Sun.Star Pampanga

Angeles City residents asked to plant trees in their homes

ANGELES CITY — Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin Jr., is encouragin­g residents in the city to establish their own garden in their household.

The mayor said this will help in the city government’s programs to address the extreme heat index being experience­d nowadays.

Lazatin said residents of Angeles City may avail from the city government free seedlings of lemon, atis, guyabano, santol, langka, kamansi, papaya, and kalamansi to start up their own urban garden.

“Hinihikaya­t ko po ang ating mga kababayan na magtanim. Libre po na pinapamiga­y ang mga seedlings natin sa City Agricultur­e Office at puwede po silang kumuha roon,” Lazatin said.

At least 55,000 ornamental, herbal, fruitbeari­ng, vegetables and forest trees are available at the City Agricultur­e Office, he added.

Interested individual­s may visit the City Agricultur­e Office at City Hall, from Monday to Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to avail the free seed l i n gs.

Lazatin added that the city government also provides free fertilizer­s to people who support the program.

The city government, Department of Education,

and other non-government organizati­ons are set to plant 50,000 seedlings beginning in May in view of the extensive reforestat­ion efforts at the Angeles City Watershed.

"We will exhaust all our efforts to do the best we can in promoting a greener, cooler, and sustainabl­e environmen­t here in our city," Lazatin sai d .

The mayor earlier ordered for the planting of seedlings in open spaces owned by the city government and public schools in the city.

Among the seedlings to be planted are narra, molave, dau, poay, bamboo, Palawan cherry blossom, balibago, bitaug, tinik, dita, white lawan, kamagong, kiling, malaruat, toog, malalangka, malabulak, dungon, and ipil; and assorted fruit-bearing trees consisting of mulberry, guava, anunas, guyabano, jackfruit, atis, lipote, mandgoes, duhat, kamansi, santol, kasoy, avocado, macopa, chesa, American lemon, and rambutan.

Lazatin said the initiative will increase the city's green cover and promote a cooler environmen­t, safeguardi­ng the well-being of the public as well as a proactive approach to climate resili ence.

Lazatin underscore­d this commitment, which requires collective community effort to combat these environmen­tal challenges.