Acacia trees, some almost 100 years old, have been painted with numbers on their wide trunks in barangay Perrelos, Carcar city.
Are they marked for cutting down or wholesale transfer?
The numbers on the roadside trees were painted by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in preparation for road-widening work on the Naga-Carcar section of the Natalio Bacalso Avenue.
A public hearing was held yesterday in Naga City Hall to get support for the option of earth balling the trees and transferring them instead of cutting them down.
The hearing is part of ongoing efforts of DPWH to get local government endorsements for the removal of the trees that form a green canopy familiar to travelers heading to south Cebu.
But since the contractor was digging too close to the trees, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7 in a July 18 letter ordered the DPWH to stop excavating soil near the century-old trees that may be affected by the widening.
It said the order was given to avoid hampering the trees’ stability or posing danger to lives and properties as no permit to cut as been approved yet.
The letter to DPWH Central Visayas Officer-in-Charge Ador G. Canlas signed by Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer (CENRO) Cebu City Anastacio Cabalejo, told the DPWH advice the contractor AR Adlawan to stop the ongoing excavation activities.
“It has been observed that some acacia trees that will be affected by the widening project were closely excavated by the contractor wherein some of its roots were already surfaced that may pose danger,” the letter stated.
DENR 7 Regional Executive Director Dr. Isabelo R. Montejo said in a press statement that a meeting will be held with DPWH and the contractor to discuss these concerns.
“It has always been the policy particularly on the issuance of tree cutting permits that thorough and exhaustive public consultations shall be conducted to solicit the genuine sentiments of the communities,” he said.
“This situation is something that should merit a wide and serious consultations and dialogues as trees that may be affected are heritage with cultural and historical significance,” he added.
A DENR inventory in May showed that 155 trees of different species would be affected by the road widening project.
Of this number, 25 are century-old acacia trees with a diameter of 92 centimeters to 226 centimeters.
Out of the 25, nine are considered hazardous, defective and need immediate attention.
Montejo said that until now no endorsements have been received from the local governments of Naga or Carcar cities and the Office of the Provincial Governor as required by the DENR.
Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia last year objected to cutting down the trees along the national highway when a photo and story about the danger of losing the trees was reported in Cebu Daily News.
The road-widening project is being sponsored by 1st district Rep. Eduardo Gullas.
Yesterday, in a text message to Cebu Daily News, she said “I would first like to meet with DPWH.”
Naga City Mayor Valedmar Chiong, in an interview, said he supports the project to address future traffic volume in the highway.
“We are for road widening not just for Naga but for the rest of the south roads. In the long run, three to five years from it, it will take at least two hours to get to Carcar city from Naga.
You can’t just look at the problem on a short-term basis,” he told CDN.
A tree cutting permit will have to be secured from the DENR central office as only the Environment Secretary.
Strong objections have been raised by the Jakosalem family led by former Cebu city councilor Sylvan “Jack” Jakosalem, chief of the Cebu City Traffic Operations Management.
The acacia trees were planted in south Cebu circa 1915 by the Bureau of Pubic Works on orders of then Gov. Dionisio Jakosalem, grandfather of Jack to provide shade to travelers.
The heritage and environment value of the trees make them irreplaceable, he said, compared to what he called “useless” widening of a highway that doesn’t suffer traffic congestion.
The Citom chief said he spoke with Governor Garcia last week in a reception of the French Ambassador for the celebration of Bastille Day and that Garcia supports the cause to preserve these trees.
“The governor is not supporting any removal, transfer or cutting of the trees,” he said.
“The governor said she is meeting with the DPWH.”
According to DENR’s Montejo, “Heritage trees, those with historical and cultural significance as certified by the National Historical Institute or by other appropriate agencies, and landmark trees as certified by the concerned LGU shall be preserved, nurtured and applied with tree maintenance practices, as needed.”
“Tree cutting and balling” were the two options presented by DPWH in yesterday’s public hearing in Naga city, City Environment and Pollution Control Officer Ramiro Hilardo said.
If earth balling is chosen, the Naga city council offered to have the trees transferred near the City Hall.
“We can accommodate three to four heritage trees in our proposed heritage park in the reclamation area near the city hall,” City Councilor Junjie Cruz told CDN.
Forestry experts, however, caution that the survival rate of large trees that are uprooted by earth balling is low.
The extensive root system may also require damaging road surfaces if the roots are to be kept intact.
Naga council secretary Delza Arellano told CDN that during the public hearing, DPWH emphasized it will proceed with the road widening as the project’s implementing agency. /With Correspondent Jessa Chrisna Marie J. Agua, Marian Codilla and Carmel Loise Matus