BONTOC, Mountain Province – Officials and employees from the Bontoc Municipal Government led the observance of the Arbor Day in this capital town with 100 giant bamboos, 45 bugnay saplings and five duhat fruit- saplings planted at the 2.6 –hectare Solid Waste Management (SWM) Facility procured by the municipal government in Am-ancho, Bontoc Ili.
Arbor Day is an international holiday wherein individuals and groups are encouraged to plant and care for trees.
Under Republic Act No. 10176 also known as “An Act Reviving the Observance of Arbor Day by Authorizing the Local Government Units the responsibilities for Celebrating the Day for Tree Planting as an Annual Event”, local chief executives shall have an appropriate fixed date every calendar year as shall be deemed suitable according to the proper time and season for planting trees in their area. Pursuant to the this act, Mayor Franklin C. Odsey declared the 2nd Friday of August to be the Arbor Day of Bontoc through Executive Order No. 15 Series of 2014.
With this, Odsey in his memorandum directed all officials, permanent, job order and casual employees of the Bontoc Municipal Government including those employed under the Government Internship Program (GIP) to participate in the tree planting activity.
As not to hamper the services rendered by each office, there were some personnel who stayed in every office to serve as the skeletal force.
The chief executive remarked that it is good that the tree planting was institutionalized as a yearly activity to promote a healthier ecosystem for the people through the rehabilitation and re-greening of the environment.
“As public servants, it is right and proper that we take the lead to campaign on how we can help save mother earth. This is our counter measure on the climate change that we are experiencing today. Thus, what we have planted is not only for ourselves, but for our children and our grandchildren,” he stated.
He explained that the site where the bamboos and fruit- saplings were planted was appropriate. Aside from beautifying the surroundings of the area, the plants would help in providing fresh air to anyone who visits the SWM facility of the municipality.
The tree planting was also participated in by personnel from the Bontoc Municipal Police Station (MPS) and police recruits/trainees under the Field Training Program of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
The bugnay and duhat saplings were provided by the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office while the giant bamboos were procured by the municipal government.
By Alpine L. Killa