Mayor to fight cutting of 50,000 trees at BSU housing project site

By RedjieCawis

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet-- Mayor Gregorio Abalosurged the Benguet State University to spare 50, 000 trees reported to be cut down to pave way for a housing project of the Benguet State University here at Barangay Wangal.

Abalos said last week he received reports a housing project for faculty and employees will be built at the BSU -owned lot in Wangal at the upper portion of Ampasit and the 50,000 trees were to be cut.

The 132,509 square meters of land is a water source of the municipality with a spring in the site supplying irrigation to farms in the western part of the valley.

The university applied for building permits within its 10-hectare property presenting a presidential decree signed by former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for the project.

But Abalos said that BSU still has to pass through the local government in acquiring permits for the project despite the presidential decree.

On the part of the BSU, university president Dr. Ben Ladilad denied allegations of tree cutting but said they have plans to put up a housing project in the area.

Ladiladsaid the area for the housing project has at least a thousand trees.

The 50, 000 trees earlier reported comprise the whole of the BSU agro-forestry in La Trinidad.

Ladilad said he instructed their engineers to see to it that no trees will be affected during construction of the housing where houses will built under the trees.

In a council session, councilor Jim Botiweyurged his peers to call on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, BSU officials and the municipal zoning officer to shed light to the matter.

Abalos said that he will ask for a meeting with the BSU officials and other municipal officials to clear the issue and discuss the proposed housing project and the tree cutting issue.