CONCERNED citizens have expressed objection to the tree cutting required for a road widening project in Carcar City, southern Cebu.
Meanwhile, a historian has urged for the preservation of a historical structure that is at risk of being demolished due to the road widening project.
On Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023, a social media user shared photos of trees being cut down, each marked with numbers on its trunk. The number “31” was visible on one of the trees, indicating that at least 31 trees are set to be removed as part of the road project.
“Please save the trees. They’re what makes driving to Carcar a beautiful experience. But for residents there, it gives them shade and oxygen and helps prevent flooding,” one Facebook user posted on Wednesday.
Despite claims that the project would ease traffic and improve city roads, the circulated photos garnered mixed reactions from environmentalists and locals.
Worsening traffic
Claudine Flores, a fourth-year Communication student at Cebu Normal University, talked about her recent travel experience on Saturday, Sept. 30.
She said her usual travel time from Moalboal in southwestern Cebu to Cebu City, which usually took about three hours, now takes five hours due to road widening projects causing traffic disruptions.
Flores said the northbound route from Carcar City’s rotunda in the Poblacion area to the exit leading to San Fernando town now takes a full two hours travel time.
Road widening project
Carcar City Mayor Mario Patricio Barcenas told SunStar Cebu on Thursday, Sept. 28, that the road widening project will impact several trees.
The project aims to expand the existing two-lane roads that start in Barangay Perrelos, Carcar City, into four lanes. This project will also affect the barangay borders of San Fernando town.
The mayor, however, did not specify when the project began or how many trees will be affected by the project that aims to complement the existing four-lane roads of its adjacent towns.
Barcenas said a public hearing was conducted and the majority of respondents agreed to the tree removal for the road widening project in exchange for a decongested traffic in the city.
He said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) pledged to plant 200 trees for each one cut down in the project.
He also said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is in charge of the project, which has caused significant community uproar and environmental worries. In 2019, environmental groups successfully saved centuries-old trees in Barangay Perrelos.
Suspension order
Another concerned citizen contacted SunStar Cebu on Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 27, to confirm that, in response to calls from environmentalists, the DENR had issued a directive to suspend the tree cutting.
The source, who requested anonymity, indicated that the DENR directive was communicated to the DPWH and would take effect immediately.
Jeffrey Estrada of DPWH 7 confirmed to SunStar Cebu on Thursday, Sept. 28, that a suspension order was issued to halt tree-felling activities.
He said no trees had been completely cut down, except a single sambag tree, and that the other trees had only undergone trimming in preparation for potential removal.
Estrada, an engineer, clarified that the trees featured in the online photos were in Barangay Valladolid, not in Perrelos, where the centuries-old trees are situated.
Estrada said the road widening project commenced in 2022 and is under the supervision of the DPWH Cebu 2nd District Engineering Office.
He, however, could not provide precise details about the project’s budget allocation, as different contractors are handling various segments of the project, and completion dates vary.
The engineer acknowledged that the road widening project may take longer to complete due to the halt in tree cutting.
Heritage structure
Environmental Lawyer Ben Cabrido Jr. shared on Facebook last Sunday, Sept. 24, that a protected historic structure, the Perrelos Train Station, could be in danger due to the road widening project.
Cabrido said that the structure, located along the national highway in Perrelos, is believed to be the last remaining train station built by the Philippine Railway Company in 1907.
“You cannot just demolish it to give way to the road widening project without running afoul with the law,” he said.
Call to preserve
Historian Dr. Jose Eleazar Bersales, in an interview with SunStar Cebu on Sept. 30, urged the Carcar City local government to seek solutions for preserving the train station and demonstrating its merit to maintain its status as a Heritage Zone.
He said the Perrelos Train Station is one of the few remaining fourth-class train stations in Cebu. It can be found in Barangay Perrelos, situated along the former Cebu-Argao line, which runs parallel to the South Road.
He noted that the Perrelos Train Station is regarded as a presumed significant cultural property under Republic Act 10066, also known as the National Cultural Heritage Law.
Bersales emphasized that alongside the century-old acacia trees in Carcar City, the train station constitutes “an irreplaceable part of an intertwined collection of tangible cultural and natural heritage,” not only within Cebu but for the entire nation.
Bersales said other remaining structures retain a similar appearance, with one being of a different type located in Barangay Simala in Sibonga town.
Bersales said the DPWH should not have initiated the road widening project without securing clearance from relevant agencies.
He noted that unlike in countries such as Japan, where he is presently engaged in a professorship program, infrastructure projects do not commence without obtaining all necessary licenses and permits, such as one from the National Historical Commission of the Philippines.
Bersales finds it compelling to remove the historical structure due to Carcar City’s Heritage Zone declaration last year.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte enacted R.A. 11644, also known as the Carcar City Heritage Zone Act, in January 2022.
This legislation obligates the state to preserve, enhance, advocate, and popularize the nation’s historical and cultural heritage, resources, and artistic creations within the city.
Carcar City Mayor Barcenas has confirmed that, besides the trees, a historic structure may also be in jeopardy due to the road widening project.
Barcenas stated that he intends to contact relevant government agencies to seek guidance on how to address the preservation of this historic structure, considering its location within the road widening project area.