Senator Ramon ‘’Bong’’ Revilla Jr. today joined Senator Cynthia A. Villar in urging the public to participate in tree planting activities to widen the country’s whole-of-nation reforestation effort.

Revilla said Villar, chairperson of the Senate environment, natural resources and climate change committee, is right when she stated that each of us should plant trees.

‘’Kung maibabalik natin sa dati ang malagong kagubatan, at mas makakapagtanim rin tayo sa kalungsuran, mas mababawasan ang panganib na dulot sa atin ng bagyo, baha, at iba pa (The danger caused by storms, flooding and other calamities would be reduced if we are able to reforest the denuded mountains),” he pointed out.

However, Revilla said that the Department of Environment and Natural Resource (DENR) should still take the lead as the implementor of the government’s greening program.

He emphasised that DENR should not only focus on the planting of the seedlings but should also assure its survivability.

Revilla also encouraged the public to only plant species endemic to the region where the seedlings would be planted to avoid invasive species to propagate.

As part of his agenda to champion environmental laws in the chamber, Revilla has filed Senate Bill No. 1538 that seeks to require all graduating elementary, high school, and college students of public educational institutions to plant 10 trees each as a prerequisite for graduation.

The solon said that he filed this bill to complement the government’s National Greening Program (NGP) and to ensure the cultivation of socially-responsible citizenry among the future generations of Filipinos.

As provided in the bill, trees shall be planted in any of the following: forestlands, mangrove forests, protected areas, ancestral domains, civil and military reservations, urban areas under greening plan of local government units, inactive and abandoned mine sites, and other suitable lands.