Plant more trees to caution impact of global warming
Date:
Every citizen must help address global warming.
Mayor Hernani A. Braganza, during the celebration of the Philippine Ardor Day here in the city last Monday, called on all Alaminians to face and urgently deal with the grim reality known as global warming.
“Anywhere in the world, global warming is now a reality,” he said, addressing more than 500 city government employees, barangay officials, heads of various devolved government agencies and a new batch of city’s scholars who just received their scholarship grants.
Braganza cited no less than former US Vice President Al Gore for leading the way on the worldwide effort to fight global warming.
Like the Academy award winner for his astounding documentary on climate change and new guardian of the environment, the Mayor also firmly believes there’s still hope in saving Mother Earth.
“It’s high time that, together, citizens of the world must act now before it’s too late,” said Braganza.
“We live in just one planet. We all breathe the same air and drink the same water. Whatever we do here in Alaminos could also affect other places in the world,” he continued.
“In our city, we started planting trees and protected our environment and natural resources. And we must keep on planting more (trees) to caution the impact of climate change that we have already seen and experienced such as the extreme weather conditions like many strong typhoons, longer dry spells and inundations."
The Mayor earlier led the distribution of an initial of 6,000 mahogany seedlings to the city’s 39 barangays.
The association of barangay captains headed by its president, city councilor Helen Bumagat, happily received the seedlings from government.
Rakes and shovels were also given to the leaders of the ten coastal communities.
The village chiefs vowed to equally distribute it to their barangaymates and nurture the plants.
City Agriculturist Ernesto De Leon said the seedlings which were provided by his office will replace the trees that were uprooted or destroyed by recent typhoon Cosme.
De Leon noted that the city now has plant nursery at the Adopt-A-Mountain Project site, a 16-hectare city government managed and protected Tree Park.
He said that the city will grow more fruit bearing and forest trees which will be given to the communities for free as there commitment to Mayor Braganza’s sustained environmental protection programs.
The city government though advised his citymates to instead plant the trees on idle lands using the concept of agro-forestry.
Learning bitter lessons from the recent typhoon, we no longer encourage planting of trees along the highways, barangay roads or even near our houses, stressed the Mayor.
Dr. Renato Viray, City Schools Division Superintendent, added that DepEd now mandates the youth to plant trees inside the school premises and in their own backyard to mitigate the impact of climate change.
Next to our youth, our environment is our important resources, said Viray, who along with Mayor Braganza will be handing scholarship grants to the city’s scholars on the same day.
Braganza said trees will not just cleanse atmosphere by reducing the amount of carbon dioxides but also beautify the surroundings and ensure abundant supply of water.
“Trees are likewise a source of livelihood but it doesn’t mean we have to abuse it,” he added.
The Mayor then urged his citymates to plant both the hardwood and fruit bearing trees.
He said the national government continues to remind all local officials and every Filipino citizen on their obligation to protect the environment and conserve our natural resources.
“And we must as well properly deal with our mounting problem on solid waste and lessen other human activities that pose bigger problems to our environment.”(CIO)
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