Capitol seeks TRO to save remaining trees
TREE-CUTTING ALONG MNR
LINGAYEN–The provincial government may file a petition before the court seeking to stop the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) from continuing with the cutting down of the remaining standing trees along the Manila North Road (MNR) in Pangasinan.
Lawyer Verna Perez, secretary of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) Perez was asked by Vice Governor Jose Ferdinand Calimlim, SP presiding officer, to prepare the petition, asking the court to issue a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) temporarily stopping the DPWH to stop its tree cutting operations which was covered by a special tree cutting/earth-balling permit issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
Mr. Calimlim noted that the DPWH reportedly has a deadline and performance to meet which was why the agency was rushing to cut the remaining trees on both sides of the MNR from Urdaneta City down to Binalonan, Pozorrubio and Sison.
“It appears that the DPWH is only after its interest. What about our interest and the interest of the people of Pangasinan who value these trees? Calimlim said.
Vice Governor Calimlim pointed out that no consultation has so far been made by the DPWH with the provincial government and with NGOs even assuming that it did so with the LGUs of Urdaneta City, Binalonan, Pozorrubio and Sison.
Under the permit dated Oct. 30, 2015 signed by DENR Regional Director Paquito Moreno, the DPWH was ordered to conduct meeting(s) and public consultation with Local Government Units including PLGU Pangasinan, Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) and other stakeholders in the area to discuss the importance of the project, replacement of trees to be cut and other social and environmental aspects of the project.
The DPWH was also directed that only a maximum of 589 trees shall be allowed to be cut and 107 shall be earth-balled.
However, no earth-balling has been noted since the DENR special permit was implemented on Nov. 23. The DPWH admitted it has no equipment to conduct earth-balling.
Calimlim said time is running out for the province to save the remaining standing trees adding to the fact that there will be no office or provincial session on Nov. 30 (Monday), being a holiday and that the massacre of those trees is still continuing.
DPWH has until 45 days upon the receipt of the special permit to cut and or earth-ball the remaining trees.
However, up to the close of office hours of Nov. 26, no petition has been filed by Perez. (Leonardo Micua)
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