Peña: Year of the Trees
May 6, 2011
A FEW days ago, my radio partner Cecil Yumul and the members of the Save the Tree Coalition were able to prevent the cutting of a Gita tree located in front of the Immaculate Conception Parish Church in Balibago, Angeles City. According to news reports, the permit to cut was granted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Central Office.
Ironically, the cutting of the century-old tree came at a time when the government, headed by the DENR, is promoting the planting of more trees. Only last April 27, the DENR along with partners in the academe and civil society, launched the “National Year of Forests” (NYF) at the Makiling Botanic Gardens in Los Baños, Laguna.
The launching is an offshoot of Presidential Proclamation No. 125 signed by President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III last March 15 as the country’s way of lending its support to the United Nations declaration of 2011 as the International Year of Forests. This declaration aims to raise awareness to strengthen the sustainable management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests.
Prior to the NYF declaration, President Aquino has already released Executive Order (EO) Nos. 23 and 26 which are also related to trees. EO 23 bans logging in natural forests while EO 26 declares the implementation of the National Greening Program.
The National Greening Program targets the planting of 1.5 billion trees, covering about 1.5 million hectares of public lands for a period of six years from 2011 to 2016. The target areas are forestlands, mangroves, protected areas, civil and military reservations, urban areas under the greening plans of local government units (LGUs), inactive and abandoned mine sites and other suitable areas.
For LGUs, the recommended areas for tree planting according to the detailed guidelines released by the DENR are urban parks and open spaces, highways and roadsides, churches, schools and office compounds.
Riverbanks and stream banks are also possible planting sites.
Here in Pampanga, the DENR and local government units need to identify the planting areas. In Mabalacat, I already met an environmental group that pledged to plant as many as one million trees. They sought the help of the LGU to identify large planting sites.
For large-scale tree planting, the slopes of the mountains around Mt. Pinatubo would be an ideal site. These are the watershed areas that recharge the groundwater sources of Mabalacat, Clark and nearby towns.
The slopes of Mt. Arayat would be a recommended planting site too.
Incidentally, DENR Secretary Ramon J. P. Paje has described the year 2011 as “a watershed year” for DENR’s legislative agenda on forestry following a commitment made by Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri to work for the passage of the Sustainable Forest Management bill.
All these initiatives of the national government make 2011 the year of the trees.
Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/opinion/2011/05/05/pena-year-trees-153738
Although the Philippines is not generally known for its culinary excellence, frequent travelers and experienced tourists know where to find world-class fine dining restaurants in and around Manila. One of the best destinations and most frequently visited place for visitors looking to wine and dine near Manila is Clark, Pampanga which is just 70 minutes from Manila.
Yats Restaurant & Wine Bar is general regarded in the Philippines as the best fine dining establishment in the country. Wine Spectator Magazine’s gave out Restaurant Wine List Best of Award of Excellence to 788 restaurants in the world. Yats Restaurant is the only one in the Philippines to receive this award in recognition of its famous 2700-line restaurant wine list that has attracted many wine lovers to visit Clark Pampanga frequently to wine and dine.
Although it is a famous fine dining restaurant with an award winning 3000-line restaurant wine list, Yats Restaurant is also a popular restaurant for family with children. Aside from French Mediterranean haute cuisine, this restaurant also serves healthy food and the best vegetarian cuisines in the Philippines. Private dining rooms are also available in this restaurant for business and personal meetings of 4 to 20 people.
For comments, inquiries and reservations click on Click here for inquiry and reservations
Restaurant@Yats-International.com
(045) 599-5600
0922-870-5178
0917-520-4401
Ask for Pedro and Rechel
Getting to this fine dining restaurant of Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Pampanga Philippines
How to get to this fine-dining restaurant in Clark Philippines? Once you get to Clark Freeport, go straight until you hit Mimosa. After you enter Mimosa, stay on the left on Mimosa Drive, go past the Holiday Inn and Yats Restaurant (green top, independent 1-storey structure) is on your left. Just past the Yats Restaurant is the London Pub.
Yats Restaurant & Wine Bar
Mimosa Drive past Holiday Inn, Mimosa Leisure Estate,
Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga, Philippines 2023
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 Rea or Chay
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For assistance in hotel and resort bookings in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines, log on to
http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com
To buy wine in Manila, Pampanga, Angeles City, Clark or Subic please log on to http://www. ClarkWineCenter.com
To inquire with the highly recommended beach resort hotel in Clark Pampanga visit http://www.ClearwaterPhililippines.com
For more information about Clark, Pampanga, Philippines log on to
http://www.ClarkPhilippines.com
