The grandson of former president Manuel Quezon called for government officials on Wednesday, Oct. 3, to stop the cutting of century-old trees in San Luis, Aurora.
“I write urgently to appeal to you to stop the massacre of trees in our town of San Luis on the Aurora/ Bongabong, Nueva Ecija Highway,” Ricky Avanceña wrote in his open letter addressed to government and municipal officials.
Among the public officials were Sen. Sonny Angara, Aurora Cong. Rommel Angara, Aurora Gov. Christian Manuson Noveras, and San Luis Mayor Ariel Angara De Jesus.
“The Quezon family with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) planted narra, acacia and molave trees on the entire highway, for shade and for drainage. The trees formed a green canopy and what now remains, along with its waterfalls, rivers and streams are the pride of the town,” he added.
The highway along Barangay Nonong Sr., San Luis, Aurora stands to lose 43 trees: 32 acacias, 1 molave, and 10 narras.
In a report by RH Grace Sansano on Thursday, Oct. 5, prior to the cutting permit given by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), a hearing was held to take stock of the rehabilitation projects that would build a road canal in the area.
According to San Luis Mayor Ariel Angara de Jesus, the tree-cutting went through the approval of the town council after recording cases of vehicle-related accidents in the previous years.
De Jesus, however, claimed that he also thought the tree-cutting a waste of historic sites as lofty century-old trees were almost rare nowadays. He then added that despite this, the move to cut the trees was necessary for the town’s development.
In the same open letter, Avanceña cited a tourist attraction of redwood trees in California called Avenida de Los Gigantes that survived logging and development.
“We don't have to look far to know the value of old trees. Aurora itself, which has perhaps 15 percent 1st growth forest at best, has one ancient Balete tree in Maria Aurora, and millions have flocked to see that one tree. In San Luis, we have kilometers of hundred-year-old trees lining the road. Planted by the Quezon family. Our very own Avenida ng mga Higante,” he said.
But Avanceña lamented that the lush trees that formed an arch along the road were “soon to be no more because of an ill-conceived road project by unconcerned and uncaring government officials abetted by rapacious contractors.”
