DTI- DAR partners in “Plant a Tree Program”

By Irma A. Guhit

SORSOGON CITY, NOVEMBER 30 (PIA)…. Underscoring the continuous support to the National Greening Program (NGP) of government, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and  the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) through its Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Program (CARP)  have forged partnership in the massive planting of the pili trees here.

Pili, considered as the high value crop of the province of Sorsogon has been also identified as one of the natural environmental trees to planted to ensure measures in adaptation and mitigation to Climate Change's ill effects.

DTI here through the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Counci (SMEDC) has vowed in the same manner to initiate proper coordination with local officials in the propagation of the said high value crop.

 Pili, being Bicol’s prime commodity has been one of the sources of employment here for households, street vendors, traders and processors.

lLeah Pagao, provincial director here of DTI  said that pili has already gained a niche in almost all DTI trade fairs as Bicols best commodity champion in sales, truly marketable and an export earner for the region.

Pagao said that it has also been an identifying  flagship business opportunity for Bicol and the top OTOP product of Bikol.

CARP beneficiaries here were trained and tapped to plant throughout the province with seedlings supplied by the Department of Agriculture.

Alleviation of poverty, according to  Pagao is one of the main objectives in the massive planting of pili hand in hand with environmental conservation and economic development enterprise.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) thrusts’ and the provincial government of Sorsogon’s initiative to harmonize efforts in Climate Change adaptation and mitigation through pili planting will be one of the continuous activities of the province to be undertaken.

Resource speakers from DA have also been tapped to provide more information to CARP beneficiaries in the proper propagation of the pili tree.

Meanwhile, seedlings were also distributed to 100 beneficiaries region-wide and proper validation of areas for pili plantation has been identified already.

Pili is an endemic specie of plant here in the Bikol region and  does not need so much care as it is very adaptable to our climate and weather condition. It's known for  sturdiness, can withstand strong winds and has been seen proven to be resistant to typhoons.

The" Plant a Tree Program" has already been recommended by DENR as Secretary Ramon Paje of DENduring his visit here and regional director of DENR RO V, Joselin Marcus Fragada during the launch of the National Greening Program has declared to make pili as the tree to be massively planted in region.(PIA-SORSOGON)