DINALUPIHAN, Bataan– Residents from a village here on Saturday expressed strong opposition to the felling of four century-old acacia trees to widen a barangay dirt road.
A group of children even displayed placards asking to spare the trees while embracing one of the four giant acacia trees at Sitio Magindong in barangay Luakan. “Tutol kami sa pagputol ng mga puno dahil pinipigilan nito ang soil erosion at napipigilan ang malakas na hangin dala ng bagyo,”
12-year old Llemars Abuyadao said.Conrado Lapid, 71, said the trees were already big when he was still a small boy. “Inabutan na namin ang mga puno na malalaki na. Bilang tenant, may karapatan kami sa mga puno. Noong isang buwan may umakyat na at magpuputol pero binawalan namin dahil hindi nagpaalam,” the old man said.
Lina Nacu, 66, a resort owner in Magindong, said residents, including children, decided to unite to block moves to fell down the trees.
“Nagkaisa kami na proteksiyunan ang mga puno sapagka’t nagma-maintain ito ng kalinisan ng hangin at proteksiyun laban sa bagyo,” the old woman said. Nacu said light vehicles can already pass even if the trees are there. “Kung kailangan ng gobyernong ayusin ang kalsada, pwede naman pero iwasan sana ang mga puno.
Isa pa dead end na itong kalsada,” she said. Luakan Barangay Captain Alfredo Santos, Jr. said he just wanted to improve the road condition in the area and has secured a cutting permit from the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office. “Pero, kung ayaw nilang putulin ang mga puno, hindi na puputulin,” he said.
