Palaro contingents told to plant indigenous trees

MANILA, Philippines - After banning the use of plastics and Styrofoam in the 2012 Palarong Pambansa, the Department of Education (DepEd) has directed all participants in the annual sporting event in Negros Oriental this year to plant at least 15 trees endemic to the province. 

Education Secretary Armin Luistro said the new directive is part of the DepEd’s effort to push for a “cleaner and greener” Palarong Pambansa, which kicked off yesterday in Dumaguete City. 

“Every staging of the Palaro should be an occasion to bring out the spirit of cooperation, discipline and a deep sense of responsibility to oneself and to the environment,” Luistro said. 

Each delegation is required to plant 10 to 15 indigenous trees in the school compound where its members are billeted. 

“This is in consonance with the thrust of the National Greening Movement. The local unit of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources will provide the seedlings,” Luistro said. 

All Palaro participants and officials are also directed to bring and use their own washable plates and kitchen utensils instead of using Styrofoam and other plastic materials, based on DepEd Memo No. 61 Series of 2013. 

Proper waste segregation, collection and disposal will be implemented and non-burning of garbage will be observed, Luistro said. 

“Other than the values that are inherent in sports, let every Palaro bring out a deeper sense of solidarity for the environment among all the Palaro stakeholders,” he said.