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Elijah Felice Rosales - The Philippine Star
June 2, 2026 | 12:00am
Department of Environment and Natural Resources personnel transplant Narra trees in Manila’s Hidden Garden yesterday. The trees were earth-balled from Quirino Avenue as part of measures to preserve trees affected by infrastructure projects in the area.
Edd Gumban
MANILA, Philippines — The builder of the Southern Access Link Expressway (SALEX) has defended its tree cutting activities in Manila, saying it would replace the trees removed on Quirino Avenue with nearly 51,000 seedlings.
In a statement yesterday, SMC SALEX Corp. said it had secured approval from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to take down trees along Quirino Avenue, San Marcelino and Roxas Boulevard.
SMC SALEX, a unit of San Miguel Corp., said the trees have to be removed to make way for the construction of the elevated toll road running along the shorelines of Metro Manila.
The builder has committed to provide 50,700 seedlings consisting of indigenous forest species to replace the trees.
The seedlings will be planted on sites designated by the DENR. SMC SALEX is required to maintain the trees for at least three years.
The company also said 94 trees removed from the alignment were suitable for earth-balling and relocation.
To date, SMC has transferred at least 30 of these trees to other sites in Manila.
The SMC cut down trees in Manila as part of the pre-construction phase of a 3.97-kilometer segment of SALEX.
The builder said the alignment was selected because it complies with structural requirements, adding it will displace the least number of people and will reduce public and private disruption.
It also promised a comprehensive review of the trees cut down, recording their ages, species and condition to account for which would be relocated and replaced.
Students and environmental advocates filed a petition before a Manila court for a temporary environmental protection order against SMC.
Ilog Pasiglahin said Metro Manila’s heat would worsen because of the removal of the trees.
The P152.39-billion SALEX project spans 40.65 kilometers consisting of the Shoreline Expressway and three Skyway System phases: C3-R10 Extension, Quirino Extension and Buendia Extension. — Andrew Ronquillo
