DPWH wants restoration of earthballing permit

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 7 has renewed its request for the environment department to lift the stoppage on the earthballing of trees along the center island of S. Osmeña Road in the North Reclamation Area.

DPWH-7 Regional Dir. Ador Canlas said in a letter to Anastacio Cabalejo, acting chief of the Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources’ office in Cebu City, that they need to fasttrack the road project because of the coming Ironman Triathlon next month as well as the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference (APEC) meetings and Papal visit next year.

“The scheduled Ironman Triathlon on August 3, 2014 would utilize the whole stretch of the subject project for the cycling event. A high standard fit for this international event will require that the roads be safe and ideal for the bicycle race. The remaining trees will pose a hindrance and risk to the participating cyclists,” Canlas said in his June 27 letter.

He added the Papal visit on January 15, 2015 will have an entourage that will pass through the S. Osmeña Road.

The DENR 7 has earlier issued a Cease and Desist Order on the earthballing of the trees in the center island of the road project after at least 79 trees on the center island of the first phase of the project went missing. The trees haven’t been found until now except for a few branches which have turned into firewood.

Among the conditions for the lifting of the CDO was for the DPWH to replace the missing trees with 7,900 seedlings.

“While we empathize and agree with this, we believe that it will be prudent on our end to defer any action, pending the resolution of the case which your office had filed against the contractor,” Canlas said, referring to the illegal tree cutting case filed by the DENR against WT Construction.

The case is now under preliminary investigation at the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office.

“We would like to re-assure you that the earth-balling of the remaining trees will be strictly implemented with the joint coordination of our office, the City Parks and Playground Commission, and the CENRO,” Canlas said.

“It is also important to mention that the parties involved in this contract project have an agreement with the mayor that this be completed before January 2015. We hope that you would help us realize this,” he added.

Sought for comment on the request, the DENR 7 has maintained that replacing the missing trees with 7,900 seedlings under the conditions for the lifting of the CDO stays. Each missing tree should be replaced with 100 seedlings.

“While we understand the reasons as stated by the DPWH 7 but we could not set aside a DENR policy of lifting the CDO without appropriate replacement on the number of trees that went missing and which is now subject of a case filed against WT Construction Inc,” said DENR 7 spokesperson Eddie Llamedo.

However, Llamedo said DENR 7 regional executive director Isabelo Montejo scheduled for a technical conference within this week.