REYES TO POLS, DENR, DPWH:

BINALONAN–After tying a white ribbon around a tree on the left side of the Manila North Road (MNR) in Barangay Caviganan, with his name written on it, Franciscan priest Fr. Robert Reyes, also known as the “running priest,” read a prayer that warned that those that will cut his tree will ultimately face the wrath of nature.

Reyes, a convenor of the National Coalition to Save the Trees, arrived here from Urdaneta where he posted a cross, out of torn branches of a dried palm tree, at the gate of the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office to remind its occupants to love trees and not destroy them.

“There is a punishment for the murderers of those trees and it will not come from the people, it will not come from the courts. It will come from nature,” said Fr. Reyes. 

He then warned all those behind the cutting of trees, “If you continue killing the trees, you will die sooner than you wish and death will come knocking at your door.”

He added, “Your loved ones will not be happy because you caused the misery and death of trees, you cause the misery and death of ordinary people.”

Volunteers of the National Coalition To Save the Trees Movement gather to rally local residents in Pozorrubio and Binalonan along MNR to adopt and save a tree. (Punchphoto by Hilda Austira)

Paraphrasing Pope Francis’ call for an ecological conversion, he appealed to the leaders of DENR and DPWH, and to Pangasinenses “to find grace in their hearts for an ecological conversion. “Let us not harm mother earth because when she gets angry it is difficult to appease her,” he intoned.

Fr. Reyes was accompanied to Urdaneta, Binalonan and Pozorrubio, by Gwen Borcena of the GreenResearch and members of the Women in Development (WID) led by Yolanda Sia, to condemn the resumption of the cutting of trees along the MNR despite the earlier hold-order issued by Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje.

He expressed dismay that the “gentlemen’s agreement” he shared with DENR Secretary Ramon Paje and DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson not to cut anymore trees along MNR was not honored.

Fr. Reyes said he will see Sec. Paje shortly and remind him of his commitment to protect and preserve the remaining century-old trees along the MNR. 

Last week, DPWH Region 1assistant regional director Ronnel Tan maintained only dead and dying trees, as identified in the permit, were cut. “We were only trimming branches of living trees as part of our maintenance activities,” he pointed out.

Fresh stump of a cut live tree (Punchphoto by Leonardo Micua)

However, not far away from the tree where Fr. Reyes tied a ribbon, was a stump of a newly cut live tree, proof that not only dead and dying trees are being felled by the DPWH contractor.

Fr. Reyes said the DPWH and DENR officials were lying in their claim.

The running priest blamed the DENR regional office for issuing the permit issued last July 21, 2015 on the authority granted by Undersecretary Demetrio Ignacio Jr, to cut 158 dead trees and 28 dying trees of the 770 girdled last year.

DPWH contractor, R.A. Pahati Construction and Supply Inc., reportedly proceeded to cut not only the “dead and dying trees” but live trees as well to complete the road-widening from Carmen, Rosales to Sison town.

“These girdled trees actually were slowly reviving now”, said Fr. Reyes who pointed as an example a tree in Carnavacan that he blessed and slept under last January 2014, that continued to live despite the girdling.

Last year, the group composed of representatives from GreenResearch, NCST, (WID), and the Pozorrubio Institute of Development Alternatives (PIDA) performed surgery on some of the trees.

“We wrapped the tree with soil and sack, the primitive way of bandaging,” said Fr. Reyes.

Previously bandaged trees have began to heal, he added.

WID’s Sia said the contractor and his men ignored pleas not to cut live trees. “We were not even given notice of the tree cutting,” she said.

Pozorrubio resident joins protest. (Punchphoto by Hilda Austira)

The Sia couple attested that a number of the trees recently cut along MNR particularly in barangay Rosario, Pozorrubio were not all dead or dying trees. “They were healthy trees,” Sia said.

Sia said many of the residents in their barangay were outraged by the sudden cutting of the trees in front of their houses.

Arsenia Gaduang of Pozorrubio was shocked to find the healthy mango tree in front of her house cut and killed by the backhoe of the contractor.

Ann Pagaduan, a resident in Binalonan, said the trees used to protect them from the sun, providing coolness and freshness of air in spite of the pollution along the highway.

Reyes disclosed a plan of bigger protest against the tree cutting in MNR with residents in Carnavacan and Rosario.

Fr. Reyes also called on Pangasinenses to join the “Adopt and Save a Tree Movement” and adopt the 500 remaining live trees along the MNR by tying white ribbons around the trees too to signal that the trees are being protected.

He said tying a ribbon with their names written on it sends the personal message that “if they kill these trees it is as if they killed us.”

The Sias said they will help convince households with trees in front of their respective houses to follow the example of Fr. Reyes, to tie ribbons around trunks of trees with their names written on them to indicate that they have adopted the trees and will protect them from harm.

“Please don’t kill me.” (Punchphoto by Hilda Austira)

Some of the residents also promptly responded to the call and posted “Save the Trees” slogan on their houses while others tied white ribbons with their names and a plea “Please Don’t Kill Me.”

Fr. Reyes said the massacre of trees along the MNR was caused by greed of politicians and businessmen while Borcena called on Pangasinan electorate not to vote for politicians who do not care for and destroy the environment.

“Avenge the massacre of trees,” Borcena intoned.  (Leonardo Micua/Hilda Austria/Johanne Macob)

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