Abaday summons DPWH anew, checks contractors’ compliance with environmental laws

Councilor Roger G. Abaday, chair of the committee on environment, conducted another round of meeting with the Department of Public Works and Highways to ask if the contractors of ongoing road-widening and drainage projects have adhered to relevant laws governing environment protection in the wake of massive tree cutting along Masterson Avenue and Macapagal Drive in the uptown area.

It may be recalled that Councilor Abaday pointed this out in his special report during the 97th regular session of the 20th City Council calling on the contractors to incorporate in their  flood control projects’ program of works a mandatory tree replacement program as stipulated in Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Administrative Order 2020-06 and Department Order 238, s 2022.

COORDINATION CONCERNS

Engineer Jovy Laroga, environmental focal person of DPWH – Cagayan de Oro City 1st District Engineering Office, said that, while the DPWH owns up the responsibility of providing the seedlings, a Memorandum of Agreement should be made first between DENR and DPWH to agree who will nurse the trees after planting them.

Abaday cited that such provision is laid down in the joint memorandum circular, where the Department of Social Work and Development, through its 4Ps program beneficiaries, will take the lead.

For her part, Ms. Elvisa Mabelin from CLENRO said that the replacement program should be within the purview of the DENR-CENRO, since they process the permit. 

Mr. Leyrix Hermoso of CENRO Initao explained that there were some seedlings turned over to them last year, but CLENRO is responsible for the identification of the plantation area.

In aid of legislation, an agreement must be made between the city government and concerned barangay, where the project is implemented, to closely coordinate where the tree planting would be conducted to ensure that the same barangay benefits from the said program, Hermoso further suggested.

COMMITTEE COMMITMENT

For Abaday, protecting the environment means protecting people’s lives. Thus, his committee on environment urged the contractors to comply with the law and take the necessary steps henceforth.

Councilor Malvern Esparcia, chair of climate change adaptation & mitigation and disaster risk reduction, moved for the passage of a resolution calling on DPWH-10 to furnish the committee the list of contractors who complied with the tree replacement program.