DPWH-7: No budget for 7,900 seedlings

CEBU, Philippines - “No budget” is the primary reason why the Department of Public Works and Highways is still unable to purchase 7900 seedlings needed to replace the 79 “missing” trees along Sergio Osmeña Boulevard, Cebu City.

DPWH-7 information officer Marie Nillama said, “Wala gyud mi budget anang pag-purchase sa mga seedlings (We really don’t have the budget allocated for the purchase of the seedlings).” She further said that the seedlings will be purchased from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

DENR-7 has required DPWH-7 to plant 7,900 trees in the National Greening Program  sites within the administrative jurisdiction of Community Environment and Natural Resources  in Cebu City.

The 7,900 trees, more or less, is the equivalent number that has to be replaced based on the ratio of 1:100 of every “perished” tree. These replacement trees will cover around 16 hectares in NGP plantations, both in forestland and timberland areas.

According to DENR-7 regional executive director Isabelo Montejo, it is a mandatory requirement for the eventual lifting of the cease and desist order  on the earth-balling activities issued to the DPWH 7 last April 4, 2014.

It can be recalled that DENR-7 issued a cease and desist order after several trees in the center island along Sergio Osmeña Blvd. road went “missing.”

Nillama added that, despite the CDO, the road expansion project will still continue. “Ang gibuhat karon sa contractor kay padayon gihapon ang trabaho unya kadtong portion nga naay mga trees, wa lang sa trabahu-a (The contractors have continued to work on the road expansion project, excluding the portion with trees),” said Nillama.

The P289-million road project is targeted to be completed by January next year or before the Sinulog celebration. The original date of completion for this 2.5-kilometer whole-stretch boulevard is on April 15, 2015. The WT Construction, Inc. is working 24/7 to ensure that it will be finish before the said date.  — (FREEMAN)