MAASIN CITY, July 6 (PIA) -- Logs and wood materials derived from trees that were felled because of a road construction project implemented by the Southern Leyte District Engineering Office (SLDEO) were given recently to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) provincial office.
According to a report by the government’s construction agency, the turned-over logs were “from the trees cut for the road concreting project leading to Fatima Hills, a tourist destination, located in Ichon village in Macrohon town.”
The turn-over activity was attended by DENR and DPWH personnel, project contractor, and representatives from the local government unit of Macrohon, the DPWH report stated.
It will be up to DENR on how to dispose properly the logs and other materials, the report said.
“We were granted permit by the DENR to cut trees intended for our infrastructure projects provided that we strictly adhere to the conditions imposed and undertake measures during and after cutting operations in order to mitigate the possible impacts of the cutting of trees to the locality and the environment,” said District Engineer Ma. Margarita Junia as quoted in the report.
As agreed with the DENR, stipulated in a memorandum of agreement signed by the two agencies, “the DPWH is bound to replace 50 trees for each felled tree planted in private or forest land and 100 trees for each naturally grown tree affected by road works.”
“Every time we implement projects, we always consider the environmental impacts. We cannot immediately proceed with the construction without properly addressing them,” Junia said, adding that she vowed to push her office’s active involvement in DENR-led activities, like tree planting and clean-up drive. (mmp/PIA8-Southern Leyte)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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