LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Government employees and other stakeholders planted more than 200 tree seedlings at the Puguis communal forest in this capital town to commemorate World Health Environment Day with the theme, “Protektahan ang kapwaligiran para sa ating kalusugan araw-araw.”
The Department of Health-Cordillera in partnership with the local government of La Trinidad and the Benguet Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office led the trek to the communal forest and the tree planting activity.
Employees from regional line agencies, law enforcement agencies, the municipal government of La Trinidad and its barangays, students and other volunteers participated in the activities.
They planted more than 200 Benguet pine, luntiang dilaw and tebbel seedlings at an area identified by the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office.
Following the trek to the communal forest and the three planting was a zumba dance exercise before a short program.
Executive Assistant Atty. Roma Cayat representing Mayor Romeo Salda thanked the DOH and the DENR for partnering with the local government in the campaign to preserve the environment through tree planting. She encouraged the participants to sustain their partnership by visiting the trees they planted making sure that these will grow.
Provincial DOH Office Development Management Officer Mercedes Calpito said the Philippines is facing the triple burden of disease in the form of communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases, and environment-related deaths and injuries. This is supported by World Health Organization data, which estimates that environmental risk factors contribute to at least 22 percent of the reported disease cases and nearly six percent of reported deaths in 2006.
The participants were encouraged to adopt sustainable behaviors that will contribute to a healthier environment.
World Environment Health Day is observed Sept. 26 of every year, dedicated to creating awareness about the impact of environmental health on human lives. It aims to promote awareness on correlation of health and the environment and interventions people could do, even as simple citizens, to ensure accountability on health and environmental integrity.
The activities raise public awareness on the crucial relationship between a healthy environment and human well-being and foster collaboration with public and private partners to amplify efforts and initiatives in boosting the environmental health systems.
Also joining the events were Benguet Penro Forester Teber Dionisio and La Trinidad Menro Arthur Pedro. – Redjie Melvic Cawis with reports from SLU interns
