The local government of La Trinidad, Benguet sets up "green buffer zones" , by planting trees on the busy roads. This is as a means to decrease the effect of air pollution caused by vehicles.

According to municipal environment and natural resources officer Arthur Pedro, as of Tuesday this week, 28 Eugenia plants are now lined up in the town's diversion road. The local government is preparing because they see that this area will soon be widely used especially by truckers going to the vegetable trading areas, he also added.

As one of the vegetable trading areas in the province, the said diversion road connects part of the Halsema Highway to the Benguet Agripinoy Trading Center. Considered as one of the most polluted area, the intersection below the provincial capitol in Kilometer 6, where vehicles from the north and the valley connects.

Identified as one of the fastest municipalities in Benguet, in terms of getting urbanized, the condition of air quality in La Trinidad, is being affected as volume of vehicles increase in the town.

Photo Credit: PIA CAR