Mayor Rama insists that trees, center islands ‘must go’

SCHEDULED FOR REMOVAL. The trees marked with yellow X at a center island along Pope John Paul II Avenue are due to be earthballed and replanted somewhere else. Will this really ease traffic? (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

CEBU City Mayor Michael Rama is adamant on removing  trees in the center island along Pope John Paul II Ave. even if church officials think it unnecessary.

He said the plan to remove 11 trees and reduce parts of the center island along the street was not just for the coming International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) next January but to improve the overall traffic in the area.

“We need more space in that area. That area is already a chokepoint,” Rama told reporters yesterday.

The other day, Cebu Auxiliary Bishop Dennis Villarojo, IEC 2016 secretary general, was asked his view about the planned removal of the trees, whose trunks have been marked “x”, as a prelude to  earth-balling.

He  told reporters the clergy prefers that the trees in front of two seminaries be left alone.

He said the Cebu Archdiocese didn’t ask the Cebu city government to widen the area or remove the center islands and trees in front of the Pope John Paul XXIII Seminary where the IEC Pavilion is located.

But Rama said unless the Archdiocese has a better plan, or if priests agree to be traffic enforcers in the area, he would push through with his plan.

The actual remova, however, has not permit yet for earthballing from the Department of Environment and Natural Resrouces..

“I don’t know whether they know what they’re talking about.  Pope John Paul II avenue is not only for the IEC. Unless, the monsignor and all the priests will become traffic enforcers in that area,

I’m very clear. I’m not doing it only for IEC. I’ve been telling you that area has a problem. Do they have a solution?” Rama said.

He said he plans on meeting with Villarojo about it.

One alternative Rama is looking at is a proposal for the archdiocese to  allow cutting a portion of the seminary for a parallel road in the area.

Another option, he said, is to  implement one-way traffic along the road. But he said this plan has to be agreed by people in the city.

Until now,  the Cebu city government  hasn’t completed the requirements of the DENR for earthballing — to uproot trees and replant them elsewhere.

DENR 7 spokesman Eddie Llamedo said  some trees were too large to survive a transfer. He listed reuqirements for a permit —  a barangay certification interposing no objection to the plan,

endorsement of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the conduct of public hearing with ennvironmental groups and NGOs.

Llamedo said until now, the city hasn’t submitted the documents.

Sought for comment on the requirements, Mayor Rama instead blew his top against the DENR.

“We in government should not be waiting. We should be helping, assisting. Will there be DENR handling traffic?,” he said.