[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’DPWH under fire for felling highway trees ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
ILOILO – The highway widening project in Pototan town endangers 5,123 mahogany trees growing by the roadside.
Last week, the Department of the Public Works and Highways (DPWH) started felling some of the trees, drawing criticism from netizens.
Facebook user Fritz Parra asked: “Why do you have to cut the trees? The trees make Pototan, Pototan. Without them, ano na lang matabo dira? Wala gid ever.”
The mahogany trees were around 25 years old already. They were planted during the administration of then mayor Manuel Parcon.
Facebook user Mae Luchar posted a photo of the trees before some of them were cut down.
“There will be no more shade. No more trees to make the highway cooler. No more trees that will soothe you as you travel. There will be no more trees to support the road from erosion,” she lamented.
Luchar also argued that there was no need to widen the highway.
The widened areas will simply be used as parking spaces of vehicles, she added, or result to reckless driving.
The trees were growing on either side of the highway stretching some 13 kilometers and traversing 12 Pototan barangays.
Kyla Camerong wondered what the highway widening is for.
“I don’t get it. Wala man traffic…Sa iban na pungsod, ilikaw gid nila ang dalan para sa isa ka puno; aton di’ ya utdon ang libo-libo nga puno para sa dalan,” she lamented.
While Camerong acknowledged that the trees may be replaced after the highway widening, she wondered who will take care of them.
“Tani instead of road widening, gin pakay-o niyo ang iban nga mga lubak-lubak nga alagyan halin sa city…Wala man daan to sila natapos, wala gani street lights,” according to Camerong.
Pototan’s Mayor Tomas Peñaflorida acknowledged the public’s concern.
“Kanugon man tani, but what can we do?” he said.
DPWH secured a permit to cut the trees last week, said Peñaflorida.
“Isa sa requirements sa DPWH is that for every tree that it cuts, it should plant 100 trees,” said the mayor.
The local government of Pototan will also participate in the tree planting, Peñaflorida added.
A widened highway will reduce vehicular accidents, according to the mayor./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
