TO RESTORE the condition of the Central Cebu Protected Landscape (CCPL) and its neighboring areas, a large-scale tree-planting initiative called Carbon PH is underway, aiming to plant 10 million trees.
The project, currently under discussion, focuses on the rehabilitation of the forests around Mananga River in Talisay City and Lusaran River in Cebu City.
Cebu City Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia said trees can help mitigate flooding in low-lying barangays.
“The impact [of trees] on flooding is significant because the flow of water can be controlled,” Garcia said in Cebuano during a phone interview on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024.
SunStar Cebu reported on May 5 that Cebu lost 74 hectares of natural forest in 2023. This information was shared by Cebu City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) assistant head Anne Marie Cuizon during an online program of the Cebu City Public Information Office last May 4.
Data from Global Forest Watch shows a significant decline in Cebu City’s tree cover. Between 2001 and 2023, the city lost 609 hectares, representing a 4.4 percent decrease, which released an estimated 353 kilotons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions.
Carbon PH is led by the Aboitiz Group and San Miguel Corp. in collaboration with local government units of Cebu Province, Cebu City and Talisay City, according to Garcia.
The Carbon PH project “aims to improve the condition of the Central Cebu Protected Landscape and its surrounding areas by planting 10 million trees,” according to a statement from the Cebu City Public Information Office on Monday, Aug. 19.
Cebu City is included in the project as it has protected areas related to the CCPL, including Buhisan Dam, Sudlon National Park, Kotkot-Lusaran Watershed Forest Reserve, and Mananga Watershed Forest Reserve.
Garcia said the project is still under discussion, and they are also seeking advice from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Environmental Management Bureau on the right distance for planting trees near the river.
Since the talks are ongoing, there is no specific timeline yet for the project’s start, according to Garcia. / CDF