LINGAYEN, Pangasinan –Amid the explanations made by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to clear the issue on the recent cutting of 181 trees declared as dead and dying trees along the Manila North Road, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) stands firm with its stance against the cutting of live trees and will continue to oppose such move.
During the SP’s question hour held recently, Board Member Alfonso Bince, Jr. reiterated the province’s opposition as he said that the board will sustain its position against the further cutting of trees to prevent the 500 remaining trees from being cut.
Vice-Governor Jose Ferdinand Calimlim, Jr. has also stressed that the governor may not have posed objection to the cutting of the 181 trees (153 dead trees and 28 dying trees), but he has made clear that he agreed to the request on condition that the aforesaid trees are dead as certified by the DENR.
Gov. Espino, in his letter to Regional Directors Melanio Briosos of DPWH and Samuel Penaflor of DENR dated March 5, 2015 wrote: “We wish to make it clear that we are obviously against the cutting of any living and surviving trees along the MNR and we maintain the position that concerned government agencies such as DENR should exert all means to treat and rehabilitate those previously girdled trees that have a good chance of survival.”
The officials of DENR and DPWH were summoned to appear before the SP on September 28 to explain the basis of the tree-cutting they have recently conducted in areas along the MNR.
BM Bince said the implementation of said activity was never consulted with the province’s legislative body which earlier came out with a provincial resolution stating its strong opposition to the cutting of trees in the province imploring that there will be no more cutting of trees that will happen.
DENR Assistant Regional Director Gwendolyn Bambalan who spoke on behalf of RD Paquito Moreno has expressed their apologies to the SP for not having consulted the body prior to the implementation of their tree cutting activities.
The concerned agencies however, explained that the trees that were cut down were those that have been assessed as dead and dying trees.
The DPWH, on the other hand, had admitted that they have indeed asked the approval of the DENR for the cutting of the trees along the MNR as preparatory activity for the road widening project.
The tree-cutting activity was stopped after the permit issued by the DENR last year has expired leaving 770 other trees uncut.
No new permit has been issued for the cutting of the remaining 500 trees as local officials and environmental advocates opposed the application to extend the permit.
However, DENR issued a special permit on July, 2015 for the cutting of the 181 dead and dying trees.
With the issuance of the special permit, tree cutting activities have resumed gaining further opposition from environmental groups including residents and even lawyers and professionals who have raised concerns over the indiscriminate cutting of trees along the MNR area where residents have complained that even the surviving trees have been cut down.
The protest groups headed by Fr. Robert Reyes rallied against the further cutting of trees and tied ribbons around the trees to dramatize their opposition and show that the trees bearing the ribbons are protected.
By Dexter A. See
