Yesterday in the news, I saw human figures with arms stretched out around the tree trunks painted by Pampanga artists as part of their protest against the road widening project in San Fernando. Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Lito Atienza said the need to cut down 4,164 trees could not be avoided due to the planned expansion of the Mac Arthur Highway. In the spirit of tokenism, 1,282 trees will be transferred and for each tree cut (among the 4,164 trees), the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will replace it with 30 seedlings and all logs will be turned over to DENR. To add more insult to injury, DENR stated that none of the trees were listed as endangered species; and to top it all off, DPWH stated that ''while the road widening project’s P700-million budget did not include provisions for the purchase of seedlings, the DPWH was able to scrape together funds from its savings." Am I supposed to view this as a thoughtful gesture by the DPWH?
I know that the Philippines is desperately trying to catch up with modernity but I hope it does not forget to look back and take on the lessons it has learned from the past. Local environmentalist Cecile Yumul stated that "these trees served as temporary homes to evacuees who were running away from the eruptions of Mt. Pinatubo [in 1991]. The treetops became our guide when the route was dark and [covered] by sand [during the eruptions].” We do not have to be caught up with the past and get stuck in them. Instead, we should use them as stepladders to improve not just our lives but for all others who live among us in this fragile earth. This news is telling of the sense of urgency government agencies have placed on the supposedly pressing issue of climate change.
Source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20090720-216289/Artists-try-to-rescue-trees-along-highway
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