Thousands join anti-SM rally

Friday, January 20, 2012

MORE than a thousand protesters marched down Session Road in Baguio City to dramatize their opposition to the planned earth-balling of 182 pine trees by retail giant SM to give way to its mall expansion.

Some protesters were clad in green shirts, others with green ribbons on their wrists, some with painted bodies depicting what they allege as corporate greed of the mall chain, while some prepared costumes with matching props to depict the death of trees.

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Placards and banners bearing defaced logo of the mall with text “We cut it all for you” lampooning the popular mall’s catch phrase were just among the hundreds of placards and banners made by protesters.

During the rally, Dr. Michael Bengwayan led the pack of mostly students from the city’s universities while holding a megaphone, as he convinced people to join their cause and criticizing the mall and government officials for leading the destruction of the city as they march down Session Road to Malcolm Square.

After the rally, protesters converged at Malcolm Square where talks by environmentalists, religious groups, school representatives and concerned residents were done together with performances from artists.

“We are doing this because we want to stop Shoe Mart Development Corporation from harming, uprooting and cutting some 85 Alnus japonica trees and 97 Benguet pine trees,” Bengwayan said.

Bengwayan added the cutting or uprooting and harming of the trees are detrimental as one pine tree or alnus tree absorbs an average of 40 to 45 pounds of carbon a year, thereby helping reduce global warming.

“The 182 trees are contributing to the reduction of an average 8,790 pounds of carbon in the atmosphere yearly. This helps in reducing global warming,” he said.

The environmentalist claimed global warming causes death of many plants, reduction of immunity to diseases and depletion of water sources.

He emphasized “one tree of about 50 feet tall produces 3,000 pounds of oxygen yearly which is almost the oxygen needed by five to six people for one year.”

He also revealed that trees, including those that will be cut, hold water and prevent water run-off.

“An average 10-year-old tree holds some 1,500 to 2,000 liters of water. Thus, the 182 trees store as much as 364,000 liters of water,” he said.

The loss of 182 trees, according to Bengwayan, endangers the Central Business District of Baguio City as water run-off is increased, especially since concrete will have replaced the soil.

“Flooding is imminent in Magsaysay, Harrison and Burnham Park. We will suffer greatly. We cannot allow this!” he said.

Mall authorities, meanwhile, claimed they continued operations despite threats of protesters to occupy a portion of their property.

Mall goers, however, continued to enter the mall despite calls of some sectors to boycott the retail giant as the mall held a concert of popular singer and actor Sam Milby at the same time of the protest.

In an interview Wednesday, SM Supermalls vice president for operations Bien Mateo said they respect the stand of protesters and they are open for a dialogue as called for by presidential Adviser for Environmental Protection Neric Acosta.

He said the mall expansion went through proper channels since 2010 and has the environment in mind at the start of the design process.

However, for the protesters, they said this is just the first step of the continuing battle for the city’s few remaining green patches which, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, have dwindled to 18 percent from more than 50 percent in the 1950s.

“Nature has its own way to teach us; don’t wait for the lesson to come,” one child’s poster read.