Cutting of roadside trees starts Monday

CEBU, Philippines - The initial batch of diseased century-old acacia trees in the City of Naga will be removed this Monday, July 28, to address the danger they pose to passing motorists.

This was after the Department of Environment and Natural Resources yesterday announced the “final” schedule for the cutting of two to three trees state foresters initially pronounced as unhealthy and hazardous.

DENR-7 Regional Executive Director Isabelo Montejo yesterday extended by 60 days the special cutting permit for the said trees.

The trees would be removed during “off peak” hours to avoid the inconvenience of a heavy traffic flow to and from south Cebu.

Seven century-old trees by the highway in the City of Naga and three in San Fernando town are in DENR’s priority list for immediate cutting to keep passing vehicles and pedestrians away from possible harm.

DENR has also certified 35 more trees in Naga and 38 in San Fernando as “defective” and could no longer be salvaged but that cutting them is “not of immediate concern.”

DENR-7will send a letter today to the Department of Public Works and Highways, Land Transportation Office and Visayan Electric Company informing them of the cutting of the trees this Monday.

As agreed during the technical conference, the City of Naga was tasked to comply with the required equipment needed such as trucks and a chain saw, among others.

In response, the local government unit of Naga would request the Cebu provincial government to make true its promise to assist the city in terms of equipment need. (FREEMAN)