WITH the country again experiencing El Niño, a lawmaker has urged communities across the country to continue planting trees to help mitigate the harsh effects of the weather phenomenon.

“Hinihikayat natin ang ating mga kababayan na patuloy na magtanim ng mga puno sa kanilang komunidad para maibsan ang epekto ng El Niño,” said Rizal 4th District Rep. Fidel Nograles, a stalwart of Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD).

“Tree planting is an excellent communal activity that has a positive effect, and I hope more local leaders will organize and engage in this activity so that we can restore our country’s greenness,” he added.

Last month, Nograles led the town of Montalban in a tree-planting activity to commemorate the town’s 152nd founding anniversary. Around 4,000 saplings were planted along the Wawa riverbank and mountainside.

More than 6,000 students, senior citizens, and women from the town participated in the activity, which also included the “Forward Nature” advocacy walk.

“Inaasahan po natin na balang araw ang ating mga tinanim ay makatutulong laban sa rumaragasang tubig-baha sa panahon ng tag-ulan,” the lawmaker said about the activity.

He underscored the need to “aggressively restore the country’s forest cover” as a measure against El Niño and long-term climate change.

“Our forests serve as a buffer against weather-related disasters. They release moisture into the atmosphere to counter droughts, and shield us against typhoons and prevent flooding,” he said.

Nograles has been advocating for the government and communities to be active in implementing measures that would protect against climate change.

He regularly leads tree-planting and community-cleaning activities in Montalban.

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Ryan Ponce Pacpaco