CEBU CITY, Nov. 23 (PNA) — Mayor Val Chiong of the City of Naga in southern Cebu was joined by some 2,500 government and private employees in planting 3,900 tree seedlings Saturday in Sitio Kaduldulan, Barangay Lutac, City of Naga.
Chiong said the activity was to comply with requirements of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) after the city was allowed to cut trees to pave the way for a track and field oval.
”This shows that we in Naga are concerned about the environment,” Chiong said.
He challenged his critics from the environment advocacy groups not to focus their attention on his city, which is very accessible to the media.
“They should also go to places where there are illegal loggers but no media watching,” he said.
Chiong has been criticized by environmentalists, one of them Fr. Robert Reyes, for the cutting of 58 trees in Naga Central School to clear the area for the city’s sports oval.
But instead of planting only 2,900 seedlings as required by DENR, the mayor planted more.
“In my own little way, I will give two narra seedlings to every couple that’s getting married,” Chiong said.
He said he had invited his critics to join him in the tree-planting activity but none came. (PNA)