ACTION LADY–Climate Change Commissioner Albert Dela Cruz leads a tree planting at Sitio Binutas in Barangay Tala, Orani, Bataan recently. Photo by Jon Jon Reyes
Dela Cruz lauds Congress for tree planting act
CLIMATE Change Commissioner Albert Dela Cruz lauded the House of Representatives for its unanimous approval on third and final reading of House Bill (HB) 8568, which aims to provide mechanisms that would ensure the effective implementation of a nationwide tree-planting program.
Authored by representatives Dante Garcia (People’s Reform Party), Noel Rivera (Tarlac), Eleanor Bulut-Begtang (Apayao), Alfonso Umali Jr. (Oriental Mindoro), Ciriaco Gato, Jr. (Batanes), Gerardo Valmayor Jr. (Negros Occidental), Marlyn Primicias-Agabas (Pangasinan), Mark Go (Baguio City), Joseph Stephen Paduano (Abang Lingkod) and Manuel Jose Dalipe (Zamboanga City), HB 8568 was approved with a vote of 233 against three during last week’s plenary session.
The proposed measure seeks to amend various sections of Republic Act (RA) 10176, or the ‘Arbor Day Act of 2012’.
Dela Cruz narrated the vital role of forest areas to nature’s balance that maintains and sustains ecology and biodiversity that in turn maintains and sustains our lives and livelihood.
“There is an (urgent) need for a corroborated effort to combat the loss of our natural resources and rejuvenate our environment by rehabilitating our degraded forest land areas, improving soil fertility and land productivity and reducing soil erosion especially in the rural and upland areas.
(This we can achieve by) undertaking nationwide tree-planting activities and providing effective measures for their maintenance and sustainability,” the climate official said.
