Gullas: Groups divert “core issue”

CEBU, Philippines -  Former first district Rep. Eduardo Gullas has accused the groups opposed to cutting of the acacia trees in the south of diverting the “core issue” in the controversy by using the health of the trees.

“With due respect to Dr. (Ernesto) Militante who recommended strengthening the trees, let us not lose sight of the core issue. The real issue here is not the weakening of the trees,” said Gullas.

Gullas, who was responsible for the P1 billion Naga-Carcar road widening project, said the six bridges and the 37 box culvert bridges affected by the road network have already been expanded to four lanes. He said the connecting road must also follow to prevent accident.

“If the bridges are already widened and road are still two lanes, that will invite accidents,” Gullas said, adding that motorists who are running at top speed while in a wide bridge may think that the connecting road is also as wide.

Gullas reiterated the main point why the road in the south must be widened, which is to invite investors to do business in the southern Cebu’s 20 towns and three cities thereby increasing job opportunities for the locals.

“Roads are arteries for development and progress. The Cebu South Road is the only arterial highway to the south of Cebu which serves not only the Cebuanos but also the Negresenses and the Boholanos,” the former congressman said, explaining that there are ports in the south that serve the Cebu-Bohol and vice versa, Cebu-Negros and vice versa routes.

Gullas said “P300 million more” is needed to complete the P1 billion project, and his grandson, first district Rep. Samsam Gullas, can assure to source the remaining balance before his term ends in 2016.

The veteran lawmaker reminded those who are causing the delay of the project that even former Cebu City mayor and congressman Tomas Osmeña has shared P400 million of his priority development assistance fund as he reportedly saw the positive results of this project not only to Cebu City but to the entire province as well.

It can be recalled that the implementation of the project has been stalled after some groups have stopped the cutting of the acacia trees along highway in the City of Naga, saying these trees must be preserved.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources, which earlier issued a special permit to have these trees removed to make way for the road project, had bowed down to the pressures and suspended all tree-cutting activities.

In the other day’s exit conference, Militante, who was commissioned to do an independent study on the affected acacia trees, said that these are healthy trees contrary to earlier notion that they are already old and diseased.

But Gullas said he does not care if the trees are healthy or not, what matters is that these should be cut to protect the passing motorists and passengers.

“Can you imagine a bus filled with people molabay unya ang kahoy maputol? Must we wait for another tragedy like Zapatera’s, God forbids…?” he asked.

Gullas recalled the 2012 incident wherein an old acacia tree in Zapatera Elementary School suddenly fell off and hit a PUJ and killed its driver.

He said a year after in July, another acacia tree in Naga also fell, fortunately no one was injured when it happened. This year in July, two acacia trees also fell down in separate occasions, one in San Fernando and another in Carcar City resulting in a monstrous traffic that lasted for eight hours.

“I respect other environmentalists like Militante, but the real issue is not the strengthening of the trees. Kana sila, wa man na namuyo diri and they don’t pass by that road. Ang mga tawo manguros nalang og moagi sa mga kahoy. Kana sila, they don’t live here,” he said.—  FPL (FREEMAN)