Cutting of century-old narra sparks outrage

CEBU, Philippines – The cutting of the century-old narra — inside the school grounds of the Jagna Central Elementary School, in Barangay Tejero of Jagna town in Bohol — had sparked outraged from the public, especially from alumni of the school, as the tree had left them memories hem during their student days.

The school principal, Mercuria Tagapia, and the coordinating principal, Telma Jalop, are now at the receiving end of complaints as the people of Jagna pinpointed them as the ones responsible in allegedly ordering the cutting of the tree, purportedly as a precautionary measure when typhoon Ruby threatened the province.

Outrage poured on the social media, prompting two individuals to file a case against school officials who allegedly ordered the cutting of the tree. Most of the concerned Jagna-anons pointed out that trimming down the branches could have been enough.

Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Nestor Canda, for his part, explained that under Presidential Decree 953 (Requiring the planting of trees in certain places and penalizing unauthorized cutting, destruction, damaging and injuring of certain trees, plants and vegetation), the school principal should have secured a permit first from Provincial Schools Division Superindentent Wilfreda Bongalos.

However, Bonglaos told the media she never issued any order to cut the tree inside the school. There has been no formal report also reaching her office about the cutting of the narra, but she said will have the matter investigated.

Councilor Maricris Jamora said she already had a resolution approved on Monday last week asking Jagna town Mayor Fortunato Abrenilla, to allow them to investigate the matter.

Jamora said she found out it was Jalop who allegedly ordered the cutting and that there was no permit for such. “The tree stood there for many years, amid the strong typhoons in the past, and it is just now that it had been cut,” she said, adding that she will make sure that whoever was responsible will be held liable.

Jalop, for her part, explained that all she did was relay the message and instructions from the local government unit during the meeting of the Municipal Risk Reduction Management Council when it cropped up that a portion of the tree had been posing a threat already.

Jalop denied that she commissioned some persons to cut the tree. She said her instruction to the school was to cut down hazardous trees, and so Tagapia must be the one directly responsible on the cutting of the narra tree, which might be uprooted once Ruby struck the town.

The Jagnaanons did not buy the contention however, saying that another centennial narra tree in Barangay Mayana was spared from cutting.