Rizal governor pursues YES to Green Program

The Rizal Provincial Government, under the leadership of Governor Nina Ricci Ynares-Chiongbian, is rallying behind the pro-environment programs which her mother, former Rizal Governor Rebecca “Nini” Ynares, initiated in 2013.

Executive Order No. 11, series of 2013, issued during the term of Gov. Nini, established the YES (Ynares Eco-System) To Green Program that aims to heighten people’s consciousness on sound environment policies and practices to improve the capacities and capabilities of the province in addressing environmental issues.

Institutionalized under the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Ordinance No. 11, series of 2015, the program has six major components: cleaning, greening, recycling, tourism, environment and natural resources, and disaster risk reduction and management.

It includes forest conservation, and the appropriate and proper practice of waste gathering, segregation, transport, storage treatment, recycling, and disposal of solid waste. It also addresses poverty alleviation, health and nutrition, shelter and livelihood, tourism development.

Public and private schools in the province have institutionalized their own livelihood and feeding programs through their school yard vegetable, poultry and fish production, supplementing the health programs of the Department of Education (DepEd).

Villages all over the province have functional materials recovery facilities (MRF) for proper waste segregation, vegetable gardens and nurseries to replicate the greening program in every area of the 13 municipalities and the city of Antipolo. Farmers now have increased awareness on climate-smart agriculture because of the YES Program.

With the implementation of the YES To Nutrition sub-program, which focuses on the nutritional status of children and the role and responsibilities of parents to their growing children, a decrease in malnutrition rate in in-school children was recorded. It has also improved the academic performance of students from schools with high incidence of malnutrition.

The YES Program has enforced the provisions on better environmental management for tourism sites, destinations and facilities, resulting in financial gains and benefits to local entrepreneurs such as tour guides, vendors, stall owners, travel and tricycle drivers and operators.

Oplan BUSILAK (Buhayin Sapa, Ilog, Lawa at Karagatan) has also effectively mitigated the spread of diseases and illnesses arising from residual wastes that clogged waterways. It also addresses flooding caused by garbage thrown into rivers, creeks, canals and other water outlets.

Part of Oplan BUSILAK is the rehabilitation of the Hinulugang Taktak Protected Landscape in Antipolo City, led by City Mayor Casimiro “Junjun” Ynares, III.