Iloilo folk protest another tree-cutting plan

ILOILO CITY, Philippines —Environmentalists and local officials are protesting a plan to cut or uproot decades old trees in one of the city’s landmark streets to give way to a road-widening project.

In a resolution passed unanimously, the Iloilo City council expressed “strong opposition” to plans to remove or cut the trees on an elevated concrete strip that divides General Luna Street.

“The protection of trees is an environmental necessity and this set of trees has served as a landmark for Iloilo and the Ilonggo,” said Councilor Joshua Alim, sponsor of the resolution.

Alim said opponents of the tree-cutting plan would send copies of the resolution to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Environment and Natural Resources and to Senate President Franklin Drilon, a native of Iloilo province.

“We learned that the DPWH plans to uproot or cut the existing trees and replace them with royal palm trees. What is the point of doing that?” he said.

Madia-as Ecological Movement, a local environmental group, also raised alarm on the planned cutting and removal of trees.

“While roads and other infrastructure projects are important, care should be taken to protect and preserve the fast-dwindling number of trees that has become more essential in this time of severe climate change,”  the group said in a statement.

Storm factor

Edilberto Tayao, DPWH Western Visayas director, said he had yet to receive a copy of the council’s resolution but would look into the issues raised by the city officials.

He said though that planting large and tall trees along national roads especially on right of way paths is being discouraged in the aftermath of Supertyphoon “Yolanda” because it took days to weeks to clear roads of uprooted trees and broken branches.

He said trees with roots that grow upward were also being discouraged because these eventually destroy roads.

The roots of royal palm trees grow downward and are considered safer for road networks, according to Tayao.

But he said trees that are considered landmarks could be considered for preservation.

The 1.7-kilometer General Luna Street is a four-lane thoroughfare stretching from the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) campus to  Arroyo Fountain, in front of the old Iloilo provincial capitol.

It connects Molo District with the central business district and to  Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr. Avenue, the city’s fast-developing commercial, lifestyle and entertainment center.

Six lanes

It is considered to be a major artery in the city and is lined with educational and business institutions as well as residential structures. These include the UPV, University of San Agustin, St. Paul University Iloilo and Assumption Iloilo.

The trees are on the strip of elevated concrete that is dividing the street.

The DPWH is widening the street by removing about half a meter from each side of the concrete strip to widen the road into six lanes as part of efforts to ease traffic in the city. But the project has exposed and damaged the roots of the trees.

In 2009, several trees were also cut and removed to give way to a flyover project on the intersection of General Luna and Jalandoni Streets.

Alim said development projects should be balanced with the environment and the need to preserve landmarks.