After an acacia fell on a truck Wednesday, roadside trees ordered checked

CEBU, Philippines - To ensure public safety, especially among commuters, Department of Environment and Natural Resources Regional Executive Director Isabelo Montejo ordered an inventory and health assessment of trees located along highways in Central Visayas.

 “I have issued a memorandum to all our provincial and community environment and natural resources officers in the four provinces to constitute a team to undertake the assessment with the concerned local government units and the Department of Public Works and Highways,” said Montejo.

Cebu will start the inspection this week starting in the City Naga City, San Fernando, Carcar City, and Sibonga, among others.

The assessment aims to determine the health status of these trees and identify which are over-mature, diseased or defective which pose hazards to lives and properties so that sanitary cutting could be done immediately or a tree surgery.

Montejo’s  order came a day after an almost century-old, 15-meter acacia, with a diameter of 145 centimeters, fell on a passing truck at the national highway in Barangay Balud, San Fernando, Cebu.

The incident resulted to injury on those onboard the truck and caused heavy traffic in the area.

Community Environment and Natural Resources Office Cebu City’s Forester Filemon Embalzado Jr., who conducted an ocular inspection yesterday, said in an initial report that the tree was in an advance state of decay on its base near the root system.

DENR again advised the public against the putting of streamers and tarpaulins and other advertising materials on trees, especially with the use of nails, and other destructive practices like burning something near the base of the tree, as these could damage the health of the trees.

The towns or even the barangays are reminded that it fell on them to properly take care and maintain the trees in road sides and public places like plazas and parks.

DENR is willing to provide technical assistance on the proper way to prune, trim, apply fertilizer on, fencing, mulching, watering, and conducting surgery on trees.

Section 3 of Republic Act No, 3571, provides that “no cutting, destroying, or injuring of planted or growing trees, flowering plants and shrubs or plants of scenic value along public roads, in plazas, parks other than national parks, school premises or in any other public ground shall be permitted.”

Section 3 of Presidential Decree No. 953 also provides a similar prohibition and imposes a punishment of imprisonment for not less than six months and more than two years, or a fine of less than five hundred pesos and not more than five thousand pesos, or both penalties at the discretion of the court.

Meanwhile, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Chief Baltazar Tribunalo Jr. suggested that aside from checking all trees, DENR should take precautionary measures by cutting the branches extending toward the road.

This is to minimize the risk of the branches breaking and falling on passing vehicles when there is strong wind or heavy rain.

 “The basic of disaster risk management is risk assessment. Mag-risk assessment ta sa kahoy kung asa to siya dapita motumba.  Labi na og padulong siya sa kalsada, pamutlan ang sanga. Tan-awon gyod ni (See which direction the tree would likely fall. If the tree leans toward the road, the branches shold be trimmed. This should be done) as soon as possible,” he said.

He said that if the risk is high for the tree to land on the road, it should be cut before any untoward incident happens.

A similar incident happened in 2011, when a jeepney driver got pinned under an acacia tree that fell on his unit along Sikatuna St., Cebu City near the Zapatera Elementary School.— (FREEMAN)