This didn’t happen in Metro Manila, but it should serve as a cautionary tale to those who run our cities.
“The Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO)-Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) filed charges against Baguio City Congressman Nicasio Aliping, Jr., and three others for allegedly cutting more than 700 pine trees for a road project,” reports ABS-CBN News North Luzon correspondent KC Zalavaria on ABS-CBNnews.com.
Last May 23, residents discovered that “a total of 761 pine trees were cut down in Sto. Tomas Forest Reserve in Tuba, Benguet.” They were supposedly cut to give way to a two-kilometer road construction project in the area.
The report noted: “The incident resulted to soil erosion and water contamination in the area, with residents complaining of turbid water coming out of their faucets.”
Here’s what makes things even worse: The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) in Cordillera revealed that the road project does not have an environmental compliance certificate (ECC). It also does not have a tree cutting permit.
Photo from MorgueFile
