The Filipino graduation: Plant trees for degree

'Save Trees-Save Earth' -- over the years, this phrase has become a primary motto for everyone who is concerned about the degrading conditions of the environment. With the rising level of global warming, the earth is in danger of facing some disastrous climate changes, like the melting of the polar ice caps. Amid this crisis, Philippines has come up with a plan. A plan to counter this danger in an effective way. They have passed a law which regulates students of the elementary school, high school and college to plant at least 10 trees before they can graduate.

The country is facing massive deforestation with the total forest cover having dropped from 70 per cent to 20 per cent during the 20th century, because of an increase in the illegal production and transport of timber in unauthorised areas. The resultant soil erosion has led to food and water insecurity throughout the country. And with reduced forest cover and frequent typhoons, landslides have become a common phenomenon.

The House of Representatives passed the new environmental bill, which could see as many as 525 billion trees planted in one generation. MADGALO representative Gay Alejano said, "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. ” He further added, "Even with a survival rate of only 10 per cent, 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.”

According to CNN, priority would be given to forest lands, mangrove and protected areas, ancestral domains, civil and military reservations, urban areas, inactive and abandoned mine sites. The nature of the trees must be suitable to the location, its climate and geography, and there will be a preference for indigenous species.