Cebu City to plant 3 million seedlings in 3 years

The “Kakahuyan Alang Sa Kaugmaon” program of Cebu City aims to plant three million seedlings in the next three years | Delta Letigio

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City government intends to plant three million seedlings in the next three years as its contribution to the fight against climate change.

Mayor Edgardo Labella said he wanted to see a “green city” before his first term in office ends in June 2022.

Labella led the launching of the “Kakahuyan Alang Sa Kaugmaon” program that is spearheaded by the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) Saturday night, September 28.

Although a growing urban economy, Labella said that Cebu City should not cease from protecting its natural resources.

“The environment must grow alongside the city’s growth and it is high time for the city to already rebuild its lost natural resources,” he said.

Cebu City’s “Kakahuyan Alang Sa Kaugmaon” campaign will start with the planing of a million seedlings on October 5.  The activity will especially be focused at the South Road Properties, along the Guadalupe riverbank and in the mountain barangay of Taptap.

Indigenous seedlings like narra will be planted in the mountains while bamboos seedlings will be planted on Cebu City’s riverbanks. Seedlings from ornamental trees will also be planted in the urban barangays.

Labella said that the October 5 program will mark the official start of their three-year plan to plant three million seedlings.

He said that at least 10,000 volunteers coming from various organizations in the city and the Philippine National Police (PNP) have made to commitment to join the tree planting activity.

Lawyer John Jigo Dacua, Cenro head, said that their” Kakahuyan Alang Sa Kaugmaon” program will also include making sure that the seedlings that they plant would grow.

“The mayor will be releasing an executive order forming the Green Cebu City Task Force, where I will be the chairman. We will supervise this project,” said Dacua.

Dacua said that the city government will be hiring a botanist to serve as their program consultant.

Labella said that he will also be creating a group that will act as stewards of the seedlings that City Hall volunteers planted. The group will consist of forest rangers and river and coastal patrol personnel whose main task is to watch over Cebu City’s forests, rivers, and coastal areas.

He wanted these stewards to ensure that programs to protect, improve and rehabilitate these areas will be closely monitored and followed through.

Labella said that the selection of environment stewards will provide employment opportunities for individuals who will commit to helping the city in its campaign to ensure environmental protection. /dcb