Tree planting for graduating high school, college students. Sen. Cynthia Villar sponsors a bill, during plenary session Monday, September 23, 2024, which seeks to require all graduating senior high school and college students to plant at least two trees as a civic duty for environment protection and climate change mitigation. Villar said the Philippines is now experiencing shortage of trees. She said tree planting would serve as a long-term solution for sustainable development. Under the bill, Villar said senior high school and college students shall be required to plant at least two trees as a prerequisite for graduation. She said the trees shall be planted in strategically identified locations, whether in urban spaces, long riverbanks or in rural areas, to help mitigate the impacts of climate change and natural disasters. To ensure that the trees shall be suitable for the location, Villar said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), in collaboration with concerned agencies, shall oversee the selection of tree species, prioritizing indigenous trees to promote local biodiversity. “With approximately two million students graduating annually, this initiative could result in the planting of around four million trees each year. These trees will not only provide immediate environmental benefits but also instill in our youth a lasting commitment to sustainability and environmental protection,” Villar said. (Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)
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