Iloilo City Agriculturist Romulo Pangantihon recently offered a remedy to the hot temperatures currently being felt throughout the country by noting trees can help combat the heat.

“If we have more trees, it can balance environmental conditions in terms of temperature,” he explained. “At the same time, the shade [from] trees is beneficial [as] moisture will not easily evaporate since sunlight is blocked.”

The city official recommended planting fruit-bearing trees such as kalamansi, cacao, lanzones, and jackfruit.

“It is about time for us to plant fruit-bearing trees because, aside from helping the environment, [they] are useful by [providing] fruits,” he added.

Pangantihon also referenced a case in the city’s Mandurriao district, where communal gardening helped maintain the local water supply.

“Before, during this season, they [had] water scarcity in the area,” he said. “When we put up the communal garden–with a jetmatic pump–there is [an] abundant supply of water now.”

For such communal garden projects, the Iloilo City Agriculturist Office provides seeds for vegetable varieties including ampalaya, pechay, tomatoes, eggplants, okra, patola, and kalabasa./WDJ