R23 million for Bacolod urban greening program

BACOLOD CITY – The city will receive P23 million from the Department of Budget and Management for an urban greening program that will be launched this year.

The project will create a new landscape for Bacolod, since the empty spaces will become green, City Administrator John Orola said over the weekend.

Mayor Evelio Leonardia led the launching of the Urban Greening Program last month.

Orola said the city government is planning to utilize a three-hectare area in Barangay Alijis and an eight-hectare land in Barangay Alangilan for the greening project.

An integrated farm area with seedling nurseries for the greening projec, and an aquaculture site will also be established in Alijis.

More nurseries will also be opened in Barangay Alangilan.

In May last year, the city and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) signed a memorandum of agreement for the fiveyear Bacolod City Urban Development Greening Program whose target is to plant a million trees.

Leonardia led the ceremonial treeplanting at the Bacolod Government Center grounds.

The plan seeks to establish a Barangay/City Park in all 61 barangays in Bacolod, stabilize riverbanks by planting bamboo, fruit and forest trees, and enhance the beauty of the city through planting/growing of ornamental plants and other fruit-bearing trees along the national highway, provincial and barangay roads.

It also aims to intensify public awareness through information and education campaign on the importance of biodiversity conservation, protection and rehabilitation of denuded areas as strategy in addressing climate change; and enhance and encourage public and private sectors and other stakeholder participation in the conservation, rehabilitation and protection of the environment.(PNA)