January 20 rally vs SM firmed

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

UNITED for a common cause, protesters against the planned cutting of 182 trees by retail giant SM for its mall expansion are determined to stage a rally on Friday.

Lead petitioner Dr. Michael Bengwayan said they have secured permits from City Hall, traffic division and the police Tuesday for a protest rally on January 20 that will convene at Governor Pack Road around 2 p.m. and will march down Session Road to People’s Park.

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Several groups including environmentalists, artists, religious groups, concerned residents, school administrators and students are expected to join the rally.

In his Facebook account, Bengwayan said all of University of the Philippines (UP) Baguio faculty, including Chancellor Priscilla Macansantos, and its students have already signified their interest to join the protest.

Two years ago, Macansantos also led the school to protest against the planned tree cutting of SM Development Corporation in the forested property the mall giant acquired near the Baguio Convention Center.

Last August 29, 2009, former President Gloria Arroyo ordered the Government Service Insurance System to stop the planned leasing of the property, a pine tree covered park surrounded by the Baguio Convention Center, Supreme Court compound, UP Baguio and SM.

As of press time, more than 4,000 individuals have joined the petition calling for the boycott of the mall and signified their intent to occupy the area where the tree uprooting will take place to dramatize their cause.

“The fight against tree cutting, uprooting and harming is not merely for the trees. It is a fight for human and environmental justice - our and our children’s rights to breathe fresh air, inherent rights to appreciate nature’s wonders and beauty; and our and the future’s rights not to be threatened by floods, landslides, pollution and urban sprawl - this is a fight for all of us, of us, by us. Let’s be proud to do it for Baguio and the future generation,” the lead petitioner said.

Bengwayan called on group leaders to convene on Thursday morning at Freedom Park near UP Baguio and the Department of Tourism to discuss and finalize the program of activities and other important contents of their rally permits.

Last weekend, Presidential Adviser on Environmental Protection Neric Acosta called all stakeholders that include SM, government officials and protesters for a dialogue after receiving a copy of Bengwayan’s petition.

However, Bengwayan said they will join the dialogue after they conduct their protest rally this Friday.

Meanwhile, SM Baguio, through its Public Relations manager Karren Nobres, said in a recent press statement that “redevelopment plans will not only take the environment into consideration but also create opportunities for employment, business and tourism in the area.”

Nobres said that in 2005 and 2010, “we experienced soil erosion in our Baguio property. Seeking permanent solutions, we researched and consulted many experts. Through these, the option to fully develop the area was found to be the most viable in addressing the concern, and we started to draw up plans.”

“The redevelopment plans include a parking facility which we believe the city would welcome; roof garden with trees and shrubs to cover the building footprint and a rainwater collection system that we will use for the sky garden and also control the water runoff during heavy rains,” mall authorities added.

After drawing up the plan, the mall said it sought the approval of the City Government and all government agencies and secured permits over time.

“We strictly followed the stipulations on the permits to ball out the trees carefully and have utilized recommended specialists for this activity who will also replant them in designated areas in the SM property,” the mall management stressed.

In addition, in compliance with the planting of the required 20 saplings for every tree balled the mall authorities claimed they will go beyond this requirement and increased the quantity to 50 saplings for every tree balled out.

“We are grateful that our transparency has been appreciated by local government units, as well as city environmentalists and religious organizations when we made our presentations. As a responsible mall developer, we shall continue to inform the public of our plans to help safeguard the city by supporting the need to plant and replant more trees,” the statement added.