Environment advocates decry felling of old trees for Pangasinan capitol development

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, Philippines — Environment advocates have condemned the cutting of decades-old trees within the Pangasinan provincial capitol grounds, asserting that redevelopment should not come at the cost of natural heritage. At least 25 trees lining the central pathway to the capitol facade were felled starting Monday noon and continued until the early hours of Tuesday, according to a local resident who spoke to the Inquirer on condition of anonymity for security reasons. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) had granted the provincial government a permit to cut 192 trees on August 8 last year. The trees scheduled for removal as part of the ongoing development of the capitol grounds are between 10 and 50 years old. Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer Noriel Nisperos stated that the permit issuance "went through [a] process" and that the "trees covered already have cavities." Pangasinan Governor Ramon Guico III, in a phone interview, said the trees cut were non-native and invasive species like mahogany. He assured that native species, such as balete, would be preserved, and those removed would be replaced. "They will be replaced with dita (indigenous evergreen tree) and possibly Palawan cherry ('balayong'), which are both native species," he told the Inquirer. Guico clarified that the project is for "urbanscaping or open space planning, and no building will be built on the site." He added, "Everything is planned, including drainage, traffic lights, and it will be pedestrian friendly. We will commission an artist to make a sculpture of Princess Urduja that will be placed in the middle as a symbol to unify all of us." According to local legend, Princess Urduja, revered for her courage and leadership, ruled the Kingdom of Tawalisi (located somewhere along the coastline of modern-day Pangasinan) in the 14th century. Guico said, "Just give us a couple of months. What is taking a long (time) is the construction of the drainage, but the already grown (balled) native trees will be planted in the area and with the rains, will flourish." In earlier interviews, he said the projects planned at the once tree-filled grounds were "something of cultural substance, a place where families can enjoy frolicking on weekends, iconically inspiring, intellectually engaging, and historically nostalgic." The area behind the capitol has been redeveloped with the construction of a reflecting pool and an interactive fountain. However, the Pangasinan People’s Strike for the Environment (PPSE) stated that the project "exemplifies an alarming development paradigm where redevelopment, commercialization, and infrastructure expansion are increasingly prioritized over ecological protection and the public’s right to a healthy environment." The group argued in a statement, "The trees that stand within the capitol grounds are more than landscape features. They are living environmental infrastructure that has taken decades to grow—absorbing carbon emissions, regulating urban temperatures, mitigating flooding, improving air quality, and providing refuge for local biodiversity. Their destruction is not merely an alteration of the landscape; it is the irreversible loss of ecological services that no newly planted sapling can immediately replace." PPSE acknowledged the need for development and infrastructure improvement but "reject[s] the false choice that development must come at the expense of nature." They concluded, "Genuine progress should enhance, not diminish, the ecosystems that sustain our communities. Redevelopment should be designed around environmental preservation—not the other way around."