Skip to main content

DPWH denies cutting trees for road widening

By Dominic B. dela Cruz
Staff reporter

San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte—The Dept. of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) second engineering district chief Engr. Mathias Malenab strongly denied the allegations that his office cut century-old trees along national roads in Currimao and Badoc.

In a press conference at the DPWH 2nd district engineering office recently, Mr. Malenab vehemently denied the said allegations spread through text messages, and which has even reached Ilocos Norte Gov. Ma. Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos.

Mr. Malenab stressed that DPWH 2nd engineering district personnel are environment-friendly and as of that time have not cut any tree along the national roads in Currimao and Badoc.

However, he also admitted that they have requested for a permit as well as information from the mayors of Currimao and Badoc, Ms. Marcos and the Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources for the trees that may be affected by the road-widening project.

He disclosed that the community environment and natural resources office (CENRO) and the provincial government’s environment and natural resources office have inspected the areas requested and has approved the cutting of trees for the road-widening project, provided the DPWH obtain all the necessary permit.

Among the permits needed, according to Mr. Malenab, consists of resolutions from barangay councils and local government units to be affected with the approval of the governor and to be submitted to the DPWH central office for certification.

Those permits, Mr. Malenab said, will become the basis for the DENT to issue tree-cutting permit.

“Until and unless we have the permit that will be the time we [will] cut those trees. But at this point in time, wala pa po kaming pinutol na punong kahoy,” Mr. Malenab said.

He also assured the public that no trees will be cut without the DENR’s permit.

Based on the DPWH inventory, the trees that may cut for the project are those within the right of way of national roads.

Isipin niyo naman iyong hazard or danger it will cause na sa kalsada mayroong punong kahoy at ito pa ang isang rason kung bakit may mga nadidisgrasya kaya dapat lang na matanggal ang mga ito,” Mr. Malenab said.

Mr. Malenab however vowed that for every one tree that will be cut or removed, his office will replace it with 100 seedlings.

From the existing national roads, Mr. Malenab 3.35 meters are needed for both sides in the road-widening project.

Meanwhile, Mr. Malenab announced that the DPWH thru the initiative of Sec. Rogelio Singson extended its help to heirs of the one “SAF 44”. The assistance was given to an elder brother of PO2 Omar Nacionales, a native of Marcos, Ilocos Norte.

The brother is identified as Rajiv Nacionales, who earlier stopped his college education when he was a third year civil engineering student. He was hired as an “engineering aide” at the second engineering district and started working on Feb. 16, 2015.


Mr. Malenab is hopeful this would help the family of the late Mr. Nacionales.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Empanada festival: A celebration of good taste and good life

By Dominic B. dela Cruz & Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporters BATAC CITY—If there is one thing Batac is truly proud of, it would be its famous empanada-making business that has nurtured its people over the years. Embracing a century-old culture and culinary tradition, Batac’s empanada claims to be the best and tastiest in the country with its distinctive Ilokano taste courtesy of its local ingredients: fresh grated papaya, mongo, chopped longganisa, and egg. The crispy orange wrapper and is made of rice flour that is deep-fried. The celebration of this city’s famous traditional fast food attracting locals and tourists elsewhere comes with the City Charter Day of Batac every 23 rd  of June. Every year, the City Government of Batac led by Mayor Jeffrey Jubal Nalupta commemorate the city’s charter day celebration to further promote its famous One-Town, One Product, the Batac empanada. Empanada City The Batac empanada festival has already become an annua

PIDS expert says income tax cuts justified; warns gov’t of revenue loss

Proposals to amend the personal income tax schedule appear to be well-justified. However, these proposals should include measures that will allow government to recover the revenue loss from lower income taxes. Dr. Rosario Manasan, senior research fellow of state think-tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), said at a seminar sponsored by the Philippine Senate, that government should look for new revenue measures to compensate for the projected revenue loss that will arise as a result of the implementation of any of the various proposals to restructure the personal income tax. Currently, there are several income tax reform proposals pending in both houses of Congress. All of them, according to Dr. Manasan, have the same objective of addressing the phenomenon of bracket creep, which results from “non-indexation to inflation of personal income tax brackets”. Simply put, bracket creep occurs when employees’ income increases over time as a result of inflation. Th

PGIN honors Ilocano heroes of past, present through Heroes Walk

SPO1 Allan Lampitoc Franco of Banna, Ilocos Norte and PO2 Jovalyn D. Lozano of Adams, Ilocos Norte receive a resolution of commendation, a certificate of college scholarship grant to their family members and a P20,000 cash incentive each from the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte represented by Governor Imee R. Marcos and Vice Governor Angelo M. Barba in recognition of their bravery and heroic acts in the Mamasapano clash in Maguindanao on January 25. Mr. Franco and Mr. Lozano were recognized on March 10 in time for the unveiling of the second batch of Ilocano heroes at the Heroes Walk located along the Sirib Mile in Laoag City.  (Lei Adriano) By Jennifer T. Pambid PGIN-CMO In honor of the heroes who brought freedom, fame and glory to the province as well as to the country in the past century, the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte (PGIN) through the Education Department and Sirib Youth Office launched the second batch of Ilocano Heroes Walk on March 10, 2015.