http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/local...ees-guv-146130
Don’t cut trees: guv
CAPITOL has objected to the cutting off century-old acacia trees along the Naga-Carcar road to make way for a P27-million road-widening project.
Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia yesterday said she joins Rep. Eduardo Gullas (Cebu, 1st district) in opposing the move of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to cut down the trees.
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The governor said the project required the local government’s coordination, but DPWH failed to do coordinate with her, and informed only the mayors of the three affected towns.
She said she will meet with officials of the DPWH and DENR, as well as the mayors of Carcar, San Fernando and Naga, to discuss the matter.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), though, won’t allow the cutting of the trees.
Significance
DENR 7 Executive Director Maximo Dichoso yesterday said heritage trees should be preserved and maintained.
He said this is applicable to trees with historical and cultural significance as certified by the National Historical Institute or other agencies and landmark trees certified by the concerned local government unit (LGU).
The Carcar Heritage Council earlier said they will intervene and file a petition against the road-widening project that will also destroy old houses.
Val Sandiego, past president and current Director of the council, said they will ask for help from Gullas and the governor.
Sandiego said they will not allow the DPWH to implement the project.
Hard work
He said they have worked hard before to preserve the old houses in Carcar, as well as the rotunda, and have lobbied against a road widening project.
Sandiego said there must be another way to build infrastructure without destroying old houses and trees.
He said the century-old trees have been adopted by the governor's expanded environmental program.
The cutting or removal of trees requires the approval of the DENR.
Dichoso said the requirements include the application letter, photographs of trees to be removed, sketch map showing the location of trees to be removed, endorsement of LGU concerned, an environmental compliance certificate and minutes of the public
consultation on the removal of trees.
Law
Dichoso cited Presidential Decree No. 953, "Requiring the planting of trees in certain places and penalizing unauthorized cutting, destruction and damaging and injuring on certain trees, plants and vegetations."
“Removal of trees in urban areas can be through earth-balling or cutting. However, when establishing infrastructure projects, removal of the trees shall be the last option and the design of the projects shall complement the presence of existing vegetation," Dichoso said.
“The application for the removal of trees causing obstruction to building construction and other infrastructure projects like road widening and road right of way shall be filed at the nearest DENR office,” he added.
Dichoso also said the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office should inspect the area, which would include the inventory of trees covered by the application, to determine whether the trees should be removed or trimmed.
Notices
While the century-old trees are likely to be spared, 20 stalls were given notices of demolition for obstructing the highways and road around the Carcar Rotunda.
At least 10 stalls were demolished since March 4, including the stall of Vice Mayor Patrick Barcenas.
During her classroom turnover speech, Governor Garcia commended Carcar City Mayor Nicepuro Apura for exercising strong political will in implementing DILG memorandum
circular 2010-68 to clear highways of illegal structures.
Apura said DILG Secretary Jessie Robredo’s August 2010 circular mandated all local government executives to remove all obstructions or illegal structures within the three-meter easement from the road and protect road right of way.
The memorandum’s aim is to prevent accidents along the highway and hasten the flow of traffic.
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