Outside TESDA compound: Trees ruining sidewalk plans

CEBU, Philippines – Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama’s plan to construct a sidewalk beside the compound of the Technical Education Skills and Deve-lopment Authority (TESDA) along Salinas Drive in Barangay Lahug might have to remain that, just a plan, after the Department of Environment and Natural Resources refused to allow the cutting of the trees still standing there.

While the old wall that used to be in the area was already torn down, huge trees are still blocking the passageway between the new wall and the gutter of Salinas Drive.

District Engineer Nicomedes Leonor of the Department of Public Works and Highways said his office has already coordinated with DENR-7 to allow them to remove the trees situated within the area of the planned two-meter sidewalk, but their request was denied.

Leonor said the DENR did not give any reason why they denied the request; he said he may have to bring up the matter with his superiors.

The old concrete wall of TESDA was situated just beside Salinas Drive. It forced pedestrians passing by to walk on the road because of the absence of a sidewalk. Motorists had their own problems because they had to move slowly upon reaching the area to avoid hitting people walking in their lane.

Rama earlier personally talked with the TESDA officials, requesting them to move their wall back into the compound about two and a half meters from the gutter of the road, but TESDA only allowed two meters, saying this is already enough for a sidewalk.

According to Leonor their contractor explained that the demolition of the old concrete wall and the construction of the new one is taking very slow because they were prevented from parking their truck along the Salinas Drive as it will cause heavy traffic.

“Mao na nga mano-mano gyud tawon ang gihimo nila diha, mano-mano ang paghakot sa mga ginuba aron dili magtipun-og sa karsada,” the DPWH district engineer told The FREEMAN.

If the trees are not removed from the sidewalk, the pedestrians passing by the area will still have to walk on the road because the area between the new wall and the trees is not passable.

Rama said he has no plan to personally approach the concerned DENR officials to ask them to allow the DPWH to remove the trees within the sidewalk.

“Kapoy na kaayo na sila uy. Maghuwat ra tingali na sila kun dunay ilang mga paryente nga madam-agan og sakyanan dihang dapita kay wala’y sidewalk nga kaagian,” he said.

But to temporarily solve the problem, the mayor said he will just order the Cebu City Transportation Office to install metal railings in that area so that those pedestrians will have some measure of safety from passing vehicles.

“Wala man gud sab tumana ang akong hangyo sa tukma nga gilapdon para sa aseras, apan mas maayo na lang na nga adunay gamay’ng sidewalk kay sa wala na lang gyud,” the mayor said. — /BRP (FREEMAN)