Trees bear brunt of Milenyo’s’ fury

Typhoon "Milenyo" uprooted hundreds of trees that partially blocked roads in Metro Manila as it slashed through Central Luzon and made a direct hit at the capital yesterday.

Roads across the capital turned into obstacle courses as vehicles avoided toppled trees and large branches that were sent flying by winds howling up to 130 kph.

Some large trees snagged power and telephone lines on the way down. Most of the fallen trees partially blocked roads and had emergency crews busy clearing them with saws and machetes.

Metro Manila’s normally traffic-choked streets were relatively empty after government employees were sent home and business either closed early or remained shut. School was suspended the day before.

But traffic was backed up in some major thoroughfares such as EDSA and C-5 because of trees as well as several billboards blown down.

One large billboard smashed onto a commuter bus passing over a flyover at Magallanes, Makati City, along EDSA. No one was seriously hurt. Emergency crews worked as fast as they could with blow torches to dismantle the wreck and clear the highway.

Milenyo’s winds were so powerful it blew down a traffic police box along scenic Roxas Boulevard, which was strewn with trees and branches.

Traffic on the South Luzon Expressway, Metro Manila’s gateway to the Southern Tagalog provinces, was backed up also by uprooted trees and large branches. Emergency crews worked through high winds and blinding rain to clear them.

A mango tree landed on the house of retired STAR employee Nicanor Casas in Canlubang, Laguna.

Glass windows encasing the National Press Club’s spiral staircase were smashed, sending a deadly hail of broken shards flying. Several windows at Camp Aguinaldo’s museum and theater were blown off.

The Metro Manila Development Authority could not immediately give an estimate of how many trees, most of them products of government tree-planting programs, were uprooted.

Floods in some areas also slowed traffic, forcing cars to turn around and look for detours. Floodwaters in some parts of Makati City reached waist-deep.

Thousands of commuters were kept waiting for rides home.

The number of uprooted trees inadvertently drew concern over a large tree-planting program of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

The department’s "Green Philippine Highways" began last August and aims to line the country’s major arteries with trees.

"I am not sure what kind of trees were used in the GPH, if they’re sturdy enough to survive this kind of typhoons or strong winds," said MMDA deputy chairman Cesar Lacuna. "But possibly in 20 to 25 years, those trees could pose a danger if they’re not planted strategically. But then again, that’s not conclusive."

Cory Davis, the DENR’s Metro Manila regional executive director, said they will check on the trees to make sure they cause no future problems. — With Jaime Laude