The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) announced that San Miguel Corporation (SMC) has voluntarily stopped the cutting of trees along Quirino Avenue and nearby major roads in Manila for the Southern Access Link Expressway (SALEX) project. 

“The cutting [of the San Miguel Corporation]. They voluntarily stopped”, DENR Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna said at Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum on Wednesday. 

The agency chief revealed that both parties agreed to a recommendation to temporarily suspend tree cutting to allow further study and improvements, including possible enhancements to the earth balling process. 

Cuna, however, stressed that the DENR is disheartened by the tree cutting for the project but pointed out that the activity is guided by studies and proper coordination with the project proponent and concerned local government units. 

“We are also honestly saddened by the cutting of trees. We do not want this.”

“But it is necessary. What we want to convey to the public is that we have studied it well. We are doing things, coordinating with the proponent and with the local government unit of [Manila] on how we can address what happened,” the Environment Secretary said.

The DENR official added that the permit for the SALEX project in conducting clearing activities underwent studies, with the agency assessing the project design.  

“Based on studies, the project design [suggests] avoidance [to trees] cannot be totally possible,” Cuna emphasized, noting that the SALEX project design skipped the first mitigation hierarchy in avoidance.