Cebu City and our trees, 1

We, the members of Pusyon Kinaiyahan, in behalf of defenseless trees, manifest our opposition on the plan to cut the 2,166 trees just to give way for the implementation of Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system and we also demand for an integral solution in solving our traffic problems.

Cutting the 2,166 trees in the city of Cebu is not a sign of “development” nor it is the last option to give way to development. These trees protect our environment, provide shade and air quality, naturally filter pollution and dirt, combat climate change and even flooding, and many more benefits. We cannot sacrifice the integral values that our trees offer us in Cebu City: ecologically, culturally and aesthetically.

Likewise, we demand deeper analysis that will involve across stakeholders. The project may have its positive impacts and benefits, but for a pro-people perspective there is also the hidden cost of this kind of development: namely, environment (the tress and ecological benefits), mobility access ( jeepney routes are beneficial within the city limit), and displacement of PUV drivers.

We have to care for our trees, a way of creating the balance of our existence and of nature. “Fail- ure to protect our environment, is a failure to take care of our humanity” (Pope Francis).

Trees are needed for development; ecological growth is beneficial to economic growth. Development is doomed to fail if we continue destroying the environment. The Cebu City Council must not alienate nature in the totality of the city’s development plan.

It is alarming too that the Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CCENRO) only offers band-aid solutions on the affected trees. From the balling to tree adoption. The fact is, the city will be cutting trees. Ironically, many cities across our neighboring countries in Asia, are preserving the trees along their city roads as much as they could, while here in Cebu City we are planning to kill our trees.

We want people development, not urban development. Cebu’s projection of the future must not only be the growth of the business sector, it should rather be the growth of people and communities. We have turned our city into mega-structures, alienating livability of communities. (to be continued)--