Claim

DENR officials defended the cutting of trees for the South Access Link Expressway (SALEX) project, saying:

“Nobody wants to cut trees but this is the reality of the world we live in… for our economy to grow and improve we need development.”

The implication is that tree cutting is necessary and unavoidable for development and sustainable development.

Rating

MISLEADING

Facts

The South Access Link Expressway (SALEX) project obtained permits for the removal and relocation of trees affected by the planned infrastructure project. However, environmental experts and policy frameworks do not support the claim that tree-cutting is automatically required for development or sustainable development.

Modern environmental governance follows what is known as the mitigation hierarchy, which requires project proponents to:

Avoid environmental damage where possible;
Minimize impacts when avoidance is impossible;
Restore damaged areas; and
Offset remaining impacts.

This means development projects are expected to first consider alternatives before removing mature trees. Tree-cutting is not presumed to be unavoidable simply because a project has been approved.

Why the trees matter

1. Trees reduce flood risk

Trees absorb rainwater through their roots and slow the movement of stormwater.

The Philippines experiences increasingly intense rainfall due to climate change. Mature trees help reduce runoff and pressure on drainage systems. Removing large numbers of trees can increase local flooding risks, particularly in urban areas.

2. Trees help prevent landslides

Tree roots bind soil together and improve slope stability.

Research by the Food and Agriculture Organization and numerous geotechnical studies show that vegetation helps reduce erosion and slope failure by reinforcing soil and improving water infiltration.

This is especially important in a country regularly affected by typhoons and extreme rainfall.

3. Trees cool cities

Urban trees can reduce surface temperatures through:

shade
evapotranspiration
reduction of heat absorption by roads and buildings

Numerous studies show that streets lined with mature trees are significantly cooler than those without tree cover.

4. Trees improve air quality

Trees absorb pollutants and capture particulate matter.

They also store carbon dioxide, helping reduce greenhouse gas concentrations.

5. Trees support sustainability

The United Nations defines sustainable development as meeting present needs without compromising future generations.

Because mature trees provide ecological services for decades, removing them creates environmental costs that cannot immediately be replaced by planting seedlings.

Is “development” always a valid justification?

No.

Many infrastructure projects worldwide have been redesigned, suspended or modified after courts determined that environmental impacts were inadequately considered.

Examples include:

Philippines

Oposa v. Factoran (1993)

The Philippine Supreme Court recognized the constitutional right to a balanced and healthful ecology and emphasized the state’s duty to protect forests for future generations.

Writ of Kalikasan cases

Philippine courts have repeatedly intervened in disputes involving mining, reclamation, logging and other environmentally damaging activities where serious ecological impacts were alleged.

India

In several cases involving metro rail systems, highways and commercial developments, courts ordered authorities to revise plans or conduct additional environmental assessments before cutting thousands of trees.

Brazil

Government agencies and private actors have been fined millions of dollars and ordered to restore damaged areas after illegal deforestation linked to development and commercial expansion.

Indonesia

Palm oil and logging companies have faced penalties and criminal convictions for unlawful forest clearing and environmental destruction.

Information Disorder Assessment

Claim 1:

“Tree cutting is needed for development and sustainable development.”

Classification: Misinformation

The statement oversimplifies development policy and ignores internationally accepted environmental principles requiring avoidance and mitigation before environmental damage occurs. There is no evidence that all development requires tree removal.

Claim 2:

“There is nothing we can do about it anymore.”

Classification: Misinformation, possibly Malinformation

The statement suggests that tree-cutting is inevitable. However, environmental policy specifically requires consideration of alternatives, redesigns, mitigation measures and restoration. Presenting the project as having no alternatives omits important context.

It would only qualify as disinformation if there were evidence that officials knowingly ignored or concealed alternatives. Based on currently available information, there is insufficient evidence to establish intent to deceive.

What citizens can do

Citizens concerned about the SALEX project can:

Request copies of DENR tree-cutting permits.
Obtain Environmental Compliance Certificates and impact assessments.
Ask for the tree inventory and relocation plans.
Attend public consultations.
File complaints with DENR and local governments.
Seek assistance from environmental lawyers and civil society organizations.
Petition courts for environmental remedies such as a Temporary Environmental Protection Order or Writ of Kalikasan where warranted.

Factcheck Statement:

The claim that cutting mature trees is simply part of “sustainable development” is misleading.

While the SALEX project may be legally authorized, sustainable development principles do not assume that environmental damage is unavoidable. Modern environmental policy requires avoiding, minimizing and mitigating harm wherever possible. Mature trees provide critical benefits—including flood reduction, landslide prevention, cooling, air filtration and carbon storage—that cannot be immediately replaced once removed.

What can citizens do if they want to stop the tree cutting?

Citizens concerned about the SALEX project are not limited to protests or social media campaigns. Philippine law and international environmental commitments provide several avenues for public participation and legal action.

1. Demand transparency

Residents can formally request:

Tree-cutting permits issued by the DENR
Environmental Compliance Certificates (ECCs)
Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs)
Tree inventories and relocation plans
Public consultation records

The public has a right to environmental information under Philippine law and under Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, which emphasizes public access to environmental information and participation in decision-making.

2. Verify whether alternatives were considered

Under international environmental practice, infrastructure projects should follow the mitigation hierarchy:

Avoid environmental damage
Minimize unavoidable impacts
Restore damaged areas
Offset remaining impacts

Residents can ask:

Were alternative routes studied?
Could fewer trees have been affected?
Were underground or redesigned options evaluated?
Why was this route chosen?

If authorities cannot demonstrate serious consideration of alternatives, critics may argue that environmental due diligence was inadequate.

3. Challenge permits administratively

Citizens can:

File objections with DENR
Request permit reviews
Seek intervention from local governments
Ask the Commission on Human Rights to investigate environmental rights implications

4. Use Philippine environmental remedies

The Philippines has some of the strongest environmental procedural remedies in Asia.

Writ of Kalikasan

Available when environmental damage affects inhabitants of two or more cities or provinces.

The writ can compel government agencies and private entities to justify activities causing significant environmental harm.

Temporary Environmental Protection Order (TEPO)

Courts may issue a TEPO to temporarily halt activities while a case is being heard.

This remedy has previously been used in disputes involving tree-cutting, mining, reclamation and environmentally sensitive projects.

Citizen Suits

The Rules of Procedure for Environmental Cases allow citizens and environmental organizations to bring cases to court in defense of environmental rights.

5. Mobilize local government action

Residents can petition:

Barangay councils
City councils
Environmental committees

to pass resolutions requesting suspension or review of permits.

Local government opposition has influenced environmental decisions in several infrastructure disputes throughout the Philippines.

Relevant International Principles and Conventions

Although international treaties do not automatically stop a project, they provide important standards against which government actions can be evaluated.

Rio Declaration on Environment and Development (1992)

Key principles include:

Principle 10

Public participation in environmental decisions.

Citizens should have access to information and opportunities to participate in decisions affecting their environment.

Principle 15

The Precautionary Principle.

Where there is risk of serious environmental harm, lack of complete scientific certainty should not be used as a reason to postpone protective measures.

Critics of the SALEX tree-cutting could argue that authorities should demonstrate that ecological impacts have been adequately assessed before proceeding.

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

The Philippines is a party to the Convention on Biological Diversity.

The treaty encourages governments to:

conserve biodiversity
protect ecosystems
integrate biodiversity considerations into development planning

Even urban trees can contribute to biodiversity by supporting birds, insects and other species.

Paris Agreement

The Philippines is a signatory to the Paris Agreement.

While the treaty does not prohibit tree-cutting, it encourages climate adaptation and resilience measures.

Because trees store carbon and reduce urban heat, large-scale removal may raise questions about consistency with climate resilience goals.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals emphasize:

Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11)
Climate Action (SDG 13)
Life on Land (SDG 15)

Opponents of the project may argue that preserving mature trees aligns with these goals.

Aarhus Convention Principles

Although the Philippines is not a party to the Aarhus Convention, its principles are widely regarded as international best practice.

They emphasize:

Access to environmental information
Public participation
Access to justice in environmental matters

Conclusion

The claim that cutting mature trees is simply a necessary part of “sustainable development” is misleading.

While the SALEX project may have received government approval, environmental policy at both the Philippine and international levels does not treat tree removal as automatically necessary or unavoidable. Authorities are expected to demonstrate that alternatives were considered, impacts minimized and environmental protections implemented before trees are removed.

Citizens who oppose the project are not without recourse. Philippine environmental law provides mechanisms—including access to information, administrative challenges, citizen suits, Temporary Environmental Protection Orders and Writs of Kalikasan—that allow the public to question whether the project adequately balances infrastructure goals with environmental protection.

The central issue is therefore not whether development should occur, but whether development can proceed in a way that respects environmental rights, climate resilience and the long-term public benefits provided by mature trees.

– Ma-ing –