Legarda Lauds CamSur’s 12-M Trees Program, Urges Other LGUs to Replicate

SENATOR LOREN LEGARDA TODAY COMMENDED THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT OF CAMARINES SUR, LED BY GOVERNOR LUIS RAYMUND VILLAFUERTE, JR., FOR THE LAUNCH OF ITS ENVIRONMENTAL CAMPAIGN DUBBED AS EL VERDE 12 MILLION TREES BY 2012, AND URGED OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS TO JOIN THE GREEN ADVOCACY CAMPAIGN.
“I laud the efforts of Governor LRay and the citizens of Camarines Sur in saving our ecosystem through massive tree-growing and in raising the awareness of our people on environmental concerns through this program,” Legarda, a staunch environmentalist, said.
The El Verde project aims to mobilize citizens to plant 12 million trees in the thirty five towns and one city of Camarines Sur by 2012.
Legarda cited records from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources which show that of the country’s total land area of about 30 million hectares, only 7.2 million hectares are forest covered. The ideal should be at least 12 million hectares or 48% of the total land area.
“This should be a nationwide concerted effort by our national and local government because greening the environment can help mitigate the threats of global warming to the health, security and lives of the Filipino people,” she said.
“We still have a long way to go before we can restore the vibrancy of nature. Let us show the world that we are serious about saving our environment and working for a green Philippines,” Legarda concluded.
Legarda, the founder of Luntiang Pilipinas, a movement that aims to protect and preserve the environment by raising the public’s level of awareness on the value of trees and establishing forest parks in various communities all over the country has already planted two million trees since 1998.