The slaughter of trees

THIS IS in reaction to the news on the plan to cut age-old acacia and narra trees to widen the road from Naga town to Carcar. (Inquirer, 3/21/11)

Some years back, my Manila-based Cebu Theresian classmates and I rallied to save heritage houses in Carcar, whose continued existence was threatened by a road-widening plan. Together with other like-minded citizens, we successfully sought the help of media and pressured Cebu officials to save these heritage sites.

Now some short-sighted regional authorities are taking on those silent and majestic sentinels of God’s creation. If anyone of you has had the rare privilege of driving through a cool green canopy of age-old trees, you must have experienced a heavenly, refreshing and exhilarating feeling.

Why do we have to destroy natural and historical treasures in our so-called “path to progress”? Cutting those trees strikes at our national soul and robs future generations of a heritage.

While the rest of the civilized world has put environment concerns on their main agenda and deliberately conserve their heritage, we insist on destroying Mother Earth and our patrimony. We have already witnessed countless times the awesome power of Mother Nature when she punishes mankind for its excesses. Progress can and must co-exist with the environment and our heritage. We must maintain a reverence for what came before us. If looking for alternative roads requires more brain work and expense, think how much more irreplaceable and costly in time and money it is to grow even a single tree for 100 years!

Progress—as in widening the road to accommodate more polluting vehicles—does not warrant in any way the slaughter of benevolent and giving trees that are powerless to help themselves. Public officials admit there are viable alternative routes between Naga and Carcar. If the trees’ long-term benefits for present and future generations are taken into account, any of these alternative roads, provided it is untainted by corruption, would come up much cheaper.

Vietnam, which has rebuilt from the rubble of war, recognizes the value of its natural heritage. Age-old trees abound in that country. And at least in one of its cities, every tree (big and small) that line its streets are numbered and monitored. Are our own heritage trees of less value?

To even suggest the cutting of such trees in this day and age is unthinkable. It runs counter to President Aquino’s National Greening Program, which encourages children to plant trees for the future.

The trees in Cebu may still be saved because of public uproar. But we hope that when the noise shall have died down, our public officials will remain true to their word that no trees and heritage houses shall be sacrificed ever again in any part of our country, in the name of progress.

—TERESA DE VEYRA-MONTILLA,
[email protected]