Akbayan Youth launches campaign to save trees in Brgy.

Mabolo
A youth group reacted strongly against Cebu City Mayor Michael Ramas plan to
remove the center island and trees along Pope John Paul II St. In Brgy. Mabolo.
Akbayan Youth condemned Mayor Ramas request to Department of Environment
and Natural Resources (DENR) to forego permits and earthball the trees as part of a
road-widening project for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit and
International Eucharist Congress (IEC).
The socialist group is launching 50 shades of green, a multi-sectoral campaign to
stop the plans of removing the more than fifty trees in Brgy. Mabolo and instead call
to further greenify the urban landscape.
We urge Mayor Rama to look for more ways to ease traffic congestion without
sacrificing the trees, Akbayan Youth environment committee head Winona Colina
said. Cebu City without trees will not please the delegates of APEC and IEC,
especially not the Cebuano community.
We should be demanding climate justice in this situation. We are hopeful that
Department of Environment and Natural Resources will side with the environment
and disapprove the plans, Colina further added.
Cebuano personalities are also weighing in on the issue.
Cultural heritage interpreter and activist Balbino Ka Bino Guerrero cited the
historical value of the streets in arguing to keep the trees.
Guerrero said in his open letter to the mayor that it would be disrespectful to Pope
John Paul II and other notable icons who have once visited the area.
The youth organization will declare the last week of July as the Tree Dedication
Week and name the trees with significant people like Pope John Paul II, Pres.
Corazon Aquino and Pres. Ramon Magsaysay, to name a few.
If the City cant be pressured to save the trees, perhaps naming these trees after
people who are important to the community will make them realize that our
environment is equally important.
The organization will be partnering with Movement for Livable Cebu (MLC) and Ka
Bino Guerrero to widen the reach of their campaign. The group is calling for other
organizations in schools and barangays to take a stand for the environment.