BAGUIO CITY – The University of the Philippines College Baguio (UPCB) wants the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) to issue a special permit to cut 14 dead pine trees and trimming and pruning of 32 trees which are located within its campus to pave the way for the expansion of one of its buildings.
Jessica K. Cariño, UPCB Vice Chancellor for Administration, in her letter to Mr. Edgardo Flor, CENRO Baguio, said 5 out of the 14 trees proposed to be cut are precariously situated, such that they pose serious threat to the institutions HKP building and the students occupying the same.
She said one of the trees already reportedly fell and is now leaning on the building and that the impact of the fall reportedly caused breakages on the window panes and damage to a portion of the roofing and spandrel ceiling
According to her, another tree is now leaning on the building’s septic tank and the three other trees proposed to be cut are located very close to the existing structure, thus, the UPCB administration has no re-course but to cut or prune the trees so as to eliminate the risk of further damage to the building during typhoons in the future.
The UPCB official cited other than the 5 live trees, the others that the institution proposes for cutting are considered dead trees.
Based on the findings of the team from the City Environment and Parks Management Office (CEPMO), the subject trees requested for cutting are all dead except for 1 live Benguet pine tree but had fallen and now leaning at the side of the UP HKP building while the 32 trees for pruning are almost all situated near walls and roofing of their building, thus, they are all posing eminent danger to life and properties.
Flor subsequently endorsed the matter to Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan for the issuance of the appropriate mayor’s clearance which is a pre-requisite in the application for issuance of tree cutting permit by the DENR.
Of the 14 trees to be cut, 12 are Benguet pine trees, 1 agoho and 1 alnus trees with a total volume of 5.6 cubic meters. Of the 32 trees to be pruned, 27 are Benguet pine trees, 2 agoho, 2 anchoan dilaw and 1 alnus trees.
Under the tree cutting guidelines, emergency tree cutting permits will be issued by the local chief executive while tree cutting permits for more than ten live trees are to be issued by DENR officials.
UPCB officials are optimistic that the DENR will immediately issue the requested tree cutting and pruning permits so that the trees posing danger to the safety of lives and properties will be removed in order to prevent future accidents, especially during the rainy and typhoon season.
The DENR is expected to issue the required tree cutting and pruning permits once the local chief executive shall have issued the required mayor’s clearance to support the aforesaid application of the necessary permits by the UPCB administration.
Domogan appealed to applicants for tree cutting and pruning permits to satisfy all the requirements before filing their applications in order to prevent unnecessary delays in the issuance of permits and clearances. By Dexter A. See
