Jennifer C. Tilos
NEGROS
ORIENTAL, June 29 (PIA) – The
Energy Development Corporation (EDC) and its partners in the 10M in 10 for a
Greener Negros movement (10M in 10) celebrated Arbor Day through simultaneous
tree planting activities across Negros Island.
According to EDC’s Corporate Communication officer
Frances Ariola, the Riverside College in Negros Occidental, Bacolod City Water
District, EDC, and the Negros Forests and Ecological Foundation, Inc. started
planting 500 endemic tree species in Brgy. Canlandog, Municipality of Murcia.
Ariola said the 10M in 10 partners joined forces
to plant native trees for healthy riverbanks as they launched their riverbank
planting model along Bantayan Park at the Bago River in Bago City, Negros
Occidental.
EDC and its partners, Bago City ENRO, and the
local government of Bago City, and Bago City Department of Education planted
200 native trees on Monday.
"Riverside plantations are beneficial to
man and the environment because it captures carbon dioxide; improves water
quality; absorbs and filters pollution from our soil and air; slows down
rainwater runoff; and provides important habitat for all kinds of
animals," said Mendoza.
Arbor Day is celebrated every June 25 under RA
10176 that requires local government units to plant trees every year.
The law obliges all Filipinos aged 12 and above
to plant at least one tree every year.
EDC's Community Partnerships, External Relations
and Watershed Management (CREW) Head for Negros Island Norreen Bautista,
invited other individuals and organizations to join the ‘10M in 10’ to not
only plant a tree each year but to bring back Negros Island's lost forest
cover.
To date, EDC already has 65 committed partners
all over Negros Island Region with more than 400,000 trees planted since
October 2015.
"We should stand together for our forests
by uniting and collaborating through these two 10M in 10 forest restoration
projects as well as the other models that the movement will implement in the
coming months. We encourage those who are truly committed to protecting and
restoring the forests of Negros Island to partner with us in this green
revolution," said Baustista.
She added that restoring these lush forests will
recharge the geothermal reservoir and sustain the steamfields that have been
providing clean, renewable power to Negros for over 30 years.
(rmn/jct/PIA7-Negros Oriental)