PNoy Leads El Verde, NGP in Bikol

Legazpi City (23 February 2011) --With President Aquino's Kamagong seedling firmly rooted to the ground in the El Verde ceremonial tree planting, the Bikol leg of National Greening Program of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources kicked-off yesterday at a 17-hectare clearing area in San Antonio, Ocampo, Camarines Sur.

Thronged by three thousand volunteers who hiked to the foot hills of Mt. Isarog before day break, the president showed every Bikolano that through leadership by example by way of the NGP, the country could keep at bay global warming and climate change.

Pnoy lauded the massive tree planting effort of El Verde Movement spearheaded by Camarines Sur Governor Luis Raymund Villafuerte, Jr., which intends to carve a niche globally, as well as raising public awareness on the importance of trees to fight off global warming and climate change.

“Through this concerted effort by our citizens, socio-civic groups, government agencies our triumph will be insurmountable.” The President underscored that to arrest the impact of global warming and climate change the contribution of every Filipino is needed.

“Five hundred thousand seedlings could signify five hundred thousand opportunities for our people. Not just in terms of saving the environment, but in terms of a meaningful future as well,” Aquino added.

The El Verde Movement is aiming to break the Guinness Book of World Records for the most trees planted in one hour. In yesterday’s activity alone, an estimated 35,000 seedlings were planted.

Meanwhile, DENR Sec. Ramon Paje said the environment department strongly supports the El Verde Movement and its noble goal of planting 12 million trees in 2012.

Paje reiterated yesterday in the DENR executive committee conference that the NGP is all systems go, with a marching order for all the regional offices which are expected to accomplish the national target of 125 million trees planted in 1.5 million hectares.