The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) announced Wednesday that recent tree-cutting and earth-balling activities along Quirino Avenue were legally permitted for the construction of the Southern Access Link Expressway project.

The elevated expressway, backed by San Miguel Corp., will connect the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 to Roxas Boulevard.

“The activity is covered by a duly issued permit granted to the Southern Access Link Expressway Corporation,” the DENR National Capital Region office said in a statement.

Under the conditions of the permit, San Miguel Corp. must plant 50,700 replacement seedlings within the city of Manila during the next planting season. Environmental officials calculated the replacement figure using the government’s standard seedling replacement uniform ratio.

The DENR and the Manila local government will jointly select the planting sites to maximize ecological benefits.

The permit, issued last 26 March, authorized the cutting and earth-balling of an estimated 617 trees along the western portion of Quirino Avenue and adjacent roads. Operations began Saturday.