To: Undersecretaries
Assistant Secretaries
Bureau/Cultural Agency Directors
Regional Directors
Directors of Services/Centers and Heads of Units Chiefs of Divisions
Presidents, State Colleges and Universities
Heads of Private Schools, Colleges and Universities

1. LEGAL BASIS – In compliance with the provisions of Executive Order 113, enjoining all sectors to participate in tree planting activities in support of the environment and natural resources program which the government is presently implementing; and in order to encourage citizenry involvement in creating a wholesome environment, the Department of Education, Culture and Sports is launching the Revitalized Tree-planting and Greening Program (RTGP) which shall be implemented by all elementary school pupils and high school students enrolled in both public and private schools throughout the country, through tree planting and greening activities in school grounds and adjoining sites, and in any other vacant areas identified by the school.
2. OBJECTIVES – The theme of this program is: “Plant a Tree and Grow With Me, for under the canopy of the tree, you are in God’s Company”. The objectives of the program are as follows:
   1. To mobilize all the elementary school pupils and the high school students in the revitalized tree planting and greening program;
   2. To instill in the minds of the Filipino child and youth the vital role and value of trees and other natural resources in maintaining the ecosystem through “classhome” instruction and in their active involvement in relevant tree planting and greening projects;
   3. To integrate through a holistic approach the various environment projects in school including the School Inside-a-Garden (SIGA), the War on Waste (WOW), the Bring Back the Birds Campaign, the Clean and Green, the Water Impounding technologies, etc. into a more cohesive and systematic manner and;
   4. To institutionalize the environment education management principles, concepts and practices in relevant subject areas including Sibika at Kultura, Technology and Home Economics, CAT and Science.
3. SCOPE OF COVERAGE – The Revitalized Treeplanting and Greening program shall cover all elementary school pupils from Grade I to VI and high school students enrolled in the public and private schools nationwide, beginning School Year 1996-1997.
   The graduating student shall have planted ten (10) trees this year to qualify for graduation.
4. IMPLEMENTING STRATEGIES:
   1. At the national level, a National RTGP Secretariat shall be organized to exercise leadership role in the effective implementation of the program. The National RTGP Secretariat shall coordinate the program implementa¬tion at the regional and field level and shall establish the necessary linkages with other agencies involved in the program.
   2. At the Regional level, all Regional Directors shall designate one (1) Regional RTGP Coordinator to coordinate all treeplanting activities/reports at the regional level.
   3. At the School Division (Provincial City levels) the School Division Superintendents shall designate one (1) Division RTGP coordinator who shall coordinate all treeplanting activities in schools within their respective school Division;
   4. At the District or Municipality level, the District Supervisors shall designate one (1) district RTGP coordinator to coordinate all treeplanting and greening activities implemented within their respective areas of coverages.
   5. At the school level each scboolhead shall designate one (1) school RTGP coordinator who shall take charge of the effective coordination of the program at the school level. The school RTGP Coordinator shall assist in preparing the school Treeplanting Plan for the year, facilitate the treeplanting site and coordinate with agencies involve in the program at the school level. He/She shall assist the school teachers in the treeplanting activity and ensure the effective monitoring and reporting of the program to the district level.
5. Regional Directors shall take the lead in providing full support to ensure the effective treeplanting activities of all pupils in the school within his/her area of cover¬age. They shall coordinate with the other concerned agencies, like the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD) and heads of the various local government units concerned in their respective areas of coverage. They shall coordinate this activity and submit their report to the National Revitalized Treeplanting Greening Program Secretariat at the DECS University of Life Complex, Meralco Avenue, Pasig City.
6. The National RTGP Secretariat shall organize a National Monitoring Committee to evaluate the implementation of the National RTG Program not later than February of every school year. A national monitoring team shall be organized to monitor regional implementation of the program. The DECS National monitoring task force shall visit the regions from February to March and shall recommend the best RTGP implementors at the School Division and Regional Levels.
7. PROGRAM REPORTING – Schools RTGP coordinators shall submit their treeplanting report to their respective Division RTGP Coordinator, who will in turn consolidate and submit the consolidated report to the Regional RTGP Coordinator who shall record and prepare the year-end consolidated RTIGP Report to the National RTGP Secretariat on or before the end of each school year.
8. FUNDING OF THE PROGRAM – To sustain the implementation of the program, Regional Directors shall earmark specific fund appropriation in the region and in each school division for the establishment/maintenance of school nurseries, seed banks and seedling banks, from where school children will get their seedlings for plant¬ing and for monitoring by the designated program coordinators.
   Funding for the travel of the National RTGP Team shall be chargeable against any available OSEC funds.
9. REWARD AND RECOGNITION to Outstanding National and Regional RTGP implementation shall be given annually. Prizes for winners shall be decided by the National RTG Program Awards Committee organized for the purpose.

Immediate dissemination of the contents of this DECS Order is enjoined.

References:
DECS Memorandums: Nos. 195, s. 1993;
102 and 180, s. 1994; and 77 and 222, s. 1995
Allotment: 1-2-3-4—(M.O. 1-87)

To be indicated in the Perpetual Index under the following subjects:
ENVIRONMETAL EDUCATION
SPORTS
PROJECTS
SCHOOLS

DO_s1996_056