Volunteers join tree growing, cleanup on world envi day

Over 1,000 volunteers in Cagayan Valley planted more than 3,000 bamboo propagules and indigenous trees today, June 5, as part of the simultaneous nationwide celebration of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) World Environment Day.

 

Aside from tree growing, the volunteers also conducted cleanup activities along riverbank water quality management areas and other tributaries and waterways in the region.

 

With the theme “No to Waste: Advancing Circular Economy to #BeatPlasticPollution,” this global celebration calls for an immediate collective action to address plastic pollution by advancing circular economy.

 

Regional Executive Director Gwendolyn Bambalan of DENR Cagayan Valley earlier directed the field officials and employees to enjoin partner stakeholders in various greening activities to create bigger impacts for the environment.

 

“Let us heighten our campaign to beat plastic pollution,” said Director Bambalan as she emphasized features of Republic Act No. 11898 or the Extended Producer Responsibility Act of 2022 which institutionalizes the extended producer responsibility on plastic packaging waste.

 

For the region, the tree growing and cleanup drives were simultaneously held in Basco, Batanes; Tuguegarao City, Solana, Alcala, Aparri and Pamplona in Cagayan; City of Ilagan, Quirino, Cabagan, Cauayan City, Palanan, Maconacon and Dinapigue in Isabela; Diffun and Nagtipunan in Quirino; and Bayombong, Aritao and Dupax del Norte in Nueva Vizcaya.

 

The celebration was joined by volunteers from law enforcement groups and other national government agencies, local government units, academe, people’s organizations, youth and student ENR ambassadors, and the media.

 

The DENR Region 2 will also hold a series of Environmental Caravan cum People’s Day in the five provinces as part of the Philippine Environment Month celebration this June.

 

The caravan aims to bring ENR programs closer to the people and solicit support to promote environmental preservation and resiliency. #