Traffic returns to normal; DPWH pushes for inventory of trees

After last Wednesday’s incident Balud residents are now wary over the stability of the nearly century-old trees that line the highway, fearing that any one of them may collapse without warning. (CDN PHOTO/ TONEE DESPOJO)

Eatery owner Mirasol Bartido was washing dishes when she heard a loud cracking sound outside.

She looked for her 8-year-old daughter, who was playing nearby then grabbed her and ran outside the eatery.

“Good thing the tree didn’t hit our small carinderia (eatery),” the 43-year-old Bartido said.

A nearly century-old acacia tree fell a few meters from Bartido’s eatery, store and home  along the road in barangay Balud, San Fernando town  in southern Cebu.

The tree fell on a truck, injuring a passenger and held up both northbound and southbound vehicles last Wednesday afternoon. Engr. Roger Tesiorna, a DPWH Maintenance Point Person (MPP) assigned in

San Fernando town, said it took them six hours to remove the acacia tree using a crane and chainsaws.

Accidents

Traffic returned to normal at 9:30 p.m. last Wednesday.

The tree damaged railings and a power post, resulting in a 17-hour brownout in the area.

Personnel of the Visayan Electric Co. (Veco) were able to restore power in some parts of Balud.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) yesterday called for an inventory of aging trees along the roads in southern Cebu to avoid a repeat of last Wednesday’s traffic gridlock caused by the collapse of the century-old acacia tree.

“I think there are trees we have to look into which are very old.  We need to be proactive to avoid (similar) accidents,” DPWH Regional Director Ador Canlas said.

He said the century-old acacia tree was within the DPWH’s road right-of-way area along N. Bacalso, though there is no ongoing project in the area.

“I hope the Department of Public Works and Highways (DENR) will look into the other trees that may pose a hazard along the road,” Canlas said.

At risk
Regional DENR Executive Director Isabelo Montejo said he welcomes Canlas’ suggestion.

“I issued a memorandum to all our provincial and community environment and natural resources officers in the four provinces to constitute a team to undertake the assessment with the local government units and the DPWH,” Montejo said.

The assessment which starts within this week in Naga City, San Fernando, Carcar City and Sibonga will determine which trees are over-mature or diseased and that pose hazards to lives and property.

If the trees are found to be at risk of collapsing, sanitary cutting or tree surgery can be done by the DENR, Montejo said.

The century-old acacia tree which fell down two days ago in San Fernando town had a diameter of 145 centimeters and stood 15 meters or 40 feet in height.

Assistance
The tree was already in an advanced stage of decay at its basal portion or near the roots, said Forester Filemon Embalzado Jr., who inspected the area.

Using iron nails to prop streamers and tarpaulins and other advertising material on trees can damage their health, Montejo said.

Burning near the base of trees also affects their health, he added.

“Our office will provide the necessary technical assistance when it comes to techniques like pruning or trimming, application of fertilizer, tree surgery, tree guard of fencing, mulching and watering,” Montejo said.

Prone
Baltazar Tribunalo, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) chief, said the DENR-7 should visit the accident site to check on the conditions of the century trees there.

He said the trees’ branches should also be pruned, particularly those directly branching over the highway.

“If the trees are found to be prone to collapse, heavy branches should be cut,” Tribunalo said.

Tribunalo said the recent downpours may have caused the collapse of the acacia tree since the leaves absorb rainwater.

He said the DPWH and the DENR should discuss how to handle the trees.

Inspections
“If it is found that the trees pose danger after scientific research then they should be removed rather than wait for a disaster to happen,” he said.

Tribunalo also said local government units should have their own response teams.

“The barangays and municipalities should be the first ones to respond while the province or the city are the secondary or tertiary responders,” he said.

But Tribunalo admitted that most LGUs don’t possess the necessary equipment.

He said the San Fernando response team brought only four chainsaws, which proved inadequate  after hours of use to cut the tree blunted and dulled its teeth.

Whatever the results of the inventory, Bartido said the DENR should conduct regular inspections of the area.

“They should remind us if those tall and old trees are risky,” she said.

“It’s very scary. You really don’t know when it will fall just like what happened yesterday (Wednesday). What if the incident happened at night and we are all sleeping?,” Bartido added./ With Correspondents Victor Anthony V. Salva, Carine M. Asutilla and Fe Marie Dumaboc

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