GOVERNOR Dennis “Delta” Pineda is determined to ensure the survival of 452 trees in the areas covering the City of San Fernando-Angeles City road.

This is amid early talks about the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) road widening projects in the thoroughfare connecting the two adjacent cities.

In the meeting with the DPWH, Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (PamCham) and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the governor appealed on Friday, February 28 to have the trees relocated, not cut.

The governor enjoined private institutions and the local government unit (LGU) of San Fernando to do earth balling instead of cutting the trees down so that trees could live longer.

He also mentioned that private institutions and concerned LGU shall shoulder expenses needed for earth balling.

“Sa totoo lang po, ayokong i-cut. Dapat i-ball lang sila at i-relocate sa mas secured na areas kasi sayang ang buhay ng mga puno,” Pineda said.

“Ang gusto ko lang pong tutukan kung kanino natin itatanim ito na may commitment talagang mag-alaga hanggang six months,” he added.

To start this, Pineda pledged the government center in Mexico town as one of the relocation areas for the Camachile and Acacia trees.

He also urged the attendees to look for potential individuals who could take care of the trees.

City of San Fernando Mayor Edwin Santiago meanwhile suggested relocation on the sites of the ongoing park projects in the capital city. PamCham President Rene Romero seconded this, said the parks may become tourist destinations once realized.

Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (Penro) head Laudemir Salac lauded this effort because no trees would be harmed in the process.

“Naa-amaze po ako dahil nahanapan natin ng proper place na paglalagyan ang mga puno kasi iyon talaga ang concern ng governor,” he said.

He also offered DENR’s plantations in Floridablanca, Porac, and Arayat as relocation sites. However, Salac requested to tap some foresters and experts in order to make the relocation scientific and systematic, abiding by laws.

DPWH Regional Planning and Design Division Chief Engr. Arthur Santos said the department has initially planned to widen the four-lane road into six lanes, but the project was halted because of the trees currently standing in the San Fernando-Angeles road.

The governor acknowledged the need for road widening especially now the neighboring cities encounter heavier flow of traffic due to the increase in the number of vehicles. However, he believed the environment must not suffer in doing this. (PR)