Decades-old trees cut down for road widening
POZORRUBIO–The widening of the Mac Arthur Highway in Pangasinan is exacting a high toll on some of the province’s heritage – the many decades-old Acacia and mango trees.
These trees that line the national highway, providing shade and a picturesque view to motorists, are now being cut down one after another to give way to the widening of the national road, a project being undertaken by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
The Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) in Urdaneta City, one of the areas covered by the project, lamented that the contractor of DPWH did not coordinate with them although it did seek and had been granted permit to cut down the trees by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) office in San Fernando City, La Union.
CENRO noted that to date, some 30 trees, mostly acacia and mango aged from 20 to 30 years old, were already cut down in Binalonan, part of the 90 trees reportedly billed to be cut down in this town alone.
The DPWH contractor also applied for the cutting of 60 trees along Urdaneta City where the portion of the national highway is scheduled to be widened.
The city’s CENRO officials underscored a DENR requirement that 100 trees must be planted for each aged tree approved to be cut.
At the same time, the lumber from the cut trees must be used to make desks, chairs and tables for public schools in the area.
CENRO said it was unclear whether these requirements have been imposed by DPWH on the contractor.
The widening will extend to Villasis where more aged trees are expected to be cut down.
In Sta. Barbara town, several fruit-bearing mango trees have already been cut down for the widening of the Urdaneta-Dagupan segment of the Mac Arthur Highway that starts in Lingayen.
In this section of the highway, trees that have yet to be granted permit for felling have been painted with a big red “x”, an indication that these are next to be cut down.
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