by Juliet Saley

TADIAN, Mt. Province- For the benefit of their future children, couples planning to get married here have to plant at least 10 trees first.

In its effort to protect its environment, the town officials enacted an ordinance requiring applicants for marriage license to plant at least five tree seedlings each before their marriage license shall be released by the municipal registrar.

The barangay captain of the home barangay of either of the couple applicants if both are residents of the municipality, will issue a certificate of compliance. In case only one of the couple applicants is a resident of the town, then the barangay chairman of the resident of the municipality shall issue the certificate of compliance.
The barangay chairman will be held liable if he issues fraudulent certificate of compliance.


Violation to this ordinance shall be fined P500 and repetition of the same shall be the basis of filing an administrative case against the barangay chairman who issued a fraudulent certificate of compliance.

To guarantee the realization of this program, the barangays shall make sure the availability of tree seedlings in their respective nurseries. The barangay government may collect reasonable seeding fees to the applicants. They will also make an appropriate policy to ensure the growth and sustenance of the planted trees.*(JDP/JBS-PIA CAR,Mt. Province)