FIRST District Davao City Councilor Pilar Braga expressed her concerns about the recent massive cutting of trees along the riverbanks near Ma-a to pursue a Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) project.

She said the cutting of trees in these areas is “alarming and worrisome”.

“The concreting of the embankments is a very, very necessary and important project to pursue,” the councilor said in her privilege speech on Tuesday.

“I, however, find it very disheartening to see the project being pursued seemingly without considerations to environmental concerns,” the councilor added, asking any possible means of preserving the old trees “by leaving them where they are or balling and transferring them to a nearby site”.

Braga urged the committee on environment under Councilor Diosdado Mahipus Jr. to call the attention of the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and other concerned agencies to attend next week’s regular session.

Mahipus said during the same event on Tuesday that he was going to investigate the matter under his committee and the oversight committee to address the matter in aid of legislation in the future.

Mahipus then inspected the area on Thursday, days after Braga’s speech.

On Friday, he called a committee hearing inviting the concerned agencies for an investigation on the matter.

DPWH-Davao City district engineering office acting public information officer John Frances Fuentes, in an interview through Messenger, said the project is under their office which started last July 16.

Fuentes said DPWH sought necessary permits from the DENR.

He also said the agency also sent a letter to the Office of the City Mayor, the barangay, and the owner of the lot.