QC to strengthen greening program in schools

• Source:http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?nid=1&rid=909292
• Monday, August 1, 2016

(PNA), BNB/SFM

MANILA, August 1 (PNA) -- Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista on Monday asked the Division of City Schools to immediately identify schools where trees can be planted in order to beef up the city government’s urban reforestation and greening program.

Bautista, who is among the country’s leading pro-environment urban transformation advocate, directed city schools superintendent Elizabeth Quesada to prepare a master development plan for each public school to include reforestation efforts.

“Submit the list with photographs of schools where more trees can be planted to be part of the city’s comprehensive urban reforestation and greening program,” the Mayor said.

For this program, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will be turning over to the QC government 20,000 saplings and 12,000 saplings for city’s public schools, according to the Mayor.

He said the reforestation of public schools will also encourage students to care for Mother Earth as support for Republic Act No. 10176 or Arbor Day Act of 2012, which underscores the need for a collaborated effort between the State and its citizenry to combat the loss of our natural resources and rejuvenate our environment by undertaking a nationwide tree planting activities and providing effective measures for their maintenance and sustainability.

To date, there are 96 public elementary schools and 46 public high schools in Quezon City.