Caritas Philippines, the social action arm of the Catholic Church, has strongly condemned the large-scale cutting of trees along Quirino Avenue and other areas in Manila. The organization accused local authorities of prioritizing development over environmental conservation.
"We are saddened and angered by the indiscriminate cutting of mature trees that have provided shade and cleaner air for decades," said Caritas executive secretary Fr. Antonio Labiao Jr. in a statement. He urged the city government to halt the operations and conduct a thorough environmental impact assessment.
The Manila city government, however, defended the tree-cutting as necessary for the construction of flood control infrastructure and road widening projects. City Engineer Armand Andres claimed that the trees were either diseased, dangerous, or invasive species.
Environmental groups have also raised concerns, noting that Manila's tree cover is already below the ideal standard. According to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the city has only about 2% tree cover, far from the 30% recommended by the World Health Organization.
Caritas has called for transparency and public consultation before any further cutting, emphasizing that trees are vital for mitigating urban heat and flooding.