Press Release
October 29, 2008

Villar, Miss Earth, team up for the environment

Senate President Manny Villar and this year's Miss Earth candidates joined forces to create awareness on environment concerns in tree-planting and clean up activities held in Las Piñas today.

"We are pleased to welcome here today our guests who represent many nations. Their presence is a big boost to our tourism drive, which aims to promote the places of interest in the city. This is also an opportunity to display our achievements in providing a clean and healthy environment for our people," Villar said.

Villar was joined by ten of the more than 80 candidates vying for the Miss Earth 2008 title. They were the candidates from Poland, India, Guam, Czech Republic, Brazil, Australia, Liberia, Mexico and Philippines. They planted bamboo and mahogany seedlings beside the Zapote River at BF Resort Village, Bgy. Talon 2.

The activity was one of the pre-event activities of the competition. The city was invited to partner with Miss Earth in promoting the tourism industry in the Philippines worldwide and create awareness on the issues and problems that affect the environment.

During the activity, the candidates cited the outstanding achievements of the city in the protection and improvement of the environment. Las Piñas was awarded cleanest and greenest city from 1996 to 1998.

Villar also showed the candidates the Arts and Crafts Center at BF Resort Village, where the international beauty titlists had a hands-on training on water lily products making and handloom weaving. The center serves as a showroom of locally-made and export quality handicrafts and other products that have become a source of livelihood for some Las Piñas residents.

Villar's passion for preserving and protecting the environment is evident in his works as public sevant. As Speaker of the House, he principally authored and steered the passage of the Clean Air Act.

As Representative of Las Piñas, he spearheaded the "Sagip Ilog," a community based campaign to revive the Las Piñas River and the Zapote River. He also developed a P10 million tree nursery for the greening of communities in his district under the project "Pagtatanim para sa Kinabukasan."

Villar also initiated the establishment of Bambusetum in Las Piñas, where various species of bamboo tree are planted, mainly to prevent soil erosion in the river and to educate the public on bamboo varieties.

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