Tree cutting on without community opposition

LEGAZPI CITY—The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will cut down 57 “agoho” trees along a major road in this city under a road-widening project despite a signature campaign launched on social media by critics.

DPWH regional information officer Lucy Castañeda said on Wednesday that the agency was considering only the sentiments of the community in the project area and that no one opposed the plan to cut the trees during the public forum it conducted at the barangay (village) hall of Rawis on April 15.

Pangataman Bicol, an environmental group, has so far gathered at least 339 signatures after it launched the campaign on April 18, said its spokesperson, Vince Casilihan. It aims to come up with 5,000 signatures.

The campaign seeks to save the agoho trees, some as old as 50 years, that line both sides of the street from the junction of Daang Maharlika in Rawis to the boundary of neighboring Sto. Domingo town, also in Albay province.

Castañeda said the trees would have to go as soon as the DPWH received the resolutions from Rawis and the city council attesting to the lack of opposition.

In the same vein, the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (Penro) will not withhold the tree-cutting permit because of a petition on social media, particularly if the DPWH complies with all the requirements, according to its acting head, Imelda D. Baltazar.

If the barangay and city councils have given the certifications of no opposition, “we have no reason to hold the request (for a permit to cut),” said Marlon Francia, a Penro forester.

According to Francia, Penro would consider only written opposition from the local residents in deciding on the request for permit.

Casilihan said 237 signatures in the petition were gathered from households while the rest came online via www.change.org (www.change.org/p/department

-of-public-works-and-highways-department-of-environment-and-natural-resources-bicol-save-57-trees-marked-for-murder).

He said the petition letter would be forwarded to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources on May 15. Reports from Jessica Bechayda and Virn Ivy del Valle, contributors, with a report from Ma. April Mier, Inquirer Southern Luzon