Gov’s sermon on the trees

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    “WE ARE stewards of the earth, not despoilers of the environment. God’s creation is ours not to destroy but to preserve and protect for the next generation.

    I will not allow the cutting of those trees.

    Trees are sources of life, for the number of creatures, including humans, who depend on them for food and nutrients, as well as shelter. Plus, of course, the oxygen they produce out of their sequestration of carbon dioxide.

    I will not allow the cutting of those trees.

    In these times of worsening global warming conditions, all the more that we should preserve our trees, plant more trees, and secure their survival.

    I stand in solidarity with all environmentalists and the people in fighting against the cutting of the trees along the highway, and should the need arise, will march with them, will encamp with them, to prevent any attempt to cut the trees.

    I will not allow the cutting of those trees.

    The Department of Public Works and Highways should not be so short-sighted as to forego alternatives to the widening of MacArthur Highway. If their intent is to ease traffic between the City of San Fernando and Angeles City, they could look for alternative routes to develop like barangay roads, and even a service road parallel to the North Luzon Expressway, just like those in Bulacan and those along the South Luzon Expressway too.

    This would even spur the development of the barangays where those roads will be constructed.

    I will not allow the cutting of those trees.    

    So went the sermon on the trees of Gov. Eddie T. Panlilio, as culled directly – only reformatted for effect – from the front page story of Punto! Central Luzon  dated June 17, 2008, headlined Panlilio bucks highway tree-cutting and kickered with Gov goes green.

    So hailed the lead paragraph of the story: “The rising opposition to the planned cutting of trees along MacArthur Highway has gained a new and formidable adherent in Gov. Eddie T. Panlilio.”

    Since some two weeks back, the DPWH, armed with a license to massacre provided by the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources, has gone into a tree-felling spree along the MacArthur Highway portion of Barangays Sindalan and Maimpis in the City of San Fernando.

    And we have yet to hear even but a whimper from Panlilio on this utter degradation of our environment.

    So whatever happened to Panlilio’s expressed conviction to “stand in solidarity with all environmentalists and the people in fighting against the cutting of the trees along the highway, and should the need arise, will march with them, will encamp with them, to prevent any attempt to cut the trees”?

    Gone the way of his priestly vow of obedience too? That is to political nothingness?

    Suspended as a priest, the Honorable Governor may be, but still he has to live by his sermon, practice what he preaches, act on his word, walk his talk. As a matter of principle. As a man of honor does.

    Else, Panlilio ends up reducing himself to the very being he so loved to loathe: the babbling, all-promising, nay-delivering trapo.

    Speak out, better yet, act now, Sir.


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