Baguio City council seeks to protect pines as 'heritage trees'
BAGUIO CITY, Philippines ?— The Baguio City Council is deliberating on a measure to declare all pine trees in the city "heritage and protected trees", making cutting them down punishable by fines and imprisonment.
Councilor Leandro Yangot, Jr. said his proposal will be applicable in the entire city and, if passed, will penalize violations with a fine of P5,000 and imprisonment for six months.
The proposal allows cutting pine trees only in "heavily meritorious" cases as when they pose a danger to life or property.
If approved, the ordinance will mandate the Office of the City Mayor and the City Environment and Parks Management Office to come up with guidelines and implement the measure.
The measure aims to prevent Baguio City from losing its pine trees to urban development.
Pine trees help absorb carbon dioxide and also help replenish ground water and help prevent landslides and erosion.
"That is why the need to declare them as heritage trees for them to be protected and preserved," Yangot said.
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