ILOILO City's First Forest Pocket is planted adjacent to the Jaro floodway area, adopting the Miyawaki method.

An area of 8 meters x 55 meters (440 square meters) are planted in between fire trees with the following species: ylang-ylang, tapuyay, narra, kamansi, tambis, babana, kamagong, bakan, atis, jackfruit, palawan cherry, caballero and pandakaki.

Already growing are acacia, aratilis, passion fruit and dwarf coconut.

"We will continue to identify forest pockets to be planted and cultivated," Executive Assistant for Environment Armando Dayrit said.

"The area in the floodway is becoming an illegal dumping site of people throwing their garbage. We have to clear it and warn people the floodway is not a garbage dumping place," Dayrit added. (PR)