DENR-7 halts hospital project in Pinamungajan

CEBU, Philippines - The expansion project of Pinamungajan District Hospital has been halted temporarily after the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-7 issued a cease and desist order on the cutting of trees due to lack of necessary permit.

The cutting of trees is needed to give way to the construction of a new building within the compound of Dr. Jose Maria V. Borromeo Memorial District Hospital in Pandacan, Pinamungajan, Cebu.

The inspection team from Community Environment and Natural Resources Office in Toledo City found that 65 trees have already been cut, mostly gmelina (Gmelina arborea) and mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla).

The CDO dated February 2 was signed by CENRO Toledo City chief Fedencio Carreon. It was addressed to Chief of Hospital Dr. Feleus B. Bascon.

“You are ordered to immediately stop the cutting of such trees unless clearance or permit is secured from the office of the DENR,” read the order which was received by Bascon past 1 p.m. yesterday.

DENR-7 director Dr. Isabelo R. Montejo has directed Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Jose Cleo Colis to create a team to investigate the matter and to submit a report for appropriate actions.

The hospital, considered a public place and forestry law provides that no cutting of trees, among others, should be done without a permit from the DENR.

“They should have secured a special tree cutting permit from us as the cutting of planted trees is within a public area,” Montejo explained.

A special tree cutting permit is to be issued by a DENR regional director on trees that may be affected by a project in public roads, in plazas, parks other than national parks, school premises or in any other public ground after a clearance from DENR central office through the undersecretary for field operations shall have been obtained.

Montejo said the incident should be further investigated as persons responsible for this should be held accountable based on existing forestry laws, rules and regulations.

He added the DENR-7’s legal division will study the possible cases to be filed against certain persons who have violated certain environmental laws, rules and regulations.

“We did not issue a special tree cutting permit over the project and no clearance was given by the DENR Central Office,” he said.

Results of the inventory conducted on January 22 by CENRO Toledo City on trees to be affected by the project include 36 mahogany or equivalent to 10.1084 cubic meters (cu.m.), and 10 gmelina or equivalent to 3.0117 cu.m. The said tree inventory was signed by Carreon.

An investigation report conducted Monday by forester Mark Grejaldo with forester Lutherian Hernando advised the chief of hospital to stop the transport of flitches or slab of timber cut from a tree away from the hospital compound.

The team observed that some 2,095 board feet of flitches were taken out from hospital premises and are believed to be in nearby Barangay Bato. Under the law, transporting lumber needs to secure transport document from authorities.

These trees were said to be planted in 1993 and have a combined volume of 13.1201 cu.m. with mostly 30 centimeters in diameter and an average height of six meters.

The largest in diameter is recorded to be about 39 centimeters and the smallest is around 15 centimeters, both are mahogany. The hospital sits on a 0.03-hectare property donated to the provincial government of Cebu by the Borromeo clan several years ago.

According to Section 3 of Republic Act 3571, no cutting, destroying, or injuring of planted or growing trees, flowering plants and shrubs or plants of scenic value along public roads, in plazas, parks other than national parks, school premises or in any other public ground shall be permitted.

Also, Presidential Decree 953 provides a similar prohibition in section 3 mentioning a punishment of imprisonment of not less than six months and not more than two years, or a fine of not less than five hundred pesos and not more than five thousand pesos, or both at the discretion of the court.— (FREEMAN)