The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said it is investigating a viral video showing a tree-cutting activity along Roxas Boulevard in Manila at night.
The agency released a statement addressing a video posted by Facebook user Tay Mesario on June 11, in which he questioned the activity despite its suspension last month following a public outcry.
On May 27, the DENR said tree-cutting activities along Quirino Avenue in Manila have been temporarily halted by the project proponents after environmental concerns were raised, including concerns about the age of trees.
The activity was intended to make way for road-widening and expressway connectivity works, primarily for the Southern Access Link Expressway (SALEX), a project that will connect the Skyway to Roxas Boulevard.
“Right now, the cutting, they voluntarily stopped. And we’re agreeable to this. Itigil muna. Pag-aaralan pa nang husto, baka may mga maidagdag pa doon sa earth balling,” DENR Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna said last month.
At the time, the DENR had assured the public that all safeguards were being enforced in the tree-cutting operation.
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On June 11, Mesario shared a video of nighttime tree-cutting activities on Roxas Boulevard.
“What’s happening, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and San Miguel Corporation? Ang sabi ‘naka-VOLUNTARY STOP’? Pero bakit tuloy ang pagpuputol ng mga puno sa Roxas Boulevard… at sa gabi pa??? Bakit?” he wrote in a Facebook post.
“Kung ito ay earthballing para sa relocation, ang tanong… ganito ba talaga ang tamang proseso? Mabubuhay pa ba ang mga punong ito? NO,” Mesario added.
Earthballing is the practice of relocating a mature tree with a ball of soil surrounding its roots so it can be transplanted to another location.
“Hinihiling lang namin ang transparency at pagsunod sa tamang environmental standards. Pinagloloko niyo na lang kami!!!” Mesario said.
His post garnered more than 107,000 likes and reactions, 44,000 shares and 13,600 comments.
It also caught the attention of the DENR, which said it was “already investigating the contractors involved” in the reported earthballing, adding that its probe has a “specific focus on whether their methods violated established environmental protocols and the conditions of their permits.”
“DENR Enforcement personnel have been deployed to conduct an immediate site inspection and verify the circumstances surrounding the incident,” it said in a statement on Friday, June 12.
“If the earthballing is found to be unauthorized or improperly executed, the DENR will initiate legal, administrative, and permit-related actions against responsible parties, including contractors and permit holders,” the agency added.
“The DENR underscores that urban trees are protected resources, and all project proponents are required to strictly follow environmental rules, secure proper clearances, and coordinate with the Department before undertaking any activity involving trees,” it further said.
The agency added that it “remains committed to transparency, accountability, and the protection of urban green spaces.”
