One Voice: Save 182, Save All Trees in Baguio at Baguio City Hall
By Michael A. Bengwayan
Mga kababayan kong nagmamahal ng kalikasan at ang siyudad ng Baguio,
Tomorrow, February 20, members of the Baguio City Council has finally decided to give us all a chance to be heard since I wrote them last January 24. For this, we are thankful because our plea did not fall on deaf ears. In my letter to them, through City Council Presiding chairman and Vice Mayor Hon. DANIEL T. FARINAS, I explained the reasons:
1. Why a tree cutting and/or an earth-balling permit should not have been given to SM by DENR,
2. Why earth-balling is no different from a death sentence,
3. The ecological, cultural and social importance of the trees, and;
4. Why the building permit given to SM should be cancelled or recalled.
I then concluded by requesting the City Council to craft a resolution to request DENR to cancel the tree cutting and/or earth-balling permit and equally request for the cancellation of the building permit.
In tomorrow’s Council meeting, I will be asked once again to explain the above and further elaborate on these. I can do so and appropriately enough. But I can do it better if you are there to support me to add your voices to the clamor that: “There should be no more cutting of trees in Baguio, Let those 182 trees live. Let all trees in Baguio live.”
Together, we are stronger. United we are solid. With a loud and strong voice, we will be heard. Please come and join us tomorrow at the City Hall. There will be hundreds of us, no, perhaps thousands and we will fill every space in and outside the council, city hall, city hall yard and park just so we will tell our public servants, “ENOUGH of the RAPE OF THE CITY, SHOW SOME POLITICAL WILL, END TREE CUTTING ONCE AND FOR ALL.
Come in green shirts. Bring green ribbons, Bring your large placards. Tell your friends, relatives, neighbors, and everyone. Copy this and share to as many friends as you can.
Our leaders have difficulty in reading messages, in seeing numbers, in listening to the people. WE WILL HELP THEM WITH THOSE DIFFICULTIES.
Let us show our leaders, either they shape up, or next year, we ship them out!