24 trees still standing, cutting suspended

July 11, 2020 Metro BLISTT

The city council put Vista Residence’s tree-cutting operation on hold during the regular session on July 6. Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan instructed the officers of the real estate company to postpone the cutting of the remaining 24 trees within the construction site at Purok 3, Outlook Drive Barangay.
The suspension order would give the city council more time to deliberate on the matter in aid of legislation. Dir. Ralph Pablo, Regional Director of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-CAR, said the company may proceed cutting the remaining trees as it had already secured a Special Private Land Timber Permit (SPLTP) and had complied with the procedures set forth by the department.
According to Pablo, besides the legality of the tree-cutting activity, the remaining trees need to be cut urgently as these are in “critical condition.” “The trees may pose danger to lives and properties because they are hanging on steep slopes,” Pablo said. Pablo, however, yielded to the city council’s decision to suspend the tree-cutting activity.
Asked about the possibility of sparing the 24 uncut trees, Allan Santos, Technical Service Officer of Vista Residences, explained it is not possible to reconfigure the architectural plan of the condominium that is about to be built in the area. However, trees will be planted within the site after the construction as part of the landscape, Santos added.
According to reports, the real estate company started cutting the 53 trees on June 20, 2020. Thirty had already been cut. Teresita Castro, another authotized representative of Vista, revealed their SPLTP will expire on July 15, 2020.
The city council will resume the discussion during the next regular session on July 13, 2020.
Jordan G. Habbiling/ABN