San Miguel Corporation (SMC) has stood by the layout of its Southern Access Link Expressway (SALEX), calling the selected route the most viable choice despite public backlash over the clearing and relocation of trees ahead of building works.
In a Monday press release, the conglomerate explained that it reviewed numerous route and structural variations before finalizing the path.
The company stated that the current blueprint satisfies crucial engineering criteria while successfully capping resident relocation and minimizing interference with nearby public and private properties.
Addressing the environmental blowback, SMC pointed out that only 94 of the affected trees met the necessary conditions for earth-balling and successful relocation.
The company clarified that transplanting trees is a delicate operation requiring the careful extraction and preservation of root systems, making it impossible to save every tree. Factors such as tight roadside spaces, buried utility cables, adjacent buildings, or poor tree health can rule out relocation.
“The process requires unearthing and preserving the root system, which may involve extensive excavation and may not be viable in areas with limited road space, underground utilities, nearby structures, or trees that are not suitable for transplantation,” the company said.
To ensure accountability, SMC announced it is conducting an official audit of the impacted trees—tracking their species, age, overall health, and treatment history. This assessment is intended to deliver a precise tally of the trees cut, moved, or substituted, while uncovering extra strategies to soften the project’s ecological footprint.
As a corrective environmental measure, the builder pledged to turn over 50,700 replacement seedlings to sites chosen by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
This tree-planting initiative will feature native forest trees alongside fruit-bearing and commercial varieties. SMC also committed to a mandatory three-year upkeep program to ensure the young trees survive and thrive.
Once completed, SALEX will serve as a vital traffic link tying into the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 system. Its Quirino Avenue segment will span roughly 3.97 kilometers, offering four elevated lanes aimed at easing vehicle congestion across southern Metro Manila.