School board condemns cutting of trees in Barili

CEBU, Philippines - The Provincial School Board of Cebu has condemned the cutting of government-owned jackfruit trees allegedly initiated by a school principal in Barili town.

Board Member Wilfredo Caminero, chairman of the committee on education of the Provincial Board, said that Provincial Schools Division Superintendent Arden Monisit is also duty bound to conduct his own investigation.

“We are just manifesting our sentiment through a resolution condemning him in order to send a signal to some other schools that the province is very serious with the program (tree planting),” Caminero told reporters.

Oscar Romanillos, president of the Cebu Public School Teachers Association, said there is existing memorandum not to cut the jackfruit trees planted under the initiative of the provincial government.

“Our superintendent emphasized the planting of trees but not the cutting of trees,” Romanillos said.

Romanillos said that while CPSTA looks at the welfare of their members, they also have the obligation to warn not only the teachers but also the principal about the act of their member in Barili.

“Lapses on the action of the principal should be dealt with accordingly,” Caminero said.

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia was reportedly displeased with Zenith Guzman, principal of Guibuangan National High School in Barangay Guibuangan for having the jackfruit trees – which she ordered planted in 2004 – cut without asking permission from proper authorities.

Garcia already directed the Capitol’s legal office to file appropriate charges against Guzman.

The trees were cut early in July, along with some Gmelina trees for which she did have permission.

Guzman, who was assigned as the school principal of the said national high school last May 27, ordered to have the trees cut as they were planted too close to each other, thereby blocking the view of their school.

It was Guibuangan Barangay Captain Nelson Gingoyon who raised Guzman’s actions to the governor. Gingoyon was the one who planted the seedlings which came from the provincial government. – (FREEMAN)