SEVEN hundred trees will replace the seven trees in the City of Naga, Cebu that will have to be cut as these pose a hazard to motorists.
On Friday, Oct. 25, 2019, City of Naga Acting Mayor Kristine Vanessa Chiong said 32 trees were initially identified for cutting.
A reassessment conducted by the City Government, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office, though, showed that only 28 trees by the roadside stand to be affected by road-widening projects.
“We came up with seven for the City Government to support the tree cutting of those that are located in the carriage way because these pose risk and hazard to the commuters and motorists that ply the road of Naga,” Chiong said.
Six of the trees are along the highway, while one is on the sidewalk and is in a state of decay.
Each of the seven affected trees will be replaced with 100 trees. An estimated P270 will be spent for every seedling, including fees for five years’ worth of maintenance.
Funds from the DPWH will be transferred to the DENR since it will be the latter that will supervise the maintenance and look for a location to plant the replacement trees.
The rest of the trees, on the other hand, were referred to the DPWH for another reassessment since these are located along sidewalks and above drainage systems.
DPWH 7 Director Edgar Tabacon said they will conduct a ground survey to determine the size of lots and structures that will also be affected by the road-widening projects.
He said he will ask Chiong to call a public consultation with City officials and property owners.
“We will still have to acquire... We’ll buy their property to preserve the tree and of course, the negotiation of the payment. After that, that’s the time that we will do the ground work for the construction of the road,” Tabacon said. (RTF)