MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) on Sunday vowed to strengthen its tree planting initiatives, including the mandatory requirement for applicants to plant 1,000 tree seedling before being granted a permit to operate.
This, said PPA in a statement, comes after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ordered to more tree planting programs after Severe Tropical Storm Paeng inundated many parts of the country.
“Bilang tugon sa panawagan ng ating Pangulong [Marcos] na magsagawa ng tree planting activities, lalo pang paiigtingin ng PPA ang tree planting initiative nito sa ilalim ng PPA Administrative Order 14-2020,” said PPA General Manager Jay Santiago.
(In response to the call of President Marcos to conduct tree planting activities, PPA will further intensify its tree planting initiative under PPA Administrative Order 14-2020.)
The said administrative order is pursuant to Republic Act No. 9729 or “The Climate Change Act of 2009,” which requires PPA applicants to plant at least 1,000 tree seedlings or mangroves before being granted a permit to operate.
The said order also stated that the Permit To Operate, Certificate of Registration, and contract of individuals and service providers at ports that do not comply with the said requirement may be canceled.
In partnership with the Community Environment and Natural Resources (CENRO), the agency has planted more than 3,000 seedlings in Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Zamboanga, Agusan, Bicol region, Negros Oriental and Bataan.
“The entire management of PPA is glad that we are allies with the same vision of our dear President in the field of reforestation and environmental protection,” Santiago added.
As of Nov. 5, a total of 155 deaths were reported by the the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), along with 129 injuries, and 34 missing after Paeng whipped parts of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
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