ILOILO City – Twenty-six trees in Jaro Plaza will be cut down to give way to the second phase of the ongoing plaza rehabilitation.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) passed a Resolution of No Objection (RONO) to the cutting of trees that include 16 Mahogany, seven Gmelina, two Indian Tree, and one Kalachuchi.
Councilor Ely Estante, chairman of the SP committee on public service, environmental protection, and ecology, said the aforementioned trees are invasive and destructive to the foot paths and may pose possible danger to strollers inside the park, particularly falling fruits of the Mahogany trees.
The 26 trees are considered non-endemic and non-protected species; their removal poses no danger to the environment.
The Jaro plaza is one of the city’s established tourist attractions and deemed an integral part of the city’s historical and cultural heritage.
The city government is undertaking a long overdue rehabilitation and redevelopment of the Jaro plaza which has suffered years of abuse and neglect.
Phase 1 of the rehabilitation with a total project cost of P54 million is already complete while Phase 2, with a budget of P30.4 million, is underway. It is projected to be finished within 300 calendar days or by the end of this year.
Phase 2 activities include clearing of pathways, canals and other obstructions on the side of the plaza fronting the Archbishop’s Palace. This includes the removal of the gym and other structures.
Meanwhile, Mayor Jerry Treñas said each tree to be cut will be replaced with 10 seedlings to be planted in different areas in the city./PN
