MANILA, Philippines--Beginning this school year, all public and private schools nationwide will be required to plant trees on their campuses as part of the Department of Education's contribution to the effort to lessen the effects of global warming, according to a DepEd circular.
"All public and private schools nationwide are directed to plant trees and make sure they're taken care of, as the department takes concrete steps to mitigate the effects of global warming," Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said in a statement.
Lapus stressed that the global warming phenomenon required more than lip service. "It requires us to take solid, concerted action to arrest the continuing decline of our environment," he said.
The directive contained in DepEd Order No. 33 also prohibits the cutting of trees on school grounds.
In the continuing effort to combat climate change, Lapus also directed school officials to conduct "extensive tree-planting, tree-growing and tree-caring activities" on their campuses and nearby communities throughout the school year.
In his order, Lapus also instructed school officials to convert empty lots on their campuses to mini-forests and plant nurseries.
As part of the school's service to the community, all schools nationwide were likewise directed to carry out activities like forums, symposiums and other related undertakings to create wider public awareness of the state of the environment, Lapus said.
Lapus also asked school-based organizations to do their share in the fight against climate change and directed school administrators to provide assistance to the groups.
"I also urge school-based organizations such as the Supreme Student Government, Supreme Pupil Government, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Youth for Environment in Schools Organization to lead the tree-planting and tree-caring activities as part of their civic duty," Lapus said.
He particularly encouraged the planting of trees endemic to the Philippines such as narra, molave, Philippine teak, acacia, kamagong, lawaan and fruit-bearing trees.
