* The DENR 7 announced a cease and desist order against tree-cutting at the Oslob town plaza after the LGU cut down 10 trees without prior coordination, violating its June 23 permit.
* Oslob resident Mark Arnold Langahid confirmed that workers completely cut down all 10 trees before enforcement, strongly criticizing environmental officials and the Oslob LGU for failing to act sooner.
* The citizen group "Oslobanong Nagpakabana" and heritage advocates filed petitions opposing the sports complex, arguing the project violates the National Cultural Heritage Act and threatens historic town landmarks.
A PLAN to halt the cutting of trees in Oslob came too late after workers completely cut down all 10 trees meant for the town's new sports and cultural complex. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7 announced it would issue a cease and desist order (CDO) following viral photos online, but local residents confirm the damage is already done.
The order from the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) Argao aims to stop all tree-cutting and related activities at the Oslob town plaza, but the enforcement action missed its window.
Broken rules and delayed action
DENR 7 shared on Saturday, July 18, 2026, that Cenro Argao would step in because the local government unit (LGU) of Oslob failed to follow the rules of its special permit.
"Thus, Cenro Argao shall be issuing a cease and desist order to stop all tree cutting and other related activities until the permittee shall have fully complied with the conditions of the special tree cutting permit and all other applicable environmental laws, rules and regulations," DENR 7 said in a statement.
Cenro Argao had granted the special tree-cutting permit on June 23 for the removal of 10 identified trees. However, DENR 7 noted that the cutting was done without prior coordination and notification to Cenro Argao, which violated a strict condition of the permit.
DENR 7 stated that during an inspection, the required project signboard was up, and only two mahogany trees were heavily affected while the rest were still standing. However, the agency did not state exactly when that inspection took place. The regulatory body assured the public it would keep monitoring the situation to protect the environment.
"Everything Is Too Late"
Local residents paint a very different picture of the timeline. Oslob native Mark Arnold Langahid confirmed on Sunday, July 19, that workers had already cut down all 10 trees before the order could even be enforced. He stated that the cutting began on July 13, disputing the regulatory agency's initial inspection findings.
"Ulahi na ang tanan (Everything is too late)," Langahid said.
According to the official Facebook page of the Municipality of Oslob, the groundbreaking ceremony for the project happened on July 8. The event was attended by Oslob Mayor Ronald Guaren, Gov. Pamela Baricuatro, 2nd District Rep. Edsel Galeos and Provincial Board Members Raymond Calderon and Stanley Caminero.
Langahid strongly criticized environmental officials for moving too slowly, asking why they did not assess the site sooner given the massive public outcry online.
"With the amount of grievances shared online, did they not check and assess the site personally?" Langahid asked in Cebuano.
He also expressed frustration over the silence from local leaders.
"The Oslob LGU, even if they just stopped briefly or released a statement to explain, did absolutely nothing!" Langahid said in Cebuano.
Mayor Guaren has yet to respond to requests for comment.
The fight for the town plaza
Local resistance began before the logging even started. On July 9, a formal opposition letter was sent to Mayor Guaren, Vice Mayor Friedel Ricardo Nazareno and Municipal Engineer Ellamelyn Suycano.
The petition was sent by a group called "Oslobanong Nagpakabana," led by Oslob parish priest Daniel Franklin Pilario and two others. They challenged the conversion of the public plaza and demanded that the Municipality share public records, including minutes of community consultations and the local ordinances that approved closing the plaza by a required two-thirds vote.
The group also asked to see the specific terms of the DENR tree-cutting and earth-balling permits to check if guidelines were followed. The parish-backed petitioners argued that the century-old trees and the historic town plaza are permanent symbols of Oslob's identity that elected leaders cannot remove at will.
Langahid emphasized that the community is not against development, but rather the way authorities chose to clear the heritage site.
"The issue is not development and progress," Langahid said in Cebuano. "I and my fellow Oslobanons would admire it more if the trees were properly relocated and the complex was built without any tree being negatively affected."
Protecting national heritage
To fight the project, another group of concerned citizens and heritage advocates led by Langahid sent an urgent petition to the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) on Tuesday, July 14.
The letter, addressed to NHCP Chairman Regalado Trota Jose Jr., requested an immediate heritage assessment and site inspection of the plaza.
“We respectfully request the NHCP to conduct an immediate review and heritage assessment to determine whether the proposed project complies with existing heritage laws, regulations and conservation policies,” reads a portion of the letter.
The advocates pointed out that Section 39 of the National Cultural Heritage Act recognizes colonial-era plazas as protected Grade II cultural properties. This law bans building multi-purpose structures in historic open spaces without a clearance from the commission.
The petition warned that the massive size of the proposed Sports and Cultural Complex threatens the visual integrity and structural safety of the town's surrounding historical landmarks, including the post-war Old Municipal Building, the Cuartel and the Inmaculada Concepcion Parish. / CDF