Replanting of trees on BRT route eyed in Mango Avenue

CEBU, Philippines - The General Maxilom Avenue, also known as Mango Avenue, is among the areas where some of the 2,166 trees to be affected by the implementation of the P10.6-billion Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project will be replanted.

Nida Cabrera, Cebu City’s environmental consultant, said Mayor Tomas Osmeña wants all mango trees on BRT route be transferred to Gen. Maxilom Avenue.

Cabrera said the replanting of affected trees is part of her conceptual design on the avenue’s beautification project. The design is still subject to the mayor’s approval, though.

“I was directed by mayor Osmeña to beautify Mango Avenue through planting trees. We will make sure that these trees will not be affected by future developments…The reason why we also need to widen the road,” Cabrera told The FREEMAN.

On the other hand, majority of the 486 Indian trees will be transferred to the South Road Properties’ coastal area, while the 665 Narra trees will be transferred to the city’s parks and properties in different upland barangays, said Cabrera.

She also said at least eight private individuals have expressed their intention to adopt some of the 30 fruit bearing trees, including chicos, jack fruit, coconut, manzanitas, tamarind, and guava, among others.

Moreover, she invited all stakeholders to take part in the public hearing tomorrow, May 17, at the City Hall to discuss the fate of the affected trees and to outline the measures to mitigate the impact of the earth-balling or cutting of trees.  The BRT project will start this year until 2022. (FREEMAN)