Friday, September 05, 2008 UP community takes stand for pines By Rimaliza Opiña and Chris Sapinoso
NO, THIS is not one of those rallies again.
In their bid to help preserve what remains of the green patches of Baguio, faculty members, employees and students of the University of the Philippines (UP)-Baguio joined hands on Thursday and encircled the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) pine stand, the area recently eyed by SM Development Corporation (SMDC) for the construction of condominium units.
The GSIS pine stand is located right across the UP-Baguio campus. Dr. Priscilla Macansantos, UP-Baguio chancellor said that while SMDC has already backed out of the project, this does not guarantee that a plan to construct a building there has been abandoned.
Revival of the project when opposition dies down is still possible, Macansantos said.
"We want to ensure continued vigilance to protect the remaining green patches in Baguio," said one student who participated in the demonstration.
The mass action was supposed to be a part of the activities for the celebration of the city's 99th charter day last September 1, but there was a change of plans, said College of Social Sciences Dean Rey Robillos. Nonetheless, about 1,000 students participated in Thursday's activity.
Simultaneous with the demonstration, about 25 tree saplings of various species were planted at the GSIS pine stand.
The original plan was only to join hands and encircle the property to symbolize their intent of protecting forest and watershed areas. Participants however, marched down Gov. Pack Road, to Upper Session Road then back to the UP campus. "We hope to invite more participants," Robillos said.
Bishop Carlito Cenzon, who was recently awarded as one of the six outstanding citizens of Baguio, also joined the students.
Speaking before faculty, students and employees, Cenzon said he and other longtime Baguio residents have long been rallying for the preservation of the pine stand. He said trees in the area help absorb carbon dioxide emitted by vehicles that pass by the area daily.
"I'm happy to be here now," Cenzon said while narrating to the students how the area was before.
The plan by SMDC to construct buildings in the area was met with opposition by officials and residents of Baguio alike. Four 13-storey condotel buildings called the Baguio Air Residences were supposed to be built in the 1.4-hectare property.
In the inventory done by Manila Seedling Bank Foundation, the pine stand has 967 trees -- 313 will be cut, 105 will be balled while the rest will be retained, according to the original development plan of SMDC.
Coming together
A number of environmental organizations and earth activists from the UP community flocked to build a human chain to dramatize the school's studentry, faculty and administration's opposition to the SMDC plan.
Wilfredo Alangui, UP-Baguio Dean of the College of Science, called for transparency regarding the negotiations between SMDC and the GSIS. "We are not against change and progress as long as we don't destroy the environment," he stressed.
Deans of the College of Arts and Communications and the College of Social Sciences explained that according to the Land Conference held last Friday in UP, the international standard for number of trees a certain city must comprise about 40 percent of its land area. However, only 2.5 percent of the land is covered by trees in Baguio City today.
Hence, they called for vigilance and a strong advocacy to protect and conserve the environment.
Censon, also the chairman of the parks committee of the Baguio Centennial Commission, expressed his support to the advocacy and will be taking good care of the Parks in Baguio City including the controversial land against the planned cutting of the trees to build the proposed condominium.
Vic Agcaoili, executive director of city parks added they that will be transforming the land into a mini-hiking park without cutting a single tree.
Chie Galvez, from the Tongtongan Ti Umili, the Metro Baguio Chapter of Cordillera People's Alliance added they would defend the ancestral domains of the city from the acquisition of the commercial giant -- SM.
She stressed the proposal was pushed through even without the consent of the people making it appear to be unconstitutional.
Representative Mel Bisnar of Soroptimist International of Pines City, an organization of women for improvement of lives across the world, said they will be primarily affected if the proposal pushes through because their headquarters is built on the vicinity of the land.
She reiterated that the Soroptomist's stay on the land area is legal because it was granted to them by former Baguio City mayor Braulio Yaranon and that they could not just be pushed away if the condominium starts to be constructed.
