ANGELES City Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin Jr. has asked the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to suspend the ongoing cutting of some 259 trees along the Friendship Circumferential Road because of strong opposition from residents and environmentalists.
In his letter to Engineer Tito Jesus T. Salvador, head of the DPWH Pampanga Third District Engineering Office, Lazatin stated "there has been an outcry of opposition from the citizens, particularly on social media, few days after the cutting started.”
The Save the Trees Coalition had started an online petition calling for a suspension on the tree cutting which more than 3,000 people signed as of Friday, January 10, 2020.
“As government officials, I believe that we need to balance the need to promote development with keeping an open ear to the opinion of the public,” the mayor told Salvador.
“In the light of this vehement opposition from our constituents, I would like to respectfully request your good office to immediately suspend the ongoing cutting of trees while we look into possible alternatives that would satisfy the need to clear the area for road widening without killing these trees,” Lazatin added.
The local chief executive also furnished Salvador a copy of news reports and the complaints of netizens.
Businesswoman Mitch Otsuru Park, who signed the petition, assailed the tree cutting.
“After what has happened and happening in other countries with all the burning forests, trees and bushes, they are all trying to save. Here we are in the Philippines, cutting down our own existing trees to widen the roads, how sad,” stated Park in her Facebook post.
“Save the Trees,” commented one Koji Tako to Park’s post.