DENR issues tree cutting permit for Baguio road

By Dexter A. See 

BAGUIO CITY – Delayed works within the 21-kilometer Baguio circumferential road project are now in full swing after the Cordillera office of the Department of Environment and natural Resources issued a tree cutting permit to the Department of Public Works and Highways to cut 125 assorted trees that will be directly affected by the infrastructure development.

The circuit road was envisioned by foreign and local urban planners to serve as an alternate route for local residents and tourists and ease the worsening traffic congestions in the central business district area. Its construction started in year 2000 when former President Joseph Estrada released approximately P300 million to pay the national government’s obligations to the local government for its numerous government reservations in the different parts of the mountain resort city.

Engr. Ireneo Gallato, district engineer of the DPWH’s Baguio City District Engineering Office, said Goldrich Construction, the contractor of the P140 million continuation of the circuit road, has already mobilized its personnel and units of equipment to resume uncompleted works in order to complete the project before the end of the year.

 “Our sacrifices paid off with the issuance of the much awaited tree cutting permit,” Gallato told Manila Standard, adding that “people are awaiting the completion of the project so that they will be able to elude the traffic jams in the city’s main roads and have  a glimpse of the scenic tourist spots.”

Prior to the tree cutting operations, Clarence Baguilat, DENR-CAR regional director, said signboards with dimension of 4 feet by 4 feet should be installed on conspicuous places within the affected road sections to inform the public that the tree cutting operation is authorized by the agency.

  

According to him, such notice of particulars should indicate the name of the permittee, the purpose of the activities to be undertaken and the number of trees to be cut among others.

           

 “The permittee shall take precautionary measures in the cutting operations to avoid accidents and injuries to anybody and be held accountable for any unnecessary damages that might be incurred thereat,” Baguilat stressed, citing that “the DENR will not be responsible for any untoward incident that may arise during and after the cutting operations.

Furthermore, the logs and other wood materials with a volume of 32.66 cubic meters that will be derived from the cut trees shall be hauled by the DPWH and the contractor to the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) Baguio compound and turnover the same to the responsible officer. For proper disposition.

Gallato assured the DENR that the permittee will comply with the condition that each tree to be cut shall be replaced with 100 indigenous seedlings that shall be planted during this planting season within an area identified jointly by the DENR and the DPWH free from future development which shall be maintained for at least three years.

The circumferential road links the city’s eastern link in the Happy Hallow area and western link in Irisan passing through various local and national roads, particularly Kennon road, Marcos highway, Baguio-Asin road and Naguilian road.

However, Daguioa was informed that the ambulance will be donated for the whole town’s utilization and not his barangay, which badly needs it.