The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has ordered all its employees to continue taking part in the aggressive reforestation project of the national government amid the threats of widespread flooding in the country.
This, as the BOC said its personnel from the Central Office and 17 Collection Districts were able to plant at least 4,500 trees during the nationwide simultaneous tree planting activity on Nov. 26.
BOC Commissioner Yogi Filemon Ruiz said the joint tree-planting activity of the Central Office, Ports of Manila, Batangas, Ninoy Aquino International Airport, and the Manila International Container Port at Sitio Bulihan, Barangay Tabangao Ambulong in Batangas City.
The Ports of Tacloban, Surigao, Subic, Clark, Davao, Cebu, Cagayan De Oro, Limay, Zamboanga, Aparri, iloilo, and Legazpi also held their tree planting activity programs in their respective cities.
Among the seedlings planted during the simultaneous activity were narra, molave, mahogany and mangrove.
"Planting a tree is a two-edged sword. It is the most selfish thing and also the most selfless act that you can do," said Ruiz who joined the activity.
"You plant a tree for yourself and your children because you want to ensure the survivability of your lineage, but, in doing so, you also ensure that other people and species will benefit from it," he added.
Ruiz said the involvement of BOC personnel in the activity is part of the bureau's Customs Social Responsibility (CSR) Program under the "Ikaw, Ako, at ang BOC" banner.
He added that it is also in line with the directive of President Marcos to all government agencies to make tree planting a part of programmed activities.