Around 3,600 seedlings of various tree species will be planted along the national highway from Iloilo City leading to the Iloilo International Airport in the municipality of Cabatuan in the province.

A memorandum of agreement (MOA) was signed Monday afternoon by the provincial, city, and municipal governments of local government units covered by the program including Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. and Mayors Jerry Treñas of Iloilo City, Elizalde Pueyo of Cabatuan, Dennis Superficial of Sta. Barbara, and Laurence Anthony Gorriceta of Pavia, and heads of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) Iloilo and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineers Eusebio Monserate Jr. and Nerie Bueno, respectively.

Engineer Neil Ravena, chief of the City Environment and Natural Resources Office, on Tuesday said the agreement spells the collaboration of the greening program of the provincial government and this city’s tree-planting activity since the 19-kilometer road going to the airport spans various towns in the province.

“In environment, it transcends all. So, the province and the city have no political boundaries,” he said in an interview.

Ravena estimated they will be planting around 3,600 native tree species including Kasopangil, Malabago, Salinggogon, Siar, Labayanan, Bakan, Balitbitan, Bani, and Catmon.

“We have plans specifying the species to be planted guided by our native tree enthusiasts,” he said.

Based on the agreement, the city government will provide the seedlings while other signatories will help in the planting and maintenance of trees.

Ravena said following the MOA signing, they hope to complete the tree growing in one week.

“We have more than 4,000 seedlings in our nursery,” he added.

Defensor, during the MOA signing, said the activity can be the start of the regular collaboration between the province and city governments.

“We have been repeating in the past that the boundary between Iloilo City and the province is a fiction. We really are one, our resources are one, our people are one and the developments are one,” he said.

Treñas added the city government is ready to help in whatever capacity to make the city and the province of Iloilo greener and more beautiful. (PNA)