The Iloilo provincial government is launching a province-wide tree planting convergence drive with adherence to social distancing protocols. “Tanum Iloilo: Tree Planting with Social Distancing” will have its symbolic launching on June 25, 2020 in celebration of Arbor Day.

The massive tree planting program aims to plant 1.5 million trees a day, according to Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. “We want to show that we can proceed with life even with social distancing. That the programs that we have been implementing, we will continue to implement,” Defensor said.

Among those to be planted are the 100 seedlings of Iloilo Tree donated by the Capiz provincial government to the province of Iloilo. The endemic plant, known scientifically as Aglaia argentea, was named after the province of Iloilo. A large number of this tree can be found in the mountains of Jamindan town in Capiz. Capiz Gov. Esteban Contreras turned over the seedlings to Governor Defensor on June 10. “We will also propagate it here. We will turn it over to the municipalities during the symbolic launching of Tanum Iloilo,” Defensor said.

The tree planting program will be participated by municipalities, barangays, national government agencies, non-government organizations, and the private sector, among others. “We will implement laws, ordinances, administrative issuances, and resolutions relative to the environment, particularly on tree planting,” the governor said. (LHC/Capitol news