71 trees at DA compound set for relocation

CEBU, Philippines — At least 71 trees affected by the construction of the regional office of the Department of Agriculture in Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City will be earthballed and relocated to an area to be identified by the city government.

Councilor Jerry Guardo said the City Council agreed to earthball the trees provided that these will be replanted somewhere else.

Guardo said the City Environment and Natural Resources Office and the Parks and Playground Commission have been tasked to look for an area where the earthballed trees will be transferred.

"Ideally, they recommended to us kanang mga parks nato and also along the river," Guardo said.

The councilor explained that earthballing is beneficial to the city government instead of just cutting these fruit-bearing and ornamental trees.

"Kita sa city government will benefit from this earthballing of trees," said Guardo.

The DA is constructing a building inside its compound along M. Velez Street in Barangay Guadalupe. The project is to be undertaken by the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Meanwhile, Guardo is planning to pass a “green parking ordinance,” which will require business establishments to allocate their open parking spaces as relocation site for earth-balled trees affected by government projects.

Guardo said converting open parking spaces as relocation areas for earthballed trees is advantageous since trees provide shades.

Earthballing is the process of moving a tree by digging out the earth and the roots in a circular shape, leaving most of the root system undisturbed and intact.  FPL (FREEMAN)