THE second fallen tree near CEMEX along the Naga City highway is a fruit tree, according to government engineers.
“The only acacia tree that was cut on July 13 was tree no. 75, the dead acacia tree which posed a hazard to the public,” Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 7 project engineer Marilyn Ojeda told Cebu Daily News.
The contractor AR Adlawan is undertaking road widening works of a section of the P123 million Naga-Carcar road project.
The contractor said the old acacia tree was cut because it posed risk to the public.
They were responding to the complaint filed by the Movement for a Livable Cebu which took photos and measurements of stumps and fallen logs of two trees, not just one, cut down in front of the CEMEX company in Naga City.
Their complaint to the Dept. of Envirionment and Natural Resources didn’t identify what kind of tree, however, after news reports confirmed that one 100-year-old acacia tree had been removed.
“If they meant two acacia trees already cut, it’s not true. (Only one acacia was cut, the dead tree),” said Gerry Undag, a project engineer of AD Adlawan.
“If they meant the second one near the side of the fence of Apo Cement Company (Apocemco) it’s an old sambag tree that was affected by riprapping works,” he added.
That tree was cut down August 18, Undag said.
“Fruit trees” along the first phase of the ongoing road widening project in Naga City were “voluntarily removed by homeowners,” the DPWH project engineer said.
“Other trees were fruit trees which were removed personally by some owners themselves,” Ojeda added.
This was done by locals “not long ago when the fences affected by the road widening were destroyed.”
Plants in front of Apo cemco were transferred to another location while some were given to Naga Mayor Valdemar Chiong.
Environment authorities have yet to release the ground verification report which was ordered following an open letter sent to DENR Regional Executive Director Isabelo Montejo by the MLC.
A variety of trees, including acacias, were planted along the south Cebu road by the public works department in 1915 on orders of Cebu governor Dionesio Jakosalem.
The pending destruction of the trees as part of road widening work has triggered opposition from the Jakosalem family and quarters who lament the loss of the green canopy, a landmark in south Cebu, for its heritage, environment and aesthetic value. /Jessa J. Agua, Correspondent