Bulacan lawyers vow to stop tree-cutting on MacArthur Highway

MALOLOS CITY – Bulacan lawyers vowed to stop once again the cutting of trees along the MacArthur Highway here despite Public Works’ officials’ promise to replace each cut tree with 20 seedlings.

Lawyer Jose dela Rama Jr., the former president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Bulacan chapter and his friends said they are planning to file charges against the Department of Public Works ang Highways Bulacan engineering district office, through the Marcelo H. Del Pilar Law School under the Bulacan State University.

Dela Rama’s warning came more than a week after the 1st Bulacan engineering district resumed cutting of trees along the MacArthur Highway from Bocaue to Calumpit town.

“Sayang yung mga puno, mahabang taon ding pinalaki iyon,” Dela Rama said.

He added cutting down mature trees greatly contribute to global warming.

For his part, Engineer Ruel Angeles, assistant district engineer for the 1st Bulacan engineering district office said the cutting of trees was part of President Arroyo’s road widening on the MacArthur High­way from Calaoocan City to Tarlac.

He said that the road widening project was designed to address the high toll fees collected to motorists on the North Luzon Expressway which is not operated by the Manila North Tollways Corp. under the Lopez Group of companies.

“We have to cut trees along the highway to give way for high the volume of traffic once the road widening project is completed,” Angeles said.  – Ding Balabo