Baguio folks assail tree-cutting permits; mayor denies barbs
>> Wednesday, March 13, 2019
By Aileen P. Refuerzo
BAGUIO
CITY – City residents assailed what they alleged wanton issuance of
tree-cutting permits but Mayor Mauricio Domogan said last week the city
government exercises prudence and circumspection in the issuance of emergency
tree-cutting permits.
He denied
indiscriminately approving such permits.
“It
is not true that we are issuing these permits indiscriminately. There are
steps and requirements to be followed and I never sign permits if these
requirements are not satisfied these requirements,” the mayor said.
The mayor was reacting
to the negative comments drawn by a viral video posted at the social media site
on the cutting of trees in a private lot along Legarda Road last week.
The mayor said that
perceptions that the permit was irregularly and indiscriminately issued were
not true as the permit was signed only after the applicant owner of the lot
completed all the requirements which included a clearance from the barangay and
investigation report from the joint inspection committee certifying that the
trees pose imminent danger to life and limb.
“We believe that the
issuance of the emergency tree cutting permit passed through the tedious
process and it was issued in good faith. In fact, the emergency tree cutting
permit was supported by a certification from the punong barangay of
Burnham-Legarda interposing no objection to the cutting of the trees wherein
some of them were dead, some of them were infected posing a serious threat to
the live trees as well as the safety of life and limb in the private property
of the owner,” the mayor said.
He also dismissed claims
that the cutting was not coordinated with the Dept. of Environmental and
Natural Resources saying that Community Environment and Natural Resources
Office personnel were present at the site to inspect the trees before the
cutting as attested by the engineer working for the owner of the property.
“For
the information of the public, technical personnel of the CENRO even conducted
an inspection on the trees that will be cut aside from the fact that they were
present in the area when the trees were about to be cut wherein they did not
object to the same,” he said.
“Since 2012, we had been
involving CENRO personnel in the conduct of the joint inspection of the trees
being applied for emergency tree cutting permit apart from the fact that copies
of the signed tree cutting permits are furnished the CENRO for their
information and appropriate action, thus, there is no truth to the allegation
that the tree cutting was not coordinated with the environment department,” he
added.
City Environment and
Parks Management Officer-in-Charge Ruben Cervantes attested that the trees
subject of the permit were either dead, leaning or afflicted with a disease.
Cervantes also confirmed
that CENRO personnel were present at the site before the cutting of the trees
as reported to him by his personnel who joined the inspection.
Under existing laws,
rules and regulations, the local chief executive is only authorized to issue
emergency tree cutting permits for dead trees and trees that pose a serious
threat to life and limb.
All applicants of
emergency tree cutting permits have to apply for the same with the city Mayor’s
Office, after which, the application will be endorsed for investigation and
inspection by members of a joint inspection committee composed of foresters
from the CEPMO, CENRO and a representative from the City Mayor’s Office. The
joint inspection committee shall in turn submit its findings and
recommendations on the approval or denial of the application for issuance of
tree cutting permit which will be the one that will be signed by the City
Mayor.
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