Including CSOs and tree pathologist in tree assessment

With much pride and gratitude, we honor the young students and all other supporters who lent and continue to share their presence and participation to save Cebu’s trees. Padayon!

The court decision on the Writ of Kalikasan filed by Atty. Ben Cabrido and by Atty. Lourdes and Mocring Barcenas is being prayerfully awaited. So is the action of the DENR and DPWH Secretaries to the letter request sent to them to halt the Naga/Carcar tree cutting until a reliable tree assessment by a qualified tree pathologist is made? A bill has been proposed in Congress to protect the Naga trees. Online campaign to stop tree cutting has reached 26,000 and increasing.

While the tree supporters welcome the report about no tree cutting for a week, please, together, let us stay vigilant and continue to share our presence and support for our trees!

For the tree reassessment to be done by DENR and DPWH, may we enjoin the LGUs and DENR/DPWH to involve CSOs and a qualified, reliable tree pathologist?

Rudy Alix shared this 2014 letter below and yes, we can, together, certainly agree and collaborate on win-win projects for a more prosperous, peaceful, nature-protective, God-centered Cebu.

“We, at the Movement for a Livable Cebu, are for progress in the South, but in order to make it sustainable, we ought to promote it in the context of conserving our environment. In today's world, given the pressing issues of mounting pollution, climate change, alongside the need for a positive environment for business promotion and economic growth, the issue cannot be an EITHER/OR proposition.

It is possible to have both, as had been proven elsewhere in the country and in many places around the world - if only we can unite around sustainable projects, if concerned leaders can cross political borders, if civil society can unite with the authorities, then it is possible for sustainable solutions to be created, and turned into realities.

It is possible to have planned development and at the same time protection OF nature and protection BY nature taking place all at the same time.

MLC recognizes the bright outlook for the cities and municipalities of the south. Rapid economic growth is expected in the coming years, and we foresee that the existing access road, despite the road widening will prove inadequate for providing access to these places in the very near future.

MLC is proposing to conduct a technical study on an alternate access road running from Talisay to Carcar as follows:

From Talisay to Naga, it is a causeway to connect to the Naga-Uling Road located near the coastline; this is an advantage because Naga already serves as a natural port from nearby Bohol and Negros making it a very viable alternative for developing this into a domestic and even international hub. The proposed road continues to San Fernando along the coast then crosses over to the land side to maximize and open up the larger flat land areas on the way to Carcar, another natural convergence point from the southern, southwestern and south-eastern part of Cebu as well as for Bohol and Negros.

With the rapid development in the southern regions, Cebu would be well-served by having another access highway and not be solely dependent on one national road.

Meanwhile, collectively, we can formulate a rational strategy to save as many of our heritage trees knowing that an alternative will be worked on. This strategy will include optimal tree husbandry practices while we replenish forest growth in the hillsides, saving our coastlines from devastating floods and other natural calamities.”