PAGADIAN CITY, October 5 (PIA) – - A
total of 806, 526 fruit and forest trees have been planted in 1,581.50 hectares
of lands in Zamboanga del Sur under the
government’s National Greening Program (NGP).
This was disclosed Thursday by forestry
specialist Romel Candido of City Environment and Natural Resources Office
(CENRO) during the weekly media forum of Philippine Information Agency (PIA) held
at Anastacia Restaurant here.
Candido said the planting of trees is
in support to the government’s effort in “re-greening” the country as per
Executive Order No. 36 issued by President Benigno S. Aquino III which calls
for the planting of 1.5 billion trees covering about 1.5 million hectares of
public lands.
Candido said in 2011, the CENROs were
able to maintain and protect the 481,000 planted seedlings in 962 hectares of
lands and subsequently, 325,526 seedlings of falcatta, mahogany, narra, rubber,
mangroove and fruit trees seedlings were also planted in the 619.5 hectares of
lands from January to September this year.
Candido said local officials, government
employees, public school teachers and students, people’s organizations (POs) such
as farmers association and irrigators association have actively participated in
the NGP program.
Candido encouraged the local officials
and POs to plant fruit trees to help improve their food security, nutrition,
income and health. (JPA/GCC/PIA, Pagadian
City