DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES Doa Pepita Aquino St.

, Iloilo City May 29, 2012 PRESS RELEASE

PRESS RELEASE

Regional Public Affairs Office

Tel. Nos: 033-3379785 E-mail: rpao_reg6@yahoo.com

(Left photo, extreme left) DENR Asec Marlon D. Mendoza assisted the UNO-R faculty in planting the heritage tree. (Right photo) He also lead the oath taking of Bantay Kahoy members of the university. DENR, UNO-R launches heritage tree The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 6 in partnership with the University of Negros Occidental Recoletos (UNO-R) recently launches Grow A Heritage Tree at the university campus. The launching was in line with the Urban Greening Grow a Heritage Tree of university for their 50th anniversary. The UNO-R and Energy Development Corporation (EDC) embarked a partnership on the program as part of their contribution in mitigating climate change. The launching was led by DENR Assistant Secretary for Special Project Marlon D. Mendoza who represented Secretary Ramon J. P. Paje during the planting of the heritage tree. The university also established a Live Museum of 50 Philippine Heritage Tree inside the school campus. The university also planted 24 different tree species inside the museum, some of these are apitong, kamagong, yakal, magkono, and tindalo. These trees will be utilized as mother tree for future propagation. DENR Regional Director Julian D. Amador said that the launching of the heritage tree and the museum is a great contribution for the prime reforestation effort of the department, the National Greening Program (NGP).

This will encourage students to participate in our succeeding tree planting activities since under the NGP, Grade 4 students and above are persuaded to plant 10 trees a year under this project, RED Amador added. While PENRO Negros Occidental Valentin P. Talabero commended the establishment of the museum to be used as mother tree for future propagation since the lack of seedling requirement hampers the accomplishment of NGP target last year. The seedlings to be propagated from these trees will be a huge contribution for NGP in order to augment the lack of seedlings requirements for the program, Talabero emphasized. The DENR will provide technical assistance for the maintenance of the tree museum to ensure that the seedlings planted will survive. This endeavor in anchored on the climate change mitigation and adaptation effort of President Benigno Aquino IIIs administration. Approved for release For and in the absence of the Regional Executive Director:

ALICIA L. LUSTICA, Ph.D. RTD for ERDS Office-in-Charge