‘Running priest’ visits Laoag City; urges Ilocanos to save trees

Fr. Robert Reyes and Ilocos Norte Governor Imee R. Marcos discuss the plan to cut hundreds of trees in Currimao as Northwestern University's Shermon Cruz and Karl Lenin Benigno look on. (Lei Adriano)

By Leilanie G. Adriano

Staff reporter

Laoag City—Father Robert Reyes, popularly known as the “running priest” from Malabon was in Laoag City for two days to reiterate his call to stop the cutting of trees as he reached out to young Ilocanos to do their share in protecting the environment.

Fr. Reyes’ visit to Ilocos Norte came in the wake of the proposed cutting of more than 700 indigenous species of trees in Currimao, Ilocos Norte to pave the way for the construction of a 20-megawatt solar power farm there.

Originally, the solar project proponent proposed to cut 1,281 trees but this was opposed by the Ilocos Norte government saying the number is “too much”.

“It’s absolutely hard to plant trees in sand dunes where there is no top soil. These trees were planted about 30 years ago or so. But some have to be cut,” Ilocos Norte Governor Ma. Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos during a meeting with Fr. Reyes at the Provincial Capitol on March 12. The governor underscored that she is not against the project and hopes the number will be brought down lower.

Solar farm project

At present, the Ilocos Note government is currently negotiating with Mirae Asia, now under the direct control of Soleq Philippines Inc. to bring down the number of trees to be cut.

To ensure that the project will be beneficial to the people of Currimao and to the entire province in general, Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Joel Garcia, chairperson of the board’s committee on environment, said the provincial government has proposed a co-development plan for the project.

Fr. Robert Reyes with Ilocos Norte Governor Imee R. Marcos at the Provincial Capitol (Lei Adriano).

Last November, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) granted a tree cutting permit provided these will be replaced with thousands of seedlings through a reforestation program to be funded by the project proponent for at least three years.

Cut trees cannot be replaced

Regardless of the number of trees to replace the old-growth trees in a forested area covering Brgys. Bimmanga and Paguludan-Salindeg, Fr. Reyes said trees are living creatures created by God and no amount of planting more seedlings could replace it.

“This is a materialist argument. It’s like I will swap my 10 old cars with one brand new car. You cannot swap life with life. Life in itself has to be preserved at all cost. Kaya ‘yan po ang problema kapag profit-driven. P’wede mong gawin ang lahat dahil lahat ay may katumbas na so much money, so much number of trees,” he stressed.

Governance forum at NWU

Hosted by the Northwestern University in Laoag City, Fr. Reyes had a dialogue with hundreds of students at the university’s New Media Hall including non-government organizations and local officials here to discuss ways how they can help each other and prevent cutting of trees.

On early Thursday, March 12, Fr. Reyes together with young professionals, sports enthusiasts and students organized a five-kilometer fun run in Laoag City as a way of instilling public awareness on environment protection and preservation. The assembly place was at the NU freedom park at 5:00 AM where the group run all the way to Laoag City’s Aurora Park.

NWU-IT tie up

The Ilocos Times publisher Jay S. Ramos sign the partnership agreement with Northwestern University's KWAGO (Lei Adriano)

During the same governance forum, The Ilocos Times and Northwestern University through College of Arts and Sciences, The Philippine Center for Foresight Education and Innovation Research (PhilForesight), and The KWAGO Society of Northwestern University, a student-led leadership organization, have been organizing the KWAGO Governance Forum and Leadership seminars for political sciences, humanities, social science and environmental science students of Northwestern University forged a partnership to further promote governance issues in the province.

‘Running priest’ visit Imee, DENR

After the governance forum organized by the College of Arts and Sciences of NU, Fr. Reyes paid a courtesy call to Governor Marcos at the Provincial Capitol and to provincial environment and natural resources officer Juan delos Reyes at the DENR office as he reiterated his call to help save the trees. Mr. Delos Reyes, however was reportedly at the DENR regional office at that time.

To promote his advocacy, the running priest vowed to return to the province to lead a longer run from Laoag to Batac and then from Batac to Currimao, Ilocos Norte in April.

Caps:

RUNNING PRIEST MEETS with IMEE. Fr. Robert Reyes discusses the plan to cut hundreds of tree in Currimao and Burgos with Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee R. Marcos at the Capitol during the running priest’s courtesy call. (Lei Adriano)