PILI, Camarines Sur—Camarines Sur Gov. Luis Raymund “LRay” Villafuerte has ordered tree-planting stepped up in a 30-hectare patch of forest ravaged by charcoal-making in Presentacion, Camarines Sur, where the governor said 7,500 trees had been planted initially.
The tree-planting was part of the provincial government’s campaign called El Verde, which was launched in February last year in rites attended by President Aquino.
The campaign seeks to have at least 12 million trees planted in the province by the end of this year.
Earlier, the provincial government won a Guiness record by planting the most trees at one time in one site on Feb. 23, 2011, in Tinambac town. On that day, at least 64,096 trees had been planted in 15 minutes, dislodging the record set earlier by Ladakh, India, where 50,033 trees had been planted in an hour.
According to Villafuerte, the provincial government tapped the residents of the village of Pinamihagan in Presentacion to plant the trees. They were offered food in exchange for planting trees, he said.
The governor said through El Verde, “we have been able to address both the issue of environmental degradation and poverty alleviation.”
“We were able to encourage people, especially the poor, to turn away from activities that are harmful to the environment by providing them alternative sources of livelihood,” said Villafuerte.
A component of the program was called Food for Tree under which more than 13,000 sacks of rice have been devoted to families who would plant trees.
“In effect, our message to the beneficiaries is this: You plant trees, take care of them and your immediate environment, and we will take care of you,” said the governor.
In Pinamihagan, Villafuerte said the charcoal makers and farming families, blamed for the forest destruction, were the ones who planted trees.
He said, though, that stopping tree-cutting in the village was the primary role of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources even as the provincial government is helping enforce environmental laws.
Pio Bernal, officer of the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office , said DENR officials had been unaware of charcoal making in the village.
Bernal, however, said the DENR office with jurisdiction over the area was undermanned and couldn’t monitor forest activities in remote areas.
Cris Rivero, a former employee of the DENR and now a forester of the provincial government of Camarines Sur, said the DENR is wanting of “effective presence” in areas where trees are being cut.