City Council passed Ordinance No. 1084, Series of 2023, otherwise known as “Plant a Love Ordinance of Valenzuela City” which requires couples who intend to enter marriage and are required to secure a Pre-Marriage Orientation and Counseling Certificate from the City Population Management Office. 

The ordinance authored by Councilor Cristina Marie Feliciano-Tan, was finalized at the 29th Regular Session of the 9th City Council of Valenzuela, March 6. 

This is Coun. Cristina’s statement when asked about the program and what inspired her to mandate the said ordinance, “The Valenzuela City Plant a Love Ordinance is for engaged or soon-to-be married couples. They will donate saplings or seedlings to be planted in our city’s parks and other open spaces. It will become a symbol of their love. I’m hoping that these seedlings will grow as their love for one another grows stronger in time.”

The Plant a Love Program declares that each couple applicant shall donate or plant at least one (1) seedling or sapling with the City Agriculture Office or chosen Barangay, register their names and the donated variety of seedlings or saplings submitted in the Plant a Love Registry provided for purposes of record and statistics. 

Thereafter, the couple shall have the option to attend the planting activity to be led by the City Agriculture — the office also suggests a list of ornamental plants, shrubs, and trees that are feasible to be planted. 

Subsequently, a Plant a Love Certificate of Completion, which is valid for one (1) year, shall be issued to the couple who have submitted seedlings or saplings and signed in the registry. 

Then upon compliance of the provisions provided, a Pre-Marriage Orientation and Counseling Certificate will be issued to all applicants for marriage by the City Population Management Office and City Social Welfare and Development Office. All other requirements not otherwise affected shall remain in full force and effect.

The program started on March 21, 2023 and the orientation is held every Tuesday and Thursday. Currently, there are already 169 certificates issued to couples who donated plants.

Moreover, the program is also in accordance with Ordinance No. 525, series of 2018, or the “Environment Code of Valenzuela City” which states that Valenzuela City envisions a progressive city, enjoying and sustaining its natural resources through its clean, green, and vigorous environment. This is the city’s contribution and long-term action plan to aid global warming and be of service to mother nature. 

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