Cebu mayor needs permit to remove street trees

CEBU CITY — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-7) claims Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama needs a permit from the state environment agency to remove 30 trees from a center island on Pope John Paul II Avenue. DENR-7 information officer Eddie Llamedo said the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) has advised Rama to write a formal request in order for the agency to confirm how many trees will be affected by the road-widening project. Rama had earlier said he wanted to remove the center island on half of that road in order to ease traffic in the area from the Ayala access road to the other intersection at the end, near the TESDA compound. The mayor clarified that the trees might be earth-balled and moved to a city-owned lot in the North Reclamation Area. (PNA)