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.
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