CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Councilor Eduardo Rama yesterday begged off from endorsing the approval of a resolution appropriating P500,000 for the cutting of buri trees which were found to be hazardous to residents of the city’s four barangays.
The resolution was originally sponsored by Councilor Gerardo Carillo, who was not present during the council session as he was on official business trip.
Rama had the item deferred until Carillo is present since there was no specified attachment to the resolution.
The resolution calls for the immediate cutting of the buri trees, locally named as “buli,” which are seen to endanger the lives and properties in barangays Labangon, Calamba, Bucao and Pulang Bato.
The Department of Public Services, through the Cebu City Disaster and Coordinating Council (CDCC), is requesting for the passage of the resolution, which appropriates P50,000 for every buri tree. So far, there are 10 initial buri trees identified.
Councilor Augustus Pe Jr. then called Rama’s attention considering that the P50,000 is too high for every buri tree.
This prompted Rama to suggest that the resolution be deferred until Carillo could justify the amount.
But for Councilor Nestor Archival, the resolution should be treated with urgency considering that more rains are expected in the next few days and those places where there are buri trees stand are high risk.
“The amount of P500,000 is just a small thing when lives are already lost,” Archival said.
He said it is not easy to cut those buri trees and it needs a special process or technique since these are situated in highly populated areas.
“These are in the center of houses and we don’t have the capability to cut these trees,” Archival said. — Ferliza C. Contratista/LPM (THE FREEMAN)