Environmental watchdog Greenpeace Philippines called on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Thursday to permanently stop the massive cutting of trees along Quirino Avenue in Manila, warning that destroying urban green spaces will severely aggravate the climate crisis in the metro.
The group firmly asserted that public welfare and environmental conservation must never be compromised for infrastructure development.
“Development that means cutting down trees amid the worsening climate crisis is not real development,” Greenpeace Philippines stated.
“As extreme heat and flooding intensify, we need trees and green spaces even more to help protect the health, livelihoods, and safety of our communities. Development should be centered on people and the environment, not on their destruction.”
The call to action follows the DENR’s recent agreement with private contractor San Miguel Corporation to implement a temporary freeze on tree-cutting operations linked to the 40.62-kilometer Southern Access Link Expressway (SALEX) project.
Officials noted that they are currently reviewing options to earth-ball and relocate the remaining affected trees.
The freeze was prompted by mounting backlash from local residents and eco-advocates, who raised alarms over skyrocketing urban heat and dwindling canopy cover along the major Manila thoroughfare.
Prior to the suspension, the DENR had greenlit the removal of 617 trees for the expressway project, 245 of which have already been chopped down or earth-balled.
To offset the ecological damage, government officials promised to plant over 50,000 seedlings across various sites in Manila, including Lawton, Baseco, and Intramuros.