COTABATO CITY — A measure requiring students to plant trees in the region has been presented in the Bangsamoro Parliament. 

Parliament Bill No.106 or the ‘BARMM Tree Planting Act’ aims to protect forests and address climate change in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) by obliging all students in grade six to grade 12 and graduating college students from both public and private schools, to plant at least two trees every year.

Under the proposed measure filed by Rasul Ismael, students will be required to plant trees as part of their enrollment and graduation requirements. 

He said that if properly implemented, this effort will result in the planting of at least 22 million new trees every year.

“Even with a survival rate of only 10 percent, this would mean an additional 110,000 trees would be available for the youth to enjoy when they assume the mantle of leadership in the future,” he added.

The Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE), Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Energy (MENRE), and relevant local government units (LGUs) will determine appropriate sites for the proposed activity.

Aside from MBHTE and MENRE, the agencies to lead the implementation of this bill are:

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR);
Ministry of Interior and Local Government (MILG);
Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST); and 
Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs (MIPA).

The Community Environment and Natural Resources (CENRO) of MENRE and MAFAR are responsible for maintaining the seedling bank needed to execute this act. (Publication and Media Relations Division)