JOEL P. MAPILES
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — Governor Lilia “Nanay Baby” G. Pineda has appealed to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to replace the old trees that were cut along the Manila North Road (MNR) in the portion of Barangay Sindalan.
The governor said we can do nothing with the already cut trees because in the first place, the city government and the DENR had already allowed and approved the cutting of trees to give way for the road widening project of the DPWH.
Pineda said since the MNR is a national and not a provincial road, she said that it does not fall under the jurisdiction of the provincial government.
“What we can do now is to plant more or thousands of trees together because these would give us more benefit especially to our health and the preservation of the environment,” Pineda said.
The governor said the provincial government has planted 10,000 mahogany trees in Mount Arayat in Barangay San Juan Bano, Arayat; 3,000 assorted fruit bearing trees in Pampanga Agricultural College (PAC) in Magalanga and thousands of bamboo propagules in Lubao town in her first 100 days which were all aimed at preserving and protecting the environment
The governor said she will stand pat against the cutting of trees if no replacement would be done as she stressed that trees play a vital role in having healthy families in healthy communities with healthy environment.
However, she said that she is hoping that environmental guidelines and laws were followed and considered by the DENR in allowing the DPWH in the cutting of trees along the national road.
If the guidelines and legal process were followed, we have nothing to do but to follow the decision of the national agency of the government.
The governor also noted that the city government under the leadership of Mayor Oscar Rodriguez knows what is best for the city considering the need for healthy environment and the fast developing flow of investment coming in the city and at the Clark Freeport Zone.
The lady governor said she believed in the wisdom of the city government and the DENR in giving permit to the DPWH in the cutting of more trees along the MNR in Barangay Sindalan, this city
“I am hoping that the city government and the DENR have already studied the cause and effect of the cutting of tress in that area and the consequences of their action. I hope it would be for the better,” Pineda said.
