ANGELES CITY – A four lane Mac Arthur highway covered by a natural canopy; a service strip, a community.
“Instead of possessing things, why not build communities,” said Architect Edgar Salas as he showed to journalists a “road perspective”, a plan on how the Manila North road in the City of San Fernando will be improved without cutting a single tree.
Salas, an environmentalist and a professor at Holy Angel University, cited the Balibago service road here where trees lined up along its stretch, well maintained without causing any accidents.
He said public utility vehicles could use the service road as loading and unloading areas.
“It’s actually the same concept of former Bayani Fernando where buses and other PUJs were given special lanes, but without sacrificing any single tree,” Salas said.
With service roads built along the whole stretch, he said people will be enticed to do business. “It’s happening in Maimpis and Sindalan where business grows, so it could also happen in other stretch of the highway.”
He also noted that with the service roads, people will not have any difficulty crossing the highway.
The professor added that those who own portions of lots along the highway could share it with the government and “not totally donate it”.
Asked about businessman Rene Romero’s earlier proposal to replace older trees with young ones, Salas said “they should present a masterplan or a blueprint first before cutting any tree.
“Ganun kasi ang ginagawa sa ibang bansa. Gumagawa muna sila ng masterplan para malaman kung papaano isasagawa ang isang proyekto lalo na kung magpuputol ng puno,. Kaso dito sa atin wala naman silang ipinapakitang blueprint,” he said.
The Department of Public Works and Highways has earlier ordered the cutting of Acacia trees along Mac Arthur Highway in the City of San Fernando saying the move was part of a road expansion project.
However, various groups in Pampanga led by the Save The Trees Coalition have opposed DPWH saying that trees play an important role in the environment and should not be sacrificed.
“Instead of possessing things, why not build communities,” said Architect Edgar Salas as he showed to journalists a “road perspective”, a plan on how the Manila North road in the City of San Fernando will be improved without cutting a single tree.
Salas, an environmentalist and a professor at Holy Angel University, cited the Balibago service road here where trees lined up along its stretch, well maintained without causing any accidents.
He said public utility vehicles could use the service road as loading and unloading areas.
“It’s actually the same concept of former Bayani Fernando where buses and other PUJs were given special lanes, but without sacrificing any single tree,” Salas said.
With service roads built along the whole stretch, he said people will be enticed to do business. “It’s happening in Maimpis and Sindalan where business grows, so it could also happen in other stretch of the highway.”
He also noted that with the service roads, people will not have any difficulty crossing the highway.
The professor added that those who own portions of lots along the highway could share it with the government and “not totally donate it”.
Asked about businessman Rene Romero’s earlier proposal to replace older trees with young ones, Salas said “they should present a masterplan or a blueprint first before cutting any tree.
“Ganun kasi ang ginagawa sa ibang bansa. Gumagawa muna sila ng masterplan para malaman kung papaano isasagawa ang isang proyekto lalo na kung magpuputol ng puno,. Kaso dito sa atin wala naman silang ipinapakitang blueprint,” he said.
The Department of Public Works and Highways has earlier ordered the cutting of Acacia trees along Mac Arthur Highway in the City of San Fernando saying the move was part of a road expansion project.
However, various groups in Pampanga led by the Save The Trees Coalition have opposed DPWH saying that trees play an important role in the environment and should not be sacrificed.
