BY: CHARLES NIKKO LIMON
The City Environment and Parks Management Office (CEPMO) is determined to file a case against the contractor and owner of a hotel under construction in Baguio City, following reports that trees in the area died due to soil dumping.
In 2022, tree-cutting activities began in Barangay Pucsusan to make way for the hotel. According to the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO), the lot owner, SMI Development Corp., had secured all necessary permits. They also fulfilled the requirement of planting pine tree seedlings as compensation for the felled trees.
“Those were the requirements set by our PENRO,” said Engr. Leandro L. De Jesus, OIC of CENRO Baguio.
In total, 52 trees were cut in 2022, followed by 41 more in 2023. However, a post-cutting report revealed that several trees in the area had died, allegedly due to soil being dumped over their roots.
DENR advised the company to secure another tree-cutting permit for the affected trees, but further complaints about tree-cutting activities surfaced. On January 23, 2025, authorities conducted an inspection at the construction site.
They discovered 51 dead Benguet pine trees, with 41 more at risk of dying. While there were no signs of illegal tree-cutting, investigators found that the trees’ roots had been buried under layers of soil.
Since the contractor and hotel owner did not violate Presidential Decree 705 or the Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines, DENR referred the case to the Baguio City government, which enforces Section 226.A of the city’s Environment Code.
The code explicitly prohibits cutting, damaging, or injuring pine trees except under extraordinary conditions and only with a permit.
Prior to this, CEPMO had coordinated with the developer to minimize the number of affected trees. However, upon inspection, they found dead trees at the site.
“The soil excavated for the building construction was dumped around the area to flatten the terrain, but that act caused the trees to die,” said Atty. Rhenan Diwas, head of CEPMO.
He explained that tree roots need to breathe and absorb oxygen.
“When the base is covered with soil, it eventually suffocates and dies,” he added.
Due to this, CEPMO is determined to take legal action against SMI Development Corporation and the project contractor, though the specific charges have yet to be disclosed.
The issue is also set to be discussed at the Baguio City Council session on March 10.
Attempts to reach SMI Development Corporation and DENR-Cordillera for their comments were unsuccessful. They have opted to provide their explanations during the upcoming council session.
