Reopening the gates of hell

It was two years ago when I called the attention of our vigilant eco-advocates through a letter published in the Inquirer and titled “Sacrificing 350 trees to open the gates of hell in Manila” (Opinion, 6/12/13). In that letter I called attention to the plan of the Department of Public Works and Highways then set to build a flyover, which was later changed to an underpass along Lacson Avenue, bypassing Dapitan Street and España Avenue. And I pointed out that as collateral damage to this infrastructure project, more or less 350 trees would be cut. Fortunately, the plan did not push through because of the strong opposition from the University of Santo Tomas and environmentalists.

In the June 25, 2014, issue of the Varsitarian, the official student publication of UST, the DPWH was reported to have completed its study on the traffic and economic impact of constructing a flyover in this area (“DPWH revives Lacson flyover plan”). According to the report, revisions have been made on the original design: a longer span for the structure which covers three intersections instead of two; and a lower height, from third to second level. This could only mean one thing: Not a single tree would be spared by this anthropocentric project.

The construction of the flyover was supposed to start in October 2014 and will be finished by September 2016, according to the report. Last February, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources approved the cutting of 231 trees and the earth-balling of 955 trees and plants of different species due to the construction of C-2 (Lacson Avenue)/R-7 (España Boulevard) Interchange. Removing the remaining vegetation in this area would exacerbate further the urban heat island effect that we are now experiencing, with scorching heat indices of more than 50 degrees!

For the past couple of years, I have read numerous news items about the “massacre of trees” in different parts of the country just to give way to infrastructure projects like road-widening. The residents along the Manila North Road in Pangasinan as well as the local and foreign tourists going to the north are the silent but vigilant witnesses to this ecological assault being made by the DPWH. The trees were cut simply because “the trees are not in the right place,” according to a former solon in that province. Also, there were reports of massive tree-cutting activities for the same purpose in Cebu, Romblon and Mindoro. In my opinion, this is not development; this is a violation of the law of nature.

According to the Book of Genesis, God created the plants and trees on the third day of creation. It was only on the sixth day when God created man, which means that the life support system of man, including oxygen from trees, was created first before man himself made his appearance at the center stage of life. We should be wise stewards of His creations. Therefore, violating this law of nature would reopen the gates of hell in Manila.

—MOISES NORMAN Z. GARCIA, University of Santo Tomas- AMV College of Accountancy, [email protected]