SM expansion up for inspection today

AN OCULAR inspection in SM City Baguio was the only clear resolution reached by complainants, mall management and government agencies who attended a dialogue called by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Presided by DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo, complainants led by National Union of People’s Lawyers and lead counsel of the Save 182 movement Cheryl Daytec-Yangot, expressed opposition to the billion peso expansion project and articulated their disappointment with local and national officials for not doing their job in protecting the environment and the interests of the people.
Also present were Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Ramon Paje Jr., DENR-CAR Executive Director Clarence Baguilat, Mayor Mauricio Domogan, Representative Bernardo Vergara, Regional Development Council co-chair Virgilio Bautista, SM Prime Holdings Inc. president Hans Sy, SM Supermalls president Annie Garcia and vice president for Operations Bien Mateo.
The mall presented its project showing the incorporation of environmental sustainability of the project and mitigating measures to compensate for the effect of transferring the affected trees.
DENR officials reported regional office personnel and UP Los Baños professor on Forestry Dr. Jose Sargento monitored the earth balling of the initial 43 alnus and pine trees and confirmed no tree was cut.
“The trees were earth-balled and replanted in the approved designated sites. It was done overnight following the directive of DENR foresters to capitalize on the soil moisture,” Secretary Paje said.
Robredo, meanwhile, proposed a joint inspection of the expansion area today, Wednesday,by the combined group from the DENR, local government, University of the Philippines-Los Baños Forestry, SM and the leaders of the Save 182 Movement.
The earlier issued earth-balling and cutting permit to SM was also revised to include all 182 trees up for transfer.
Robredo said the earlier permit only covers 142 pine trees for earth-balling while the 40 alnus trees will be cut ensuring the survival of all trees.
He added the planting of 50,000 trees will also be required to the mall compared to the 5,000 trees to be replanted specified in the previous permit.
Paje stressed earth-balling is an accepted procedure where the tree together with its root ball is carefully excavated, wrapped and transferred.
“There is also a need to prune the tree or cut some of its branches before balling it out to minimize the stress on the roots,” he said.
Paje said the roof garden and the planting of 50,000 trees are more than enough to compensate the 182 trees to be relocated.
Planting and maintenance of the first batch of 20,000 trees will start this month in the designated area of DENR in Baguio and Benguet.
SM, meanwhile, denied allegations it violated the Temporary Environmental Protection Order (Tepo) issued by the court April 10 claiming management did not receive the order.
“It was only when SM asked a representative to go to the court to pick up a copy of the Tepo last April 11 that SM was able to secure a copy to which immediately earth balling operation was stopped,” mall executives said.
On the other hand, protesters remain dissatisfied with the explanations of the government agencies claiming they will remain vigilant and push for their environmental case filed against SM, DENR and the Department of Public Works and Highways.
“We are angry. We were invited here to be left out in the dialogue. They will be able to do it dirty. No agreement was reached except that the Save 182 movement will be joining the ocular inspection,” Glo Abaeo of the Cordillera Green Network, one of the main complainants in the environmental case said.
They, however, committed to joining the ocular inspection.
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/baguio/local-news/2012/04/18/sm-expansion-inspection-today-216804

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