DILG mobilizes village officials in planting of billion trees vs. global warming

MANILA, Philippines (PNA) – The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) said on Sunday it has mobilized the country’s more than 42,000 barangays in the government’s effort to plant a billion trees nationwide during the Philippine Arbor Day celebration on June 25, this year.

This is also in connection with the country’s cooperation with the rest of the world in combating the problem of global warming.

DILG Secretary Jesse M. Robredo said the nationwide effort will be conducted under the Billion Trees Program which aims to establish a Guinness World Record of planting a billion trees at a given time.

Billion Trees Program is a project of the Bureau of Corrections Love Foundation chaired by former Chief Justice Reynato Puno. The Foundation believes that planting a billion trees will effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions and/or absorb gases already in the atmosphere.

In a directive to punong barangays, sangguniang barangay members, city/municipal mayors and provincial governors, Robredo called on all village officials to produce at least 25,000 seedlings each for the synchronized planting activity on June 25, 2011.

“The tree-planting shall be spearheaded by the barangay officials, particularly the punong barangays,” said Robredo. –Manila Standard Today