Bohol joins nation-wide launch for Green Philippine Highways

FOR the popularity conscious, a name painted on a standard billboard announcing one's stewardship of a number of trees lining the country's highways is enough morale booster. For the struggling environment, it helps nature absorb all the hazardous substances that human industries have spewed upon the earth. With this noble intention in mind, the local Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) led by Provincial head Eduardo Inting launches next week the “Greening the Philippine Highways Project” via a simultaneous nationwide roadside tree planting this August 25, Friday. In a management conference in Bohol a couple of months ago, DENR Secretary Angelo Reyes rallied Boholanos to support the program even as he pressed government environmentalists to see to it that the project is implemented well here.

The project, which not only aims to restore air quality but also creates and enhances environmental consciousness and participation among people, also is seen to improve aesthetics to the Philippine highways. In Bohol, where some road right of ways are still in the acquisition stage, local DENR authorities said the simultaneous tree planting is concentrated on built highways that have full shoulders and ditches. The holes, to be dug about a meter away from the public work ditches running alongside the newly paved road should also be spaced about ten meters away from each other, explains Jaime Mataflorida of the local DENR office in an interview then. Overhead Boheco power lines and residential areas though need to be evaded, he added further saying that DENR men would be fielded along the highway stretches to supervise the simultaneous earth healing activity.

The stretch of highway is divided into multiple sections and would be shared by potential donor partners, considering the capability of the sponsoring groups. Into the sections would go fruit trees, mahogany and gmelina seedlings supplied by the government and local nurseries, Inting said in a radio interview. After a group has “owned” by sponsoring a tree-patch along a certain highway, they could be issued a Certificate of Stewardship for each section. This would be awarded to the sponsor to legitimize their claim for planting, care and maintenance of the patch in a period of three years, says Provincial Administrator Tomas Abapo in his circular issue to national and provincial offices and agencies. The sponsoring group also earns the right to a placard or billboard with their name reflecting the sponsorship areas of the highways.

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