ARAYAT --- The provincial government has marked another record after conducting a simultaneous tree panting activity in 20 municipalities and one city which resulted to the planting of almost 100,000 seedlings last Friday alone.
Vice Governor Joseller "Yeng" Guiao has ordered the synchronized tree-planting activity as part of the continuing effort of the province to contribute in the crusade against global warming.
As this developed, Arthur Punsalan, head of the Environment and Natural Resources Office (ENRO) together with other provincial officials and employees spearheaded the said activity in conjunction with Governor Lilia G. Pineda’s environmental protection activities.
The activity was also conducted as a gesture of support with President Benigno “Noynoy” C. Aquino III’s National Greening Program which targets the planting of 1.5 billion trees from 2010 to 2016.
Among the seedlings planted were narra, mahogany and other fruit-bearing trees.
Seedlings were planted in the following sites: Apalit, 15,200; Arayat, 5,400; Bacolor, 1,200; Candaba, 1,000; Floridablanca, 1,200; Lubao, 8,000; Macabebe, 1,000; Magalang, 3,500; Masantol, 1,100; Mexico, 16,100; Minalin, 1,200; Porac, 19,000; San Luis, 500; San Simon, 1,570; Sta. Ana, 2,450; Sta. Rita, 10,000; Sto. Tomas, 2,200; Sasmuan, 1,000; and the City of San Fernando, 5,000. It was learned from the ENRO that the tree-planting activities in the towns of Guagua and Mabalacat were re-scheduled for another date and these are expected to plant an additional 20,000 more trees.
Guiao claimed that both he and the governor are advocates of a clean and green environment. “Sa ngalan ni Governor Nanay Baby Pineda, nagpapasalamat ako sa lahat ng nakilahok sa pagtatanim, lalo na sa mga lokal na opisyal na nagsikap upang maisakatuparan ang sabay-sabay na pagtatanim na ito.”