DENR Chief: Help shoulder expense in keeping acacias

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Provincial Government assured that if the Department of Environment and Natural Resources decides that the acacia trees in City of Naga should be cut, it would make sure that the trees would be replaced.

Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer-in-charge Czareem Estella promised that his office would be responsible in replacing the trees that would be felled.

Yesterday, he attended the exit conference by the DENR, the tree pathologists who assessed the trees in Naga if they need to be cut or not, and private groups that are against the cutting of the trees.

During the meeting, DENR-7 Regional Executive Director Isabelo Montejo asked non-government organizations, which are against the cutting of the acacia trees, to support them in terms of cost if the government agrees with finality to let the trees to remain.

He made the statement following the recommendation of tree pathologist Ernesto Militante to just prune the trees in the south instead of cutting them.

“In so far as the 2014 budget sa DENR, maglisod og fund, mahimo siguro nato na og ang Movement for Livable Cebu (MLC) ganahan sila i-share nato ang cost. Because it entails cost, pruning lang daan dako nang trabaho,” said Montejo when interviewed by the media in yesterday’s exit conference on the issue at the DENR-7 office.

Militante, who was allowed to do an independent assessment on some of the trees affected by road widening south of Cebu City, said that based on his studies, the trees are healthy. Some of the trees, especially those that have cuts on them, only need to undergo pruning to unburden their heavy crowns.

Militante said that all trees that he inspected were “healthy” and that these must be kept away from concrete surfaces like roads.

One of his recommendations is to “immediately remove” concrete materials at least 30 centimeters in diameter from the tree trunks so these trees can “breathe and their roots spread out.”

DENR officials said they would use Militante’s recommendations in coming up with a decision which they said may take some time.

For Estella, his concern is on the risk the trees pose.  He promised that for every tree that gets cut the PDRRMO it would  be replaced.

Montejo, on the other hand, said that although he wants these trees to stay where they are, they could pose danger to the public and to properties. He said that acacia trees have lateral roots which could mean that they can be easily uprooted, especially that these roots could be easily destroyed by the constant road development in the area.

He said that once the roots are damaged, the trees could fall down anytime just what happened to the two trees in the cities of Naga and Carcar which fell off last July even if there was no strong wind then.

Montejo said that based on what he learned in school, an acacia tree’s lifespan is only 80 to 100 years at most, and the controversial trees in the south are already considered “century-old” or are over 100.

“Without them (trees) we will have a problem as 60 percent of carbon dioxide (in the air) is from automobiles. With the recommendation for tree surgery is a good option. But how much does it cost? We are willing to preserve these trees, but the NGOs, are they willing to share in the cost?” he asked.

According to Militante, they can train individuals who can prune, do surgery and watch over the trees for a fee, like what they did in Makati City. He said the training costs P700 per hour or around P20,000 per package.

He said that everyone must assume responsibility instead of blaming DENR later on if the trees are to remain and one of them topple over.

Montejo said they would consider the recommendations of Militante when they decide on this issue, which he said may take “long” to do especially that Secretary Ramon Paje has already made his point to stop the cutting of the trees.

He added that suspension on the permit to cut the trees in Naga and the rest of the southern towns is still in effect as of yesterday.

“Di sayon (to decide) lalo naay dili, naay gusto. Ang stand sa LGU for cutting, sa amo pud sa DENR, number one priority ang (prevention of) damage to lives and property. Og makita namo nga makadaot gyud, we will make a proposition and forward didto sa secretary,” he said. — AJ dela Torro Orong, Liv G. Campo / RHM (FREEMAN)