Save the old, green trees in MacArthur Highway

Two weeks ago, Environment Secretary Joselito Atienza gave a memorandum prohibiting the cutting of trees. Unfortunately, this does not negate the permit he issued earlier, on April 22, for the cutting of a total of 5,446 trees lining the highways from Apalit to San Fernando in Pampanga and Bamban to Capas and Tarlac City to San Manuel both in Tarlac province. The permit was issued in line with the expansion of MacArthur Highway which starts from the rotunda of Caloocan City up to La Union. This improvement is supposed to provide an alternative route to motorists who want to save on toll fees and minimize congestion in the area. The end does not justify the means, as they say and the environmentalists including a group of artists, are not taking this matter lightly. They are now gathering support for an organized protest against DENR and the DPWH, hoping they can stop the cutting of the trees. 

Environmentalists say that the cutting of age-old trees cannot justify any road improvement project. They are not only a heritage from the past, serving as historical landmarks that stand as silent witnesses to the development of communities around it. They also provide a natural aesthetic appearance to an area that has been there for the longest time, removing them would destroy the natural beauty of that particular location. Last and most important, the cutting of trees cannot be justified in this age of climate change and environment degradation, specifically the disappearance of forest cover. We actually lack millions of trees to absorb the harmful effects of pollution especially in busy, highly urbanized cities, so why cut even a few?                            

DENR’s and DPWH’s plan is to earth ball 1,282 trees and transplant them, but 4,164 trees will have to be cut. The plan sounds good but, the fact remains that these techniques, which can get very costly and difficult, do not ensure the survival and continued life of the affected trees. They also plan to replace the cut trees with 30 seedlings for each tree to be cut. A regional DENR Forestry Director reasoned that the acacia trees to be cut are not in the list of endangered species. I say that, endangered or not, we should still take care in cutting trees. I’m sure our authorities can come up with more creative and better solutions to solve traffic congestion. At the same time, they should not forget that pollution is a problem that must be addressed as well and reducing the trees that absorb toxic air will further be detrimental to the people’s health. They should re-study their plan especially since the permit that DENR issued will expire this month. 

Government agencies should re-think their roles in the light of the environment crisis now impacting the whole world and its inhabitants. Urbanization has its costs and it should not be at the expense of our continued healthy and peaceful existence in our part of the earth. With tree planting and greening in mind, our city and road developers will be guided well. Only God can make a tree but anyone can plant a tree.