Buhayin ang MayniLA?

Is this necessary for the City of Manila to prosper?

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This story was taken from www.inq7.net
http://news.inq7.net/metro/index.php?index=1&story_id=45867

City Hall begins cutting trees at Arroceros Park
First posted 00:24am (Mla time) Aug 05, 2005
By Tina G. Santos
Inquirer News Service

WORKERS yesterday started balling and cutting trees in Manila’s controversial Arroceros Park, much to the dismay of environment advocates.

The workers, believed to be under instructions from City Hall, initially prevented the environmentalists from entering the contested property. They said there was an order from “higher-ups” to keep visitors away from the area while the construction of the two-story teachers’ building was ongoing.

Upon seeing the environmentalists and the media, one of the workers signaled one of his colleagues to stop the cutting of trees. Two trees were already down when the Inquirer came upon the activity. When asked why they stopped their work despite their claim that they had a permit from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the workers said they were just taking a break. Winner Foundation, park caretakers, said they were able to save a century-old narra tree from going down. The Inquirer tried to get a comment from the workers’ foreman, but the latter hurriedly left the site. National Museum representatives did not arrive in time to supervise the tree cutting, despite an agreement that a monitoring team from the museum would supervise the activity, Winner said.

Artifacts had been found in the area which has been declared an archaeological site.

It was gathered that Corazon Davis, regional executive director of the DENR, earlier granted the Manila Division of City Schools a permit to cut, ball and prune trees in the area.

Regina Paterno, Winner president, added that the city government should stop any activity in the park since they still have a pending case in court. Sought for comment, city legal officer Melchor Monsod said that the city was “conscious” of environmental laws. Besides, Winner had no legal basis for claiming the property, he added.

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Tell the authorities what you think is right for the century-old trees.

Write the Superintendent:

MA. LUISA S. QUIÑONES
Superintendent, Division of City Schools
City Hall, Manila

manila@deped.gov.ph

527-5218/ 302-6736/ 527-5184/ 527-9910 / 302-6735