Region are currently in the process of identifying the recommended sites by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, for the planting of trees, the nurseries which can be sources of seedlings to be used and the species of trees which will be planted.
Colonel Bonifacio De Castro of the 802nd Infantry (Peerless) Brigade of the 8th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army at Camp Downes in Ormoc City, who serves as the chairman for this program in the Region, informed that his office has initially identified the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the City Agriculture Office of Ormoc and the Philippine National Oil Company, as the sources of the seedlings. (PIA 8)
