BINALONAN-SAN MANUEL HIGHWAY

LINGAYEN–Environment stands to suffer a setback anew with the impending cutting down of decades-old trees along the Binalonan-San Manuel road which is scheduled for widening by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

DPWH already sought a permit to cut down the trees from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) regional office but the latter deemed to seek the endorsement of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Pangasinan before it grants the request.

The endorsement of the SP was personally sought by Community Environment and Natural Resources (CENRO) Officer Fernando Estrada Jr. in his letter to the legislative body through Vice Governor Jose Ferdinand Calimlim.

In reaction, Board Member Liberato Villegas, chair of the committee on infrastructure of the SP, reminded the body that the chamber has a standing resolution way back and is still in effect today that it is against any tree cutting in any place in the province.

This resolution was invoked more than a year ago when DPWH also applied for a DENR permit to cut trees along the Manila North Road from Carmen, Rosales to Sison town. DENR Region 1 issued the permit that gave the DPWH the go-signal to cut down the trees and made it fast without securing an endorsement from the Board.

While the SP is invoking the same resolution today, Board Member Villegas asked CENRO to consult the residents of Binalonan and San Manuel through their respective local governments to get their sentiments on the issue.

Under the resolution, the applicant for the tree cutting permit must first get an endorsement from the environment and natural resources office, an agency of the provincial government, that processes requirements that must be first complied with.

Then, if finally endorsed, the trees to be cut must be replaced before hand with the planting of 100 tree seedlings for every standing tree to be felled.

There is also the requirement to bring the logs cut to the Department of Education so that these can be made into desks and tables for pupils and students in areas where these trees are located.
Last year, the provincial government and the DENR regional office figured in a head-on collision when it issued tree cutting permits twice to the DPWH that resulted in the cutting of over 1,900 standing trees along both sides of the Manila North Road despite the SP resolution prohibiting the tree cutting.

The SP is set to call representatives of DENR and DPWH to hear their respective sides on the new application to cut trees. (Leonardo Micua)

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