Old trees will go

Whoever gave Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog the idea that the half-century old trees along Luna Street must be cut down because they are “old”, should return to grade one section 15, for spreading mass superstition.

Half-century Philippine agoho (mistakenly called "pine tree")
at Luna Street has to go in the name of beautification

Old trees have to go in the name of beautification

A group of concerned citizens early this year submitted a petition to the city mayor seeking to block the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) from cutting down those trees – Philippine agoho, Japanese acacia, neem, mahogany – arguing that the streets are not only for motor vehicles but also for pedestrians who want to enjoy their shades and coolness.

The signatories, most of them having their own vehicles, say they also want the comfort of the trees as they pass through them.

Fearing public backlash, the DPWH spared the trees but cut
roots as the contractor expanded the concrete. Latest
development though is that the mayor already gave
his go-signal to the DPWH to cut down the trees and
replaced them with "golden showers".

DPWH-6 director Edilberto Tayao did not push through the tree cutting although he assured the petitioners that Mabilog was already convinced that those trees would destroy the roads and thus, would be replaced by Royal Afrian Palms which costs P6,000 each and are less efficient than existing trees in sequestrating carbon gases which cause global warming.

Acacia trees in Paranaque, MM

The city council as well, upon the motion presented by Kgd. Joshua Alim, passed a resolution giving whatever is left of the patch of trees along the road, “protected” status.

At the Kape kag Isyu talk show though August 2, Gustilo said that his regional director and city mayor Mabilog already came to terms that is, the trees must be cut down and be replaced by “golden shower trees” which is called “balayong” in Panay.

Mabilog and his ilk ought to know that trees, as as the picture above taken
in the National Capital Region are valued in MM for enhancing
the beauty of the locale, not to say, cooling surroundings.

The road has to be widened to decongest traffic, which is the product of a “long and meticulous study”.

That decision was the result of the “coordination” among officials of the city government, the DPWH and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

According to Gustilo, Mabilog has been “convinced” by the DENR that the trees along Luna Street, being “old” have “become less efficient” in absorbing carbon gases. “Mayor Mabilog has asked the DENR for seedlings of golden shower trees and the DENR pledged to supply him.”

Well, whoever that unnamed DENR official who Mabilog allegedly quoted, should be crucified. The bigger a plant is, the bigger is its capacity to absorb carbon gases and release fresh oxygen. In other words, the bigger a tree is, the more it cools its surroundings.

The trees along Luna Street whose trunks are about the size or bigger than the pretty body of Mabilog, have the capacity to release 40 kilos of fresh oxygen daily, and conversely, absorb about the same volume of carbon gases.

Mabilog, known as a wanderlust, should go to Metro Manila – Roxas Blvd. in Pasay and Manila, Quezon City, UP Diliman, Katipunan Road, Paranaque, Makati, etc. – to  learn how local governments there and their constituents care for their trees along center islands and sides, trees bigger in fact than their counter parts in Iloilo City.