SM Baguio to destroy 172 trees for mall expansion

[Ghost Rider]

I am in SG now ... for the first time. They have so many trees despite SG being pretty much one big mall.

Why can't The Philippines find this happy medium?

Ang development kasi nila pailalim, ang ganda ng urban planning nila at hindi nila i-sasacrifice ang open spaces nila sa surface, kaya nga kahit mainit dyan masarap maglakad, mahangin at maaliwalas, ang daming parks at open areas.

Maganda rin ang transport system nila, hindi mo na need magkaroon ng sariling sasakyan, mataas pa ang tax sa mga gustong mag-may ari dahil sinadya yan ng government to discourage the citizens to buy/ own vehicles and encourage the use the mass transport system.

Yan nga ang sinasabi ko sa simula pa lang ng thread, ang solution sa traffic sa Baguio city ay isang effective na mass transport system, hindi paggawa ng parking lot out of the open areas.

[Choaduxy]

SMBG is designed to be LEED certified (in fact, it aims to receive a LEED gold rating). But SM City Baguio IS REGISTERED with LEED.

Some "advocates" are saying that SM City Baguio is lying by claiming to be LEED Certified. SM never stated that.

The name is under SM Prime Holdings Incorporated for verification:
http://www.usgbc.org/myUSGBC/Members...?CMSPageID=140

Also, thanks to Google everyone's an environmentalist and a scientist all of a sudden. Armando M. Palijon, an Arborist/Urban Forestry Practitioner states empirical based findings about the whole issue. It's about time someone who has a "real say" about the environment steps in. https://sites.google.com/site/angtam...nd-alnus-trees

Well this is nice to know that SM is LEED certified meaning may sense of responsibility sila for environmental development with all their projects. All buildings should be like that and mabuti pa SM actually. Di tulad ng ibang developments diyan build lang ng build.

[MomTrish]

And where's the copy of his study? Kung forestry lang ang topic at center ng study niya, balewala yan. Post the Environmental Impact Study, public document naman yan, even the media is not discussing that.

Selective, bakit ang Tampakan Bay Project ng SMI detailed at maayos ang pagkakagawa, rejected pa rin ang ECC dahil sa hindi pabor ang ilan nga lang na sector sa area na iyon, eto ganun din ang kwento pero iba ang resulta?

Ang sabi ni Sec. Paje sa SMI project maraming against, pero sa SM Baguio project na ganyan kabaligtaran ang sinasabi niya. Dahil ba may basbas yan ng Presidente at takot mawalan ng trabaho, waiting in line kasi si Neric Acosta, hahahaha....

Have you tried reading the link I posted? This one: https://sites.google.com/site/angtam...nd-alnus-trees Medyo mahirap intindihin pero try reading and sharing it to others. Para we'll have an idea kung ano yung mga environmental issues na kinonsider ng SM. Don't be biased with spreading only your opinions and other hearsay.

Balewala yung study niya? He won't be an expert in the field if what he says doesn't matter. And what makes you the one to be listened to, may degree ka ba about forestry?

Di ko rin maintidihan kung bakit ang daling husgahan ng SM samantalang based na rin sa article na to, mas marami pang mas guilty: http://manilastandardtoday.com/2012/...RBkMNxIY.email

[Ghost Rider]

Have you tried reading the link I posted? This one: https://sites.google.com/site/angtam...nd-alnus-trees Medyo mahirap intindihin pero try reading and sharing it to others. Para we'll have an idea kung ano yung mga environmental issues na kinonsider ng SM. Don't be biased with spreading only your opinions and other hearsay.

Balewala yung study niya? He won't be an expert in the field if what he says doesn't matter. And what makes you the one to be listened to, may degree ka ba about forestry?

Di ko rin maintidihan kung bakit ang daling husgahan ng SM samantalang based na rin sa article na to, mas marami pang mas guilty: http://manilastandardtoday.com/2012/...RBkMNxIY.email

Opinions? I'm not just stating opinions but scientific facts FYI.

Degree on forestry? I'm an environmental scientist, I do environmental impact studies, that's why I know these things. Overall impacts (both beneficial and adverse) and mitigation, including management and monitoring ginagawa ko. Aside from doing environmental assessment, I also formulate planning methods. Binabasa mo ba mga posts ko? Sa tingin mo ba post yan ng walang alam sa topic?

FYI, forestry is only one portion of an EIS, there are other lots of things to be consider, kaya nga sabi ko, kung forestry lang ang pinapaliwanag niya, futile yan, how about the other factors, overall ang tinitingnan dyan. Have he considered the effects on local climate settings? Where? Wala akong nabasa sa article link mo, post mo kung meron, alin doon yung green building part? The carbon stock, duh he only focused on the trees, how about the open areas/ the soil? Where's the consideration in the study? Nasaan ang tungkol sa Urban Heat Effect? Asan ang ginawang Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA), nasaan ang epekto sa hydrogeological characteristics, hydrology, environmental health impact (EHI), nasa EIS lahat yan. Better post the EIS rather than that, alam na naming mga practitioner sa DENR ang mga sinasabi niya.

His study focused on how to earthball the trees, that's a given, alam ko na yan, at hindi ko sasabihing mali ang assessment niya, SOP na yan.

Don't be selective dahil pabor sa pinapaniwalaan mo ang article niya, alam naming mga practitioner na one side lang ng kwento ang sinabi niya, walang project na wlaang adverse effect pero puro beneficial ang article niya. Nagmumukha siyang bayaran at echo ng SM.

[eunice1234]

Have you guys read this piece already by Armando M. Palijon and Arborist and Urban Forestry Practitioner? I say he has a different take on this SM Baguio, somewhat enlightening kasi iba yung point na sinulat nya about this issue. Like mas okay daw na icut yung trees than earth-ball para mas mapakinabangan pa. What do you think? Check out this article--http://www.thedailyguardian.net/index.php/local-news-8/10486-in-fairness-to-benguet-pine-and-alnus-trees-1st-of-3-parts

[Choaduxy]

I think the situation is being OA now. If they care about the trees then it doesn't mean SM doesnt care about them. I've read in this article:

http://www.thedailyguardian.net/inde...1st-of-3-parts

Stating how much SM has been handling the situation and gaano sila ka ingat sa pag transfer ng trees since ng start sila. Ano masasabi niyo? Talaga bang hindi na puwede i-consider na ito? andyan na kasi siya e..

[Choaduxy]

I think the situation is being OA now. If they care about the trees then it doesn't mean SM doesnt care about them. I've read in this article:

http://www.thedailyguardian.net/inde...1st-of-3-parts

Stating how much SM has been handling the situation and gaano sila ka ingat sa pag transfer ng trees since ng start sila. Ano masasabi niyo? Talaga bang hindi na puwede i-consider ito? andyan na kasi siya e..

[eunice1234]

I'm sorry if I will post the whole article on Facebook but this one is very alarming lang kasi. All along naka focus lang tayo sa SM Baguio pero meron pa pala iba establishments and company na balak din mag expand at putulin ang puno. So ano plano ng mga environmentalist about this issue?

MORE TREES WILL BE CUT WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDFGE OF THE PUBLIC..... BAGUIO CITY DENR TREE CUTTING REPORT (
BAGUIO CITY - The number of trees that are supposed to be affected by the controversial expansion project of SM Investment Corporation in its Baguio location is just a small percentage compared to the number of trees that have already been cut and earth balled from 2002 elsewhere in the city, records from the Department of Natural Resources Cordillera office reveal.

Based on the DENR data, a total of 4,078 trees have been affected by mostly construction and development projects within Baguio City. Five hundred fifteen of which have been displaced through earth balling process, 503 of which have took place in 2008 after having been issued permits by the DENR. The records also show that most of the tree cutting permits issued involved trees that were cut within Camp John Hay, with 1027, and 332 trees underwent earth balling from 2000 up to 2010.

Aside from Camp John Hay, other entities that were issued tree cutting permits and special cutting/earthballing permits due to expansion, development projects, and construction include the Philippine Economic Zone Authority, University of the Philippines Baguio, Saint Louis University, government line agencies, subdivision developers and private lot owners. The record also listed the issuance of tree cutting permits to some entities since the trees concerned, either live or dead, posed danger to lives and properties.

DENR local officials have observed that while the opposition is currently focused – and have initially succeeded – on halting the earth balling of the remaining in the 182 trees in the SM Luneta Hill property, many are unaware that the SLU administration has pushed through with their development in Pacdal area even while their request for a cutting permit with the DENR has not yet been acted upon. The development in the area, based on their request for permit, is for the expansion of its SLU Boys High campus. Goshen Land Capital, a real estate and condominiums developer, on the other hand, has not secured and has not been issued any permit from the DENR. It is believed to have cut trees as a consequence of their development in Leonila Hill, Bakakeng and some parts of La Trinidad with the permission of the city government.

Environment officials think it is unfortunate that SM is being targeted at the moment when in fact many trees have been cut and are soon to be cut without the knowledge of the public. They support any move to zero in as well with these eventualities, if only to regulate the cutting of trees.

At the moment, 649.57 hectares or only 47.77 percent of the 1,359.78 total area of proclamation for forest reservation are planted with trees.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...6441923&type=1

[triggersnipe]

Naalala ko tuloy yung jingle ng SM "Here at SM, we've CUT it all for you!" haha

[JobyBryant24]

Me sale pala sa mga SM ngayon oh:

[Ghost Rider]

Have you guys read this piece already by Armando M. Palijon and Arborist and Urban Forestry Practitioner? I say he has a different take on this SM Baguio, somewhat enlightening kasi iba yung point na sinulat nya about this issue. Like mas okay daw na icut yung trees than earth-ball para mas mapakinabangan pa. What do you think? Check out this article--http://www.thedailyguardian.net/index.php/local-news-8/10486-in-fairness-to-benguet-pine-and-alnus-trees-1st-of-3-parts

I was in DENR last friday and asked a forester friend, a UPLB graduate, roots originating in Benguet about his opinion regarding the SM project. The first thing that he said is the same thing your article is stating, earth-balling the pine trees is useless, they will eventually die. Very sensitive daw ang pine trees, I'm here in Baguio right now and kanina habang nasa byahe, I observed what he said, and he is right. He rold me that once pinutol mo ang branches ng pine tree, hindi na ulit eto tutubo, hindi kagaya ng ibang puno, yan kasi ang practice, pinuputol muna ang mga sanga at inaalis ang karamihan ng dahon dahil tutubuan naman ulit, sa pine trees, hindi ganoon. Tiningnan ko ang mga putol na branches ng mga pine trees na nakatanim sa mga dinaanan ko, and yes totoo, wala na ulit tumubo sa mga putol na sanga.

Ang isa pang sinabi niya ay ang ugat nito, once maputol ang ugat o maputulan eto lalo na yung matatandang pine trees, i-consider mo ng mamamatay ang puno.

Kaya tama at sinusuportahan ng forester friend ko sa DENR ang sinabi ng nagsulat ng article, mabuting putulin na lang kesa mabulok.

Kaya singungaling ang SM pati ang mga consultants nila. ZERO survival rate ang earth-balled pine trees.

Nakita ko rin ang mga posters ng SM sa SM Baguio kanina, hindi daw sila magpuputol ng puno pero base sa news may ilang naputol na sila, saka kumalat ang balitang LEED Certified na sila pero ang nakasulat "SM AIMS TO BE THE FIRST LEED CERTIFIED BUILDING" magkaiba yata ang aiming sa certified na talaga.

And again, hindi kayang palitan ng artificial environment ang ecological value at importance ng real trees and open areas, lalo na sa UHI effect.

[TuxTips]

I would be more concerned with squatting problem in baguio than SM.

Another is house expansion, they keep building 3 or more storey houses due to small spaces without proper building permit, making it susceptible with earthquakes, especially in baguio.

Diesel engine transportation making baguio hotter and full of black carbon making pine tress black.

The SM thing is just propaganda, there are a lot of things to fix up there.

[sushisachi]

I was in DENR last friday and asked a forester friend, a UPLB graduate, roots originating in Benguet about his opinion regarding the SM project. The first thing that he said is the same thing your article is stating, earth-balling the pine trees is useless, they will eventually die. Very sensitive daw ang pine trees, I'm here in Baguio right now and kanina habang nasa byahe, I observed what he said, and he is right. He rold me that once pinutol mo ang branches ng pine tree, hindi na ulit eto tutubo, hindi kagaya ng ibang puno, yan kasi ang practice, pinuputol muna ang mga sanga at inaalis ang karamihan ng dahon dahil tutubuan naman ulit, sa pine trees, hindi ganoon. Tiningnan ko ang mga putol na branches ng mga pine trees na nakatanim sa mga dinaanan ko, and yes totoo, wala na ulit tumubo sa mga putol na sanga.

Ang isa pang sinabi niya ay ang ugat nito, once maputol ang ugat o maputulan eto lalo na yung matatandang pine trees, i-consider mo ng mamamatay ang puno.

Kaya tama at sinusuportahan ng forester friend ko sa DENR ang sinabi ng nagsulat ng article, mabuting putulin na lang kesa mabulok.

Kaya singungaling ang SM pati ang mga consultants nila. ZERO survival rate ang earth-balled pine trees.

Nakita ko rin ang mga posters ng SM sa SM Baguio kanina, hindi daw sila magpuputol ng puno pero base sa news may ilang naputol na sila, saka kumalat ang balitang LEED Certified na sila pero ang nakasulat "SM AIMS TO BE THE FIRST LEED CERTIFIED BUILDING" magkaiba yata ang aiming sa certified na talaga.

And again, hindi kayang palitan ng artificial environment ang ecological value at importance ng real trees and open areas, lalo na sa UHI effect.

Nabasa ko rin yang article na yan about trees being cut na lang than earth-balled. it comes in three parts di ba? May sense nga naman yung article...naguluhan tuloy ako kung ano ba mas okay. hehehe. Here are the 3 links for the 3 part article.

http://www.thedailyguardian.net/inde...1st-of-3-parts

http://www.thedailyguardian.net/inde...2nd-of-3-parts

and

http://www.thedailyguardian.net/inde...ast-of-3-parts

[bluestar08]

Please read this one (http://business.inquirer.net/57729/caught-in-the-hack) I completely agree with the writer's POV. Choose the lesser evil. Pag nagka soil erosion sa side ng Luneta Hill, hindi lang yung 182 trees ang madadamay, huwag naman sana, pero baka ilang residents pa ng Baguio. Dati pa pala pinapagawan ng paraan yang problem na yan eh, pinilit talaga ng experts ang Baguio na idevelop na ang lugar para ma prevent ang erosion. Pero looks like SM pa masama...(sigh) tapos Baguio local officials din pala nag request sa SM na maglagay na ng parking sa idedevelop nila para madecongest traffic, tapos bigla sasabihin ng ibang tao na mageexpand lang SM Baguio para sa parking lot. Tsk..tsk..tsk... This article is an eye opener.

[kongersman]

Ang ipokrito ng mga tao rito. Galit na galit pag tinanggal ang puno sa pagkakatanim pero tuwang tuwa sa mga taong tinatanggalan ng tirahan.

Ilan kaya sa mga ito ang nagtanim ng puno sa tunay na buhay.

[Ghost Rider]

Ang ipokrito ng mga tao rito. Galit na galit pag tinanggal ang puno sa pagkakatanim pero tuwang tuwa sa mga taong tinatanggalan ng tirahan.

Ilan kaya sa mga ito ang nagtanim ng puno sa tunay na buhay.

Dito ko gagamitin ang isang bagay at terminology na natutunan ko sa scientific conference dito sa UP Baguio, bagay sa post mo at mindset, the terminology is: anthropocentric mindset.

Eto yung mindset na sarili lang ang iniisip, particularly tao, ang isang bagay na itinuro din ng simbahan, na ang tao ang pinaka-espesyal na nilalang sa mundo.

Anthropocentric Theory Quote

Man has been here 32,000 years. That it took a hundred million years to prepare the world for him is proof that that is what it was done for. I suppose it is, I dunno. If The Eiffel Tower were now to represent the world's age, the skin of paint on the pinnacle knob at its summit would represent man's share of that age; and anybody would perceive that the skin was what the tower was built for. I reckon they would, I dunno.

[Declaiming Alfred Russel Wallace's 'anthropocentric' theory, that the universe was created specifically for the evolution of mankind.]

http://www.todayinsci.com/Quotations...Quotations.htm

I'm very glad that I attended the conference, marami talaga ako natutunan sa mga researchers and scientists all over the Philippines.

We have Japanese scientists and researchers too from different Japan Universities na nagpresent ng works nila, isang nakakuha ng attention ko ay about sa satoyama at satoumi works nila. Nagawa nila na i-develop, i-rehabilitate ang urban and rural areas to co-exists sa natural environment nila.

Unlike here, puro sariling kapakanan ng mga tao ang iniisip.

Kaya nga ginamit nila ang term na anthropocentric.

May isang nagpresent din na taga UPLB, PhD na, connected sa isang US University at member ng dendrology international group, meaning they study timeline of trees, meaning the past using the age of the trees. Someone asked him about sa case ng SM Baguio, he answers safely at hindi niya directly sinagot, pero alam na naming nasa conference ang ibig niyang sabihin, mahirap nga namang ma-qoute siya

[Ghost Rider]

Please read this one (http://business.inquirer.net/57729/caught-in-the-hack) I completely agree with the writer's POV. Choose the lesser evil. Pag nagka soil erosion sa side ng Luneta Hill, hindi lang yung 182 trees ang madadamay, huwag naman sana, pero baka ilang residents pa ng Baguio. Dati pa pala pinapagawan ng paraan yang problem na yan eh, pinilit talaga ng experts ang Baguio na idevelop na ang lugar para ma prevent ang erosion. Pero looks like SM pa masama...(sigh) tapos Baguio local officials din pala nag request sa SM na maglagay na ng parking sa idedevelop nila para madecongest traffic, tapos bigla sasabihin ng ibang tao na mageexpand lang SM Baguio para sa parking lot. Tsk..tsk..tsk... This article is an eye opener.

Boldface mine.

Nakita mo na ba ang perspective drawing ng SM Baguio? Nabasa mo na ba ang mga posters na nakalagays a SM Baguio? Ako oo, at iba ang sinasabi mo sa nabasa ko at nakita ko sa perspective drawing, expansion at hindi lang parking lot, somehow may pagkakahawig but not exactly sa SM North.

May paraan para maiwasan ang soil erosion, riprap ang gawin. The traffic can be fix by the LGU, tamad at bobo lang talaga sila.

[kongersman]

Dito ko gagamitin ang isang bagay at terminology na natutunan ko sa scientific conference dito sa UP Baguio, bagay sa post mo at mindset, the terminology is: anthropocentric mindset.

Eto yung mindset na sarili lang ang iniisip, particularly tao, ang isang bagay na itinuro din ng simbahan, na ang tao ang pinaka-espesyal na nilalang sa mundo.

Ipokrito. Save the trees , Kill the squatters.

Magsama kayo ng mga puno mo.

[Ghost Rider]

Ipokrito. Save the trees , Kill the squatters.

Magsama kayo ng mga puno mo.

Trees produce organic waste which nourishes the soil for other plants, produce food for other species. Squatters produce solid waste and they damp it everywhere producing pollution and floods.

Trees cleans the air, acts as filters, squatters are part of the undisciplined burn garbage, burns fossil fuels, pollutes the air. The more trees, the cleaner the air. The more the squatter, the more polluted air can be. They act as carbon sinks, squatters/ humans adds greenhouse gases in air.

Trees help tp conserve and recharge aquifers/ groundwater source. Squatters pollute it.

Hirap ng walang alam, squatter ka ba?

[RealityBlows]

Readers Digest Asia Discredits Anti-Sm Protest Leader; Declares "Award" as Non-existent

Readers Digest Asia Facebook release on May 16, 2012:

"Reader's Digest Asia wishes to clarify information recently reported in the national media concerning Dr Michael Bengwayan.

Contrary to reports, Dr Bengwayan has not been voted or awarded a Reader's Digest Asia Environmental Hero award. In fact, we have no such awards programme currently or planned.

Earlier this year Dr Bengwayan was interviewed by a freelance writer working on a project for Reader's Digest Asia magazine. That interview has not been used and is not scheduled for publication."