CAPITOL'S REFORESTATION EFFORT Mandatory tree planting for quarry, mining operators

The Cebu Provincial Government has ordered all quarry operators, mining permittees, and even local government units (LGUs) to conduct mandatory tree planting and donate healthy seedlings as part of intensified reforestation and disaster-mitigation efforts across the province.

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Governor Pamela S. Baricuatro issued the directive through a memorandum enforcing Section 3(c)(2) of Provincial Ordinance 2016-21, a longstanding policy that had seen diminished compliance in recent years.

The order follows consecutive flooding incidents during the onslaught of Typhoon Tino, as well as landslides that affected various parts of Cebu.

Under the ordinance, permittees extracting quarry and mineral resources must plant at least one seedling for every cubic meter of material extracted within host communities and neighboring areas. They are also required to donate healthy endemic and fruit-bearing tree seedlings to the province's nurseries as part of environmental sustainability initiatives.

Operators must likewise establish proper drainage canals within their sites for the duration of their permits—a requirement that must be completed before any renewal is granted.