Huggers renew pledge to save trees

A CHANGE of heart for the mall chain owners to spare the trees in Luneta Hill is what they are asking for.

Bishop Carlito Cenzon, together with oppositors to the planned earth-balling of trees in Luneta Hill to give way for the mall’s expansion, expressed their disappointment at the wanton disregard of their calls for action from city and national line agency officials.

Cenzon, with members of religious groups including nuns and priests and several residents, marched down Session Road from the Baguio Cathedral to Malcolm Square Saturday afternoon in what they call as the “Walk to Save Baguio” asking the country’s biggest mall chain operator to abandon their plans to expand in Luneta Hill.

This after a court decision issued December dismissed three environmental cases filed against SM’s proposed expansion project thereby lifting the Temporary Environmental Protection Order.

Placards expressing disappointment with members of the City Council, Mayor Mauricio Domogan and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources were carried by protesters.

The activity focused on prayers and showed their continuing hope for the survival of trees in Luneta Hill.

“While our lawyers already perfected the filing of an appeal to the Court of Appeals, we need to augment the legal efforts with vocal and open expressions of protest to the murder of the trees in order to win this battle,” Project Save 182 said in a statement inviting people to continue the fight for trees.

“These expressions would only be heard by SM and its cohorts if there is a collective and genuine effort from those of us who love and truly care for our city, for our people, for ourselves and for our children. We need you to join us in this continuing battle to save the trees of Baguio City,” the group said.

The activity marked the first year of the fight against the proposed earth balling of some 182 trees for the expansion of SM City Baguio.

A concert by local artists and musicians was held at the Post Office grounds all in a show of unity against the mall’s plans.

The group also organized a grand march slated Monday afternoon from the Igorot Park up to Session Road through the Luneta Hill Drive and on towards the Post Office Park where members of Project Save 182 and other groups opposed to the expansion project will renew their commitment to fight for the trees. (JM Agreda)