Greening of CALABARZON to commence on May 19

A week after President Benigno S. Aquino III led the launching of the National Greening Program at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Quezon City, a regional consultative summit will be held in the CALABARZON Region (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) on May 19, 2011 at the Yazaki-Torres Manufacturing, Inc complex in Barangay Makiling, Calamba City.

            DENR Region 4A CALABARZON Regional Executive Director Nilo B. Tamoria announced that DENR Secretary Ramon JP Paje will keynote the consultative summit and regional launch. He will be joined by no less than the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada III. Rep.

            Tañada, who hails from the region, and is Representative of 4^th District of Quezon, agreed to champion the cause of greening not only Calabarzon, but will support Pnoy’s greening the nation.

            In Quezon City, Pnoy led the ceremonial planting of a Narra (Pterocarpus indicus) at the DENR compound. In the CALABARZON launch, Tanauan (Batangas) Mayor Sonia Torres-Aquino, also representing Yazaki-Torres Manufacturing, Inc. President Feliciano L. Torres will lead the planting of six ceremonial Balitbitan, scientific name, Cynometra ramiflora, Kamagong, Diospyrus philippinensis and Narra, Pterocarpus indicus at the YMTI compound at the foothills of Mt. Makiling in Calamba City. She will be assisted by Sec. Paje, Deputy Speaker Tañada and DENR Region 4A CALABARZON officials and staff Led by Regional Executive Director Nilo B. Tamoria, Departments of Agrarian Reform Regional Directors  Antonio Evangelista,  and Agriculture Regional Director for Operations Vilma Dimaculangan and staff of the YMTI.

            The National Greening Program, for the duration of six years of the Pnoy’s administration, aims to plant some 1.5 billion trees covering 1.5 million hectares in lands of the public domain, nationwide.  Pnoy declared this as “urgent task” and Executive Order No. 26, declaring the implementation of a National Greening Program (NGP) as a “government priority”. The National Greening Program harmonizes the greening efforts of the private sector and civil society and adopted the following strategies: social mobilization, harmonization of initiatives, provision of incentives, and monitoring and management of database.

            Nilo B. Tamoria, Regional Executive Director of DENR Region 4A CALABARZON–which was designated as focal agency for NGP in the region– organized the NGP regional consultative summit. In coordination with National Convergence Initiative of the DA-DENR- DAR, DENR Region 4A CALABARZON aimed to bring together officials of Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Department of Interior and Local Government, State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), Local Government Units (LGUs), and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), along with other national agencies, Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), Peoples’ Organizations (POs), civil society, and the private sector and business who shall serve as partners in the pursuit of the convergence effort to green the country.

            Tamoria said, “The summit aims to gather inputs on the appreciation of the NGP in the region, and solicit commitments from all partner agencies, and all sectors, the academe, youth and students, the religious, our indigenous brothers, and particularly the business sector to help us in this endeavor.”

            He said he is also banking heavily on the support of the business sector, appealing on their sense of corporate responsibility to help in attaining success of the greening program. He said key leaders of the industrial parks in the region have been invited to the summit and are expected to make commitments.

            “Some companies such as First Gas, and Kepco have been supporting our forest rehabilitation efforts in recent past and signified support this endeavor. It is also interesting to state that we are launching the NGP within the Yazaki Torres Manufacturing, Inc. complex and that is a concrete manifestation of support of the business sector to Pnoy’s program,” Tamoria said.

            CALABARZON Region, particularly the provinces of Cavite and Laguna, with its proximity to Metro Manila, is host to a number of industrial establishments.  

            “It may be sad to admit, we cannot do this alone. But together, we will make a difference. And with Pnoy, and our friends in the House of Representatives and the Senate, we will make a big difference,” Tamoria added

            Tamoria said the launch will start with the Ceremonial Tree Planting at 7:00 am at a designated site within the YMTI compound. Program proper will start promptly after the tree planting with an invocation to be led by Sister Jovy Buenavides, Directress of the Canossa Academy of Calamba City. Mr. Feliciano L. Torres, President of Yazaki-Torres Manufacturing, Inc. will welcome the participants to the Summit. Keynote address of DENR Sec.Ramon J.P. Paje follows. Deputy Speaker Lorenzo “Erin” R. Tañada III will inspire and give the “push” to commit to the program. 

            Forester Federico L. Ocampo, DENR Region IV-A CALABARZON Regional Technical Director for Forestry will present National Greening. Program (NGP) Framework. DENR Assistant Secretary Marlo Mendoza will discuss the NGP website and how to participate and help in the greening.          

            University of the Philippines-Los Baños Chancellor Luis Rey Velasco will present the roadmap for the advocacy and social mobilization for the greening program.

            Formal expressions of support and commitment will come from Agriculture Director for Operations and Extension Vilma Dimaculangan, Department of Agrarian Reform Regional Director Antonio Evangelista, Dr. Fruit Godoy of the Department of Education Region IV-A, Dr. Milo O. Placino, Vice-President for Research and Extension of the Southern Luzon State University, and Mr. Ramon J. Araneta, Vice-President for Operations of First Gas, Inc.

            Quezon Governor David C. Suarez will also grace the affair and is expected to signify support.

            Dir. Nilo B. Tamoria, will then lead the call to action and firm up commitments made for future actions in order to attain the goal of planting  3, 290,000 seedlings of various forest and fruit tree species trees, including mangrove propagules in 4,735 hectares  of public lands in CALABARZON for 2011 alone.  He said this will increase in 2012 and succeeding years until the region’s contribution to the 1.5 billion trees for 1.5 million hectares nationwide is achieved. -30- Gaudencio Audie L. Dela Cruz, DENR Regional Public Affairs Office