‘Cut down trees for road project’

SISON, Pangasinan, Philippines – Former Pangasinan congressman Mark Cojuangco is appealing to the provincial board not to allow politics to delay the delivery of development projects in the province, particularly the Manila North Road widening project.

In a letter to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan dated Sept. 17, Cojuangco asked the board not to allow a substandard completion of the North Road project.

Cojuangco has been pushing for the cutting of trees along Manila North Road to give way to a road-widening project.

A son of business tycoon and former ambassador Eduardo Cojuangco Jr., the former lawmaker said he is not against trees but wants them planted in the right places that would not pose risks to the public.

He said that in 2012, the board passed Ordinance 159-2012 or the Pangasinan Environment Code, which allows the removal of trees and structures affected by a road-widening project.

“This legislation puts the board in an awkward if not inconsistent position in relation to a resolution it recently passed regarding tree cutting along Manila North Road,” he said.

Cojuangco was referring to a contradictory stand of the board, which passed last month Resolution 269-2014 opposing the tree-cutting along the national road.