47 towns, 5 city leaders directed to go 'green'

The Provincial Board has passed a resolution enjoining the mayors of the 47 municipalities and five component cities of Cebu to actively participate in the greening program of the provincial government.

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia launched a greening program called "Greening with the Environment Now" or GWEN project.

PB member Juan Bolo said Garcia launched the GWEN program as the province's response to the need to protect and nurture the environment.

The Cebu Provincial Development Council reported that only four of the municipalities registered a 100 percent survival rate of trees planted for the Capitol's greening project.

"A high mortality rate of planted trees were recorded in 18 towns caused by the presence of stray animals," the resolution read.

According to Bolo, "the lack of care and or maintenance and the absence of water are also factors that led to the death of the saplings."

With these concerns that greatly affected the program of the provincial government, Bolo said there is a need to invigorate the consciousness of local officials on the caring and of the nurturing of the environment.