Glimmer of light

After decades (20 or 30 years) of tree planting by government agencies, both national and local, no success (forests) can be seen in the countryside as the result of such endeavors.

Tree planting is one of the mitigating measure to lessen the impact and effects of harsher climate change such as typhoons that hit this country more than 20 times every year.

The mother of the sitting president, Imelda Marcos, started the program through the launching of her Green Revolution. However, nothing much was accomplished as more and more forest cover diminished due to illegal logging activities perpetuated by powerful politicians and individuals including impoverished Filipinos fighting to survive the harsh realities of life.

Today, a Cebu City councilor have seen the futility of tree planting and made proposals to raise the level of awareness and elevate the success level of tree planting.

Cebu City Councilor Rey Gealon proposed a designation of land areas owned by the city for tree planting. This identified lands, I presumed are to be fenced and with rangers assigned therein to watch, care, and protect the tree seedlings from ruminants (goats and carabaos) and from poachers who cut the trees for firewood or to be made into charcoal.

The councilor even asked the participation of the private sector to engage in tree planting as part of their social responsibility commitment to society.

If this happens, I propose that big companies shall be assigned lots for them to plant and tend/care for their seedlings to grow and become trees.

The city should have its own lot to plant. They just renewed the contract of more than 3,000 casual employees and the council and the mayor can easily assign hundreds of them to watch, protect and care for the tree seedlings for them to grow healthy and become trees.

Cebu City can plan and design the areas to become parks and tourist sites in the future.

Ernie Arcenas