This centenial Narra tree on N. Velez street will be not be cut down despite the road widding project after the Department of Public Works and Highway (DPWH-7) recieve memo from their central office.(CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)
No budget to maintain century-old trees in Cebu and other parts of the country?
No problem, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) which issued an order directing all regional and district engineering offices to prune and trim trees along the road right-of-way (RROW) of national roads.
“In order to preclude accidents to motorists and pedestrians caused by (falling) trees and its branches during heavy winds/storms and other natural and man-made calamities, all regional and district engineering offices are hereby directed to regularly prune/trim, and only when necessary, cut damaged trees along the right-of-way of our national roads,” read Department Order 93 signed by Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson last month.
Singson’s order specifically states that costs for the maintenance of trees along highways can be charged against the DPWH’s Maintenance Work Category 18, Traffic Services: Activity Standard No. 309, Other Traffic Services.
The DPWH directive was welcomed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) who earlier said it had no budget to trim, maintain and even operate on the century-old trees.
Composite team
Environment groups who’ve lobbied for the retention of the aging trees along southern Cebu that were affected by the ongoing Naga City-Carcar City road widening project also lauded the order.
DPWH-7 Regional Director Ador Canlas told Cebu Daily News that he instructed their maintenance engineers to form a composite team with the DENR, local government units and utility companies.
“We want the composite team to discuss how we can go about maintaining the trees so that all our plans and activities are coordinated,” Canlas said.
The DENR-7 said the order now defines a clear policy on pruning of trees in roadsides.
“It’s a good development considering that DPWH has the resources, machines, tools and other equipment to carry out the correct pruning and trimming of trees than the local government units,” DENR-7 spokesperson Eddie Llamedo said.
Constricted
Aside from maintenance, Llamedo said the DPWH and its contractors should make ensure that they don’t damage or destroy the root system of trees when doing road improvement or rehabilitations.
Earlier, silviculturist Dr. Roger Guzman and tree pathologist Dr. Ernesto Militante noted in their findings that the trees sustained damaged roots and didn’t have enough breathing space since the concrete girdled or constricted their base.
Llamedo also reminded the DPWH to apply paints on the cut portion of any branch of a tree after pruning to avoid bacteria and fungi from infecting the tree.
Canlas earlier voiced concern that the stricter guidelines in tree-cutting may result in a larger backlog of road widening projects in Central Visayas since these will have to be vetted by their central office.
Some local officials including Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III want century-old trees cut especially those deemed to pose a threat to motorists and public utility vehicles (PUVs).
Lame reasoning
In last week’s 888 News Forum San Fernando Mayor Antonio Canoy said trees should be planted on the mountains where the floodwaters pass through instead of the roadside.
Local and national environment groups like the Movement for a Livable Cebu (MLC) said both the DPWH and DENR should be working closely to preserve the trees.
“We are very much in favor of it. We hope there is also a budget for the removal of the concrete girdling. We hope the DENR will teach the DPWH to prune the trees properly,” MLC co-convenor Louella Alix said in a text message to Cebu Daily News.
The MLC and the Philippine Earth Justice Center (PEJC) campaigned against the cutting of the heritage trees.
The National Coalition to Save Trees, led by running priest Fr. Robert Reyes, also vowed to continue lobbying for more effective and participatory governance aimed at protecting and rehabilitating the trees and forests.
“This DPWH order can help answer the lame reasoning of some local government agencies that they have no budget to maintain or rehabilitate the threatened trees along the national highways,” said Patria Gwen Borcena of Greenresearch, which is also part of the national coalition.
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