“Trees removed from Metro Manila thoroughfares are properly ‘balled’ and replanted in parks.”
That’s the official statement often heard from both the MMDA and the DENR. †Just about two months ago I heard DENR Secretary Lito Atienza on radio claiming that none of the trees that are being removed from streets of Metro Manila as a result of road widening and other infrastructure projects are “cut to death.”
Crap. †All crap! †All of these are lip service by the MMDA and DENR.
Just last Friday (Sept 4, 2009) I snapped this photo along C5 in Libis, Quezon City. †It is a stone’s throw away from Eastwood Cybercity and plainly visible to all the motorists and commuters passing by. †This is one dead tree, there is no question about it. †What “balling” are they talking about it?
This is obviously the handiwork of the MMDA. †The tree’s cut trunk and branches are being neatly piled into an MMDA trailer. †You surely must have noticed the now familiar pink and light blue colors of MMDA.
Either MMDA did this under the noses of DENR-NCR personnel and the latter could not do anything about it or Bayani Fernando and Lito Atienza have a tacit understanding to simply kill trees.
If you come to think about it, it is actually very easy to understand the economics behind cutting a tree to death vis-a-vis tree “balling” and re-planting it somewhere. †The latter is simply way too expensive in relation to the former. †It’s the fact that they are brazenly lying to the Filipino people that is so detestable. †As if all of us are stupid. †Maybe they actually believe that.
May “tree balling” pa silang nalalaman. Bolahin niyo lelang niyo!
