Human life over trees, utility posts

There have been been many protests published in the newspapers against tree-cutting because of the expansion of major highways in Tarlac and Pangasinan. And yet nobody seems to protest against Meralco and PLDT posts left lying on highways after a road expansion project is completed.

Why are there different reactions to trees and electrical posts on public roads? Both trees and utility posts pose grave danger to the lives and limbs of motorists. Both trees and posts should never be in the middle of roads. Yet we see many trees and posts on major roads and highways.

Are trees and posts more valuable than human lives?

Let us use our common sense and invoke our deep respect for human life to demand the removal of trees and posts from the motorists’ right of way. Let us plant more trees where trees should be planted: in denuded mountain areas. Why concentrate on saving trees on roads instead of planting thousands of trees in denuded areas? Is there not something wrong with our sense of priorities?

Why not ask Meralco and PLDT and cable carriers to remove their posts from the middle of the roads? Are these business establishments untouchable? How are they able to persuade government agencies, local and national, to allow them to leave their discarded posts in the middle of roads? Are there millions of reasons? Cannot they be sued for the death of motorists crashing into their posts?

It is time for us citizens to demand that government and business corporations give priority to human life.

We deserve it.

—GONZALO B. MISA,

former barangay chair,

Barangay Blue Ridge A,

Quezon City