The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Philippine League of Local Environment and Natural Resources Officers – South Cotabato (PLLENRO-SC) have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on the implementation of the Urban Greening Program (UGP) in the province.
DENR 12 – Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer (PENRO) Mama Samaon signed the MOA on behalf of DENR 12 – PENRO while T’boli Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Officer (MENRO) Julian Asion Jr. signed on behalf of PLLENRO-SC as its President.
The MOA signing happened during the monthly PLLENRO meeting last May 26 at the municipality of T”boli.
Under the UGP MOA, 288 kilometers of the national road network in the province is targeted to be planted this year with PLLENRO as the contractor together with the support of LGUs, the community and stakeholders.
The program budget is P4,000.00 per kilometer for both sides of the highway or a total of P1,152,000.00 and covers site development/social development, protection maintenance and plantation protection activities.
DENR 12 will download initially 15% of the budget to PLLENRO for social mobilization.
Both sides of the highway will be planted with ornamental plants with 5-meter spacing between them based on the mechanics or standard set by DENR 12.
To create an identity, the City or Municipal LGUs will plant ornamental plants of their own choice.
Koronadal City, the province’s lone component city, will plant caballero, adelfa and Eugenia.
Polomolok, on the other hand, chose golden shower and bougainvillea; Tampakan bougainvillea (international white and pink-white combination) and pandakaki, and Tupi bougainvillea;
In the upper valley, Banga will plant palm and bougainvillea; Norala caballero and bougainvillea; Sto. Nino bougainvillea, pandakai (yellow and green), eugenia, gumamela; T’boli eugenia; Lake Sebu bougainvillea (international white); and, Tantangan red palm.
Surallah, located also in the upper valley area and which has two routes to plant, chose white bougainvillea, hibiscus (gumamela assorted colors) from from its town proper to Lake Sebu, and eugenia (trimmed at 4-5 feet tall), foxtail palm and royal palm from its town proper to Sto. Nino.
MOAs were also signed between PLLENRO and CENRO – General Santos City, and PLLENRO and CENRO – Banga during the meeting.
