EDITORIAL - Pot calls kettle black

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources is taking to task the Department of Public Works and Highways over the loss of yet another tree as a result of the latter's ongoing road construction and road repair projects.

The DENR is accusing the DPWH of going ahead and removing trees even without any permit from the DENR. What got the goat of the DENR this time was the unauthorized removal by a DPWH contractor of a giant "balete" tree on M. Velez Street.

The removal came on the heels of a sweeping uprooting of dozens of trees on the center islands along Serging Osmeña to give way to a similar road construction and road repair project undertaken by the DPWH thru a private contractor.

These dozens of trees were later discovered to have been chopped up and bunched together for sale as firewood. Investigations have swiftly been launched. But if we go by experience in this country, such investigations will just as swiftly be forgotten.

In fact the investigations into this massive and sweeping cutting of dozens of trees on Serging Osmeña are already several months old but not a peep, as of this writing, has been heard of them. As we said, nothing will come of them.

Yet, now, the DENR is all agitated again over the loss of the giant "balete" tree on M. Velez, rapping the DPWH over a matter that it, itself, cannot exactly be free of responsibility from. If the truth be told, it is like the pot calling the kettle black.

This is not to defend the DPWH because whoever are the officials responsible should be hung from any remaining trees for everyone to see. But if the DENR itself is truly conscientious of its obligations, it is actually very easy for it to monitor and protect endangered trees.

In Taipeh, every single tree -- yes, every single tree in the city -- is tagged by government. Around the trunk of every tree is hung a board containing information such as the tree's name, scientific name, age, index number, etc.

This is mentioned here not to suggest that we follow Taipeh's example but to show what efficiency and conscientiousness is. What can be done is this: Since all road projects are reported in media, the DENR can do what it needs to do on hearing the news, not wait for something to vanish and then throw up a tantrum.