Rizal 2nd District Rep. Fidel Nograles this week launched the Save Our Forests Now program in a bid to encourage the youth to become more proactive in protecting the environment.
The solon, along with more than 200 students from Colegio de Montalban, University of Rizal System, as well as San Mateo Municipal College, planted 1,000 bamboo saplings along Wawa Dam in Rodriguez town.
The neophyte lawmaker said the program is “a good opportunity to make the youth more involved in climate advocacy.”
The town was among those badly-hit when Typhoon Ulysses struck in November.
The neophyte lawmaker said the program is “a good opportunity to make the youth more involved in climate advocacy.”
“Marami naman sa kabataan ang handang tumulong. We only have to open up avenues for them to be able to direct their desire and energies to worthy causes,” Nograles said.
He added that more tree-planting and other related environmental activities are slated over the coming months.
“A large number have expressed enthusiasm over the program, and we will be exploring strategic partnerships with other organizations so we can start a sustainable movement that will hopefully be replicated not only in Rizal but in the whole country,” the solon said.
He also emphasized the need to start taking the country’s re-greening program seriously.
The country’s funds are already stretched thin due to the pandemic, he said, and possible sources of setbacks should be addressed immediately to ensure that recovery is not regularly interrupted.
“By implementing disaster mitigation measures such as reforestation now, we can minimize ad hoc allocations for disaster response that we can otherwise pour onto reviving our economy,” Nograles said.
Nograles added that more tree-planting and other related environmental activities are slated over the coming months.
The lawmaker also expressed gratitude that his proposal to create a government body to oversee, manage, and care for the 500 kilometer-long Sierra Madre Mountain Range has been approved by the House Committee on Government Enterprises and Privatization.
The proposed measure seeks to protect the biodiverse area’s forest cover and prevent flooding in various areas in Luzon.
“Nagpapasalamat tayo kay Committee Chair at Parañaque 1st District Rep. Eric Olivarez sa pag-apruba ng House Bill No. 5634. Umaasa tayong tuluyan nang maipasa ang panukalang-batas na ito nang maging mas komprehensibo pa ang pag-protekta sa Sierra Madre,” said the lawmaker.