This was the message from the tree-planting participants who joined Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. at the recent launching of the biggest Metro Manila component of the nationwide Green Philippine Highways (GPH) program at Commonwealth Avenue-Philcoa.
"Green Army" is the name the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has given to an estimated two million volunteers who have enlisted for the greening program.
In Metro Manila, Quezon City has the biggest territory or thoroughfares that will be covered by the nationwide tree-planting program.
DENR Secretary Angelo Reyes has initiated the program in coordination with LGUs and volunteer organizations.
Covered by the program are the major highways from Laoag City in Northern Luzon to Davao City and Zamboanga City in Mindanao. The total length of these highways is 3, 439 kilometers.
Belmonte said the GPH program is very important to Quezon City because the city has to remain the greenest in Metro Manila. "If you are to view Quezon City from an airplane or helicopter, you will not fail to notice that everywhere in the city there are green parks and the most green areas in Metro Manila, which we want to keep that way," the mayor said.
The mayor lauded the country’s most ambitious tree-planting program, describing it as a good way of developing volunteers in Quezon City and other areas.
"It is inspiring to see that so many Quezon City residents and organizations are with us in endeavors like this. I hope there will be more of this kind of bayanihan everywhere in the city," he added.
In Quezon City, the so-called "Green Army" targets are Commonwealth Avenue, from Quezon Memorial Circle to Jordan Plains, and Mindanao Avenue Extension, according to the mayor.
DENR Undersecretary Ramon Paje led officials and personnel who participated at the Quezon City launching of the greening program last week.
Carlos Gubat, DENR urban forestry division chief for Quezon City, said that on the first day alone, some 200 fire tree or caballero saplings were planted on the islands of Commonwealth Extension.
Most of the QC government personnel who participated in the GPH launching are from the Environmental Protection and Waste Management Department headed by Frederika Rentoy, the Social Services Department under Teresa Mariano and the Parks Development and Administration Department managed by Engineer Zaldy de la Rosa.
City public affairs and information services chief Gregorio Bañaca was also there with a media coverage team.