Reforestation to go with next clean-up drive

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City’s Environment and Natural Resources Office (CCENRO) is looking at incorporating tree-growing activities with another round of city-wide clean-up in September.

CCENRO chief Reymar Hijara said it’s going to be a very hectic day for the city if this pushes through, but all for a very worthy cause. At the moment, CCENRO is going over the city government’s agreement with Ayala Land concerning reforestation efforts under their property.

“Nag-touch base mi’g balik sa Ayala land...I received an information from the city disaster office concerning an agreement with Ayala for a greening project with Cebu City,” said Hijara.

This came after CCENRO eyed holding its bamboo planting activity for the Bamboo month in September in Ayala Heights.

“Ayala Heights among na-identify na area for the Bamboo month in September aside from other two sites,” Hijara said. The two other sites will also be in the upland area of the city.

According to the World Bamboo Organization, bamboo grows naturally, but its utilization has not always been sustainable due to exploitation. WBO hopes to ensure sustainable utilization, promote new cultivation of bamboo for new industries in regions around the world, and promote traditional uses locally for community economic development.

It also said growing bamboo can restore degraded lands, store carbon in soils and durable goods, enhance biodiversity, improve local economies, yield nutritious food, and more.

A meeting concerning this matter has already been done the other day said Hijara.

“We are joined by representatives from Ayala Land Inc., who are partnering with the Cebu City government on a greening project in a 19-hectare area in Ayala Heights, Cebu City,” said Hijara. Aside from Ayala Land, also in attendance were representatives from the City Agriculture Department, the Cebu City Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Office, the Mayor's Office, and the Cebu Bamboo Council.

“Such initiative accordingly supports our biodiversity program, flood control efforts, and water supply management,” Hijara added.

Although the agreement has not yet been sealed, Hijara said, a representative from Ayala Land has already agreed to this.

“Nindot nga development kay although wala pa na napirmahan nga agreement, the Ayala Land representative nisugot nag mag sugod tag tanum-tanm ngadto,” Hijara said.

Aside from bamboo, Hijara is also looking into growing native tress as part of the city’s reforestation efforts.

“Not only bamboo, but kaning sa atong mga kahoy, preferably native trees atong ipangtanom… Excited ‘tang ni allow ra sila,” said Hijara.

Ayala Land has also reportedly agreed to hold the opening of the Bamboo Month together with a simultaneous ceremonial planting of bamboo in the upland barangays of Cebu City.

The bamboo and other tree-growing activity will be done together with City Agriculture Department and the farmers who are recipients of the trees they will be planting.

For the culmination of the Bamboo Month on September 21, CCENRO is also looking into incorporating it with the city-wide clean-up.

The last clean-up drive the city government organized was in June.

CCENRO considered it to be very a very successful one, not only for the volume of garbage it collected, but for being able to introduce proper segregation and recycling and re-using plastics. Government employees, residents and volunteers joined in the clean-up drive. — (FREEMAN)