Help stop tree cutting in Carcar!

Yesterday morning, September 27, a concerned citizen shared photos of trees along a street of Carcar. Many trees had numbers painted on the trunks. One tree, according to our concerned citizen, had the number 61.

One other photo showed a huge, old tree already cut into several parts!

How many Carcar trees have been painted with numbers? 61? More? And are these numbered trees among those to be cut?

Why? For what reason/s? Who allowed the tree cutting in Carcar?

Are the reasons for tree cutting far more important than the benefits that trees give to people and the whole planet?

Goodness, in the midst of global warming, floods, and Laudato Si campaign of Pope Francis, will the trees of Carcar now be cut?

Trees provide oxygen to people- in fact, one tree offers one-year free supply of oxygen for three persons! Floods are managed well by trees, not to mention the food and other medicinal benefits provided by trees to people and communities!

Are the trees of Carcar to be cut for another road-widening project of DPWH? If yes, cannot DPWH proceed with their road project, receive their budget, without sacrificing the trees in heritage-rich Carcar?

We pray that no other tree in Carcar was cut since that September 27 morning.

Please help stop tree-cutting in Carcar!

We also pray that God will once again guide and lead our campaign to save trees in Carcar as He did for us in Naga in 2019.

If it be His will and if needed, may God once again send His pool of committed local, national, global advocates and supporters to embark on various types of campaigns, including prayer rallies/ brigades to stop Tree Cutting in Carcar.

We pray that God will touch those in DPWH, DENR and other concerned local and national government agencies and officials to meet and decide on a collaborative agreement with all stakeholders for a win-win situation, with their project to continue and with trees that are created only by God left untouched, uncut, and protected, saved by mortals.

Yesterday morning, multisectoral groups requested DENR to call for an urgent emergency meeting with DPWH and other concerned local, national agencies, to stop the cutting of the trees, and, to share with the public, all official documents related to the Carcar tree cutting and whatever project was approved that included the cutting of trees.

This Cebu CSO position paper shared in our 2019 October 27 column may be a timely piece for reflection, this time about the value of the Carcar trees for people/the whole planet:

“We are for Sustainable Development, beneficial for all people and our planet.

“We recognize that in the midst of our present climate emergency “with our planet warming at an alarming rate, threatening wildlife extinction and rising sea levels, trees are our most powerful weapon in the fight against climate change.” The benefits of trees, from carbon sequestration to soil stability and biodiversity enhancement are established facts.

“The trees of Carcar are resources for all; the oxygen the trees produce crucial for all, not only for those in the City of Carcar. Therefore, we stand for saving, not cutting our trees, including those in Carcar.

We are for collaborative partnership for sustainable projects beneficial for our people, our beautiful island home, and our planet. Shall we all move forward together, united, in creating our peaceful, prosperous society and planet for our people?

“Can we start by halting the tree cutting in Carcar and elsewhere in Cebu?

“Can we propose that CSO representatives, selected by the CSOs, be officially included in the planning, deliberation, approval, implementation, and monitoring phases of major infrastructure projects for the province of Cebu?”

“We are committed with you all in collectively creating a better Cebu for all!”