TREES are not meant for posting or hanging marketing materials on.
Cebu City Hall offices had to remind the public about this following SunStar Cebu’s Facebook post showing signage of a barbershop attached to trees.
SunStar Cebu’s Facebook post on Tuesday morning, April 9, 2024, revealed that there were around 57 advertising signs of a certain Malaya Barber Shop attached to trees lining both sides of V. Rama Ave., Cebu City, stretching from the intersection of N. Bacalso Ave. to B. Rodriguez St.
The signs were mostly nailed to trees, while some were attached to wooden utility poles, according to the post.
Hours after it was posted, the signs were eventually removed.
Parks and Playground Commission head Editha Peros, in a Messenger chat on Tuesday, said attaching signage to trees is not allowed.
“Pag-ingon-ani, nga gilansang na sa kahoy ang signage, si Ccenro na ang modakop ana kay di man na pwede lansangan ang mga kahoy,” said Peros.
(In situations like this, where the signage has been nailed to the tree, it’s the Ccenro who will take it down because trees cannot be used for road signs.)
Such an act could be a violation of Republic Act (RA) 3571 or an act to prohibit the cutting, destroying, or injuring of planted or growing trees, flowering plants and shrubs or plants of scenic value along public roads, in plazas, parks, school premises or in any other public pleasure ground.
A portion of Section 3 of RA 3571 states that “no cutting, destroying or injuring of planted or growing trees, flowering plants and shrubs or plants of scenic value along public roads, in plazas, parks, school premises or in any other public ground shall be permitted.”
Section 4 of RA 3571 also stipulates “that any person who shall cut, destroy, or injure trees, flowering plants and shrubs, or plants of scenic value provided in the same law shall be punished by prisión correccional in its minimum period to prisión mayor in its minimum period.”
Presidential Decree 953, or a decree requiring the planting of trees in certain places and penalizing unauthorized cutting, destruction, damaging, and injuring of certain trees, plants, and vegetation, also penalizes those who will violate the law. The penalties include imprisonment for not less than six months but not more than two years, or a fine of not less than P500 but not more than P5,000, or both such imprisonment and fine at the discretion of the court.
Peros said the Parks and Playgrounds Commission is in charge of the maintenance, beautification and development of parks, playgrounds, road center islands, open spaces and sidewalks in the city, while the enforcement falls under the Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Ccenro).
The Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO), on Tuesday morning, sent personnel to check and remove the signage upon seeing SunStar Cebu’s post.
The BPLO said they will check if the establishment involved has a permit and will also refer the matter to the Ccenro for possible penalties.
Ccenro head Reymarr Hijara clarified that permits are required before any individual can post any material or signage; however, as to the case of the barbershop, he is not aware if it has permits, saying they are not the office in charge of it. / JJL