Cebu south LGUs told to prune century trees
To avoid more roadside trees from falling on houses or unsuspecting motorists in southern Cebu towns, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7 advised officials to start pruning the trees.
“For now, we ask the local government of Naga City, San Fernando and Carcar City to start pruning their roadside trees while the actual cutting has not started yet,” regional DENR spokesperson Eddie Llamedo said.
The DENR advice came after another old acacia tree fell along the road in barangay Perrelos in
Carcar City last Saturday dawn.
Llamedo said their assessment showed that the tree’s crown was too heavy for its trunk which was already diseased and required to be cut down immediately.
The acacia tree in Carcar City was the second to fall down in southern Cebu after one acacia tree fell down in San Fernando town last month.
Certification
“Correct pruning like cutting of overlapping branches of a tree will help reduce the load on a tree during heavy winds. Pruning is actually reducing the weight on top of a base of a tree,” Llamedo said.
He said local government units have the capability to prune.
A full report is expected to be submitted by forester Filemon Embalzado Jr. of the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) Cebu City today.
Llamedo said they can expedite the processing for the issuance of a clearance and a Special Tree Cutting Permit (STCP) for the trees in Carcar City.
Llamedo said the barangay of Perrelos and the Carcar City government should issue a certification interposing no objection on the cutting of the four identified roadside trees in the city.
Clearance
“DENR Regional Executive Director Isabelo Montejo committed to fast track the issuance of the permit and personally hand-carry the application for clearance to DENR Undersecretary for Field Operations Demetrio Ignacio Jr.,” he said.
Llamedo said they’ll work on the requirements and expect the cutting of the four trees in Carcar City next week after Naga City and San Fernando.
The cutting of the seven roadside trees in Naga City will proceed today.
Heavy traffic flow to and from Naga City is expected starting today until Wednesday. The DENR-7 asked the Land Transportation Office (LTO) 7 in managing traffic in the area.
The cutting of 41 trees, including three century-old Acacia trees along the road in San Fernando, is also scheduled on August 1-4.
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Traffic returns to normal; DPWH pushes for inventory of trees
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