A MANDAUE City councilor is pushing for an ordinance that will require all graduating senior high school and college students, from both public and private schools, to plant trees as part of their graduation requirements.
Councilor Jennifer del Mar said the measure is urgently needed as the city continues to face the effects of climate change, unpredictable weather patterns, and worsening environmental conditions.
“We can clearly see how unpredictable the weather has become. We really need this,” del Mar said.
“So who should we teach? The youth. Teaching them while they are young will help make tree planting part of their routine,” she added.
Del Mar emphasized that planting trees has become an essential civic duty at a time when many believe it might already be too late to undo some of the environmental damage.
“Planting a tree is very important. It might be too late for us to say, but the best time is now. So we drafted this ordinance for this purpose,” she added.
Youth involvement
Del Mar said the city will monitor the kind of trees to be planted and their designated areas, stressing that everyone has a responsibility to protect nature.
“We all have a responsibility toward Mother Nature. This is one of the things we need to implement here in Mandaue City,” she said.
Sangguniang Kabataan Federation President and City Councilor Fleuritz Gayle Jumao-as, who co-authored the ordinance, said the initiative aims to involve the younger generation in environmental protection and disaster mitigation.
“We are drafting an ordinance that will mandate graduating senior high school and college students to plant trees. Before they graduate, this will be one of their requirements,” Jumao-as explained.
Jumao-as said the program would help address flooding and deforestation, which have been persistent issues in the city.
“We hope we can really implement this. We see a lot of flooding and deforestation happening, so this could really help,” she said.
School policy
The ordinance will cover all graduating students in Mandaue City. The Department of Agriculture is also expected to assist in providing seedlings for schools that cannot supply their own.
Some schools have already adopted similar policies, requiring students to plant up to 10 trees before graduation.
The City Government will work with agriculture experts to ensure monitoring and survival of the planted trees.
Jumao-as said the goal is to empower students to contribute to the community through environmental action.
“Our small efforts can create a bigger impact if we all work together,” she said.
The city also plans to coordinate with national agencies to oversee proper tree planting and growth monitoring.
A meeting is expected to be scheduled soon, although no specific date has been set. / ABC