New DENR nat’l policy irks Cebu gov’t officials

Dumanjug Mayor Nelson Garcia (CDN File Photo)

A class suit may be filed by several Cebu mayors after learning that Environment Secretary Ramon Paje will no longer issue tree-cutting permits for road widening projects without an “in-depth review” of other options and public consultation.

The threat was raised by Dumanjug Mayor Nelson Garcia, who said that trees, regardless of their state of health, should be chopped down to give way to “progress”.

“I talked to some mayors who are affected by the road development going south. They are amenable to join the class suit we will file,” Garcia told reporters at the Capitol where he was attending a meeting.

Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III said he, too, would ask the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to reconsider its stand for another reason – public safety and the danger of century-old or sick trees falling at any time.

“I’m personally writing a letter. It’s being drafted and then I could probably ask for an audience,” Davide said yesterday.

Davide, however, said he stands by the agreement he reached with government agencies and civil society groups in his office last Friday to let a “third party” forestry expert invited by the Philippine Earth Justice Center (PEJC) reassess roadside trees which the DENR 7 earlier said were “decaying or diseased.” A dozen of them are century-old Acacias.

Plans to cut down at least 84 trees in the south corridor of Naga-Carcar-San Fernando of Cebu’s 1st district were aborted last week after a handful of environment activists followed the lead of Fr. Robert Reyes and climbed two century-old Acacia trees, forcing government crews to put down their chainsaws after cutting four other Acacias in the City of Naga.

The protestors said “sick” trees can still be treated with expert attention and that roads could be redesigned with trees as a center island.

STRICT COMPLIANCE

Yesterday, a memo dated Aug. 11 of Environment Secretary Ramon Paje to his directors around the country confirmed Cebu Daily News’ earlier report quoting Fr. Reyes that DENR bosses are “rethinking” the agency’s role in sanctioning tree cutting in road projects.
The memo was sent “for strict compliance.”

“The recent withdrawal of the road widening project in Naga City, Cebu by the DPWH provided a great opportunity for the government to take a second or even a third look on the feasibility of all road widening projects, nationwide.”

“It also shows that road widening projects must first be vetted by the DPWH Secretary prior to the approval of ECCs and tree-cutting permits,” Paje wrote.

All directors were ordered to return to DPWH all applications for ECC (Environmental Compliance Certificate) and tree cutting permits for road widening projects.

Two requirements were set: An “in-depth review” of “options” to avoid tree cutting and wide public consultation.

The alternatives could be “realignment and road improvements” “similar to what will be implemented in Cebu” said Paje in the memo.

Consultation must be made with all concerned local government units, civil society organizations and “communities and stakeholders.”

“Only tree cutting applications endorsed by the DPWH Secretary shall be accepted and acted upon by the DENR.”

MAYORS’ VIEWS

The three mayors directly affected – Naga, San Fernando and Carcar in the 1st district – have varying degrees of support for the tree cutting.

City of Naga Mayor Valdemar Chiong said: “I am for the cutting of the trees. I’m supporting the plan to file a case in court.”

San Fernando Mayor Antonio Canoy doesn’t want to go that far.

“That’s his (Garcia’s) idea. For me, I don’t want to file a case. I will not go to that extent,” Canoy told CDN.

He said he will let the experts decide how to handle the trees.

But Canoy lamented that DENR seems to have a “double standard” in implementing laws.

Mining companies that need DENR permits are allowed to exploit the environment and extract raw materials but are asked to rehabilitate the environment after.

In the case of roadside trees, the policy is to replace each tree that is cut with 100 seedlings.

“What’s the fuss about? If you cut down a tree for development and progress, you have to replace it under the law and guidelines. But now, why is it stopped? Murag urong-sulong ang DENR (The DENR’s action is ‘advance-retreat’) ,” Canoy said.

After several coordination meetings, tree cutting started Aug. 5 to 7 in the City of Naga, with San Fernando town next, “but it was suddenly stopped. That’s not so good,” he added.

Canoy said he favors human lives over trees.

But he said he would respect the decision reached last Friday at the Capitol to conduct an independent, third party assessment of the trees’ health status.

“I have nothing against that. When you’re not convinced with the findings of a doctor, then you consult another one,” he said.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Governor Davide said public safety remains the province’s main concern.

If trees are assessed by the DENR as diseased and dangerous to public safety, then they should be chopped down, he said.

Davide said he will wait for an independent assessment of tree experts from the University of the Philippines as agreed last Friday.

He said that once a special cutting permit is issued by DENR, he hopes the DPWH will help.
If DPWH refuses to take part because of orders of Secretary Rogelio Singson, then the governor said he will ask local governments to help carry it out.

Dumanjug Mayor Garcia said the class suit he has in mind would be filed against Secretary Paje, DENR 7 and the Province of Cebu.

“The province is enjoying progress because of our seaports. If environmentalists back then lobbied to save the mangroves, then we wouldn’t have seaports today. We wouldn’t have progress,” Garcia said.

“Which is more important: the trees or the progress of the province of Cebu?” he said.

Read more stories about the Naga trees issues here!