Philippine House of Representatives passed new legislation dubbed the ‘Graduation Legacy for the Environment Act’ requiring all graduating elementary, high school and college students to plant at least ten trees if they want to graduate.

The bill states the trees should be planted in any of the following areas: ancestral domains, forest lands, civil and military reservations, mangrove and protected areas, inactive and abandoned mine sites, urban areas under the greening plan of the local government units, and other suitable lands.

The Graduation Legacy for the Environmental Act or House Bill 8728 is authored by MAGDALO Party-list Rep. Gary Alejano and Strike Revilla, Cavite 2nd District Representative.

Alejano explained in the law’s explanatory note: “With over 12 million students graduating from elementary and nearly five million students graduating from high school and almost 500,000 graduating from college each year, this initiative, if properly implemented, will ensure that at least 175 million new trees would be planted each year. In the course of one generation, no less than 525 billion can be planted under this initiative.

“Even with a survival rate of only 10 percent, this would mean an additional 525 million trees would be available for the youth to enjoy, when they assume the mantle of leadership in the future.”

Under the law, the Commission on Higher Education and the Department of Education will be the implementing bodies in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, Department of Environmental and Natural Resources, National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, Department of Agrarian Reform and other government agencies.

These agencies will be responsible for seedling production, nursery establishment, site preparation, evaluation and monitoring, technical support and also extension services. They will also provide transportation, security, medical support and fire protection amenities.

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Replaced!