Tom willing to forego 2,166 trees for BRT

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña defended yesterday the move to earth-ball and/or cut 2,166 trees along the proposed Cebu Bus Rapid Transit route amid criticisms from environmentalists.

“No one wants to cut down a tree. But if we don't improve our system and our traffic, you're already comparing it to people's lives. One reason why I never planted trees at the SRP (South Road Properties) is because of this. I know already what the reaction would be,” Osmeña told reporters.

He said the BRT project, whose route will span 23 kilometers across 21 barangays, seeks to improve the traffic situation in the city, and in the process looks after the welfare of citizens.

The plan to cut and earth-ball the 2,166 trees from Barangay Bulacao to Barangay Talamban will be further discussed during a public hearing on May 17.

The Philippine Earth Justice Center, through its co-founder Gloria Estenzo-Ramos, already issued a statement saying Cebu has never learned in not seeing the effects of “destroying” the trees which caused landslides and flooding.

Another PEJC co-founder Liza Osorio said the group will support the move if it will not violate environmental laws.

The mayor recalled that the public lost two lanes of S. Osmeña Boulevard primarily because of efforts to save the trees.

He said the boulevard is supposedly an eight-lane road and could accommodate more volume of vehicles.

“But now, when it comes to sacrificing the BRT, I’m going to put my foot down. The BRT has to move. We need a mass transit system,” he said.

While he sees the importance of the trees, Osmeña said one must draw the line between looking after the environment and the welfare of the people.

He said the national and local government will implement a greening program that involves planting 350,000 seedlings and saplings in different barangays of the city to be identified by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

“If we do not improve our system internally here, we're doomed. This will mean no progress. This will mean more poverty and more poverty means less revenues for government. We can’t help the sick. This would mean our mortality rate would go up. We just make lives miserable,” Osmeña said. (FREEMAN)