FOR a greener Cebu City, Mayor Edgardo Labella formed the Cebu City Stewards to ensure that there will be people who will look after the forests, coastal areas, and rivers within the city.
The Cebu City Stewards is composed of the Forest Rangers, who will oversee and monitor the upland areas of Cebu City and see to it that forest programs and laws are implemented; the River Patrol, which is in charge of monitoring all major rivers in the city; and the Coastal Patrol, whose members will coordinate with the Bantay Dagat to protect marine life.
The different groups will be composed of City Hall employees who will volunteer to monitor the seedlings that will be planted during the massive tree-planting activities that will start on Oct. 5, 2019.
Labella said the program will create jobs as it is also open to individuals who will commit to help the City with its goal to save and protect the environment.
“Because many want to work in City Hall, okay, we will provide you jobs,” the mayor said.
Labella earlier announced his “Cebu City Green” project, which is to plant three million trees in the next three years.
Labella said he wants to have a “green city” before his term ends in 2022.
As of Sept. 29, there are already 10,000 volunteers who want to participate in the tree-planting, mostly from the different schools, business establishments and non-government organizations in the city.
With the theme “Kakahuyan alang sa Kaugmaon,” Labella said it is the beginning of a series of activities meant to save the environment.
According to Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Ccenro) head John Jigo Dacua, the identified sites for the tree-planting are the South Road Properties for ornamental trees such as Palawan cherries, Barangay Taptap for Narra trees and riverside areas for bamboo trees.
“The plan is to plant and grow indigenous trees,” said Dacua.
Dacua sees the massive tree-planting and tree-growing as the most feasible way to fight climate change.
As early as now, the City is already preparing the buses that will transport the volunteers to the different stations.
As to the budget for the tree-planting, City Administrator Floro Casas Jr. said their existing funds can cover it. In 2020, he said the funds for the greening program will be included in the annual budget. (JJL)