Back to Basic: Learning to love trees :)

Rona Dale Ortiz

Last morning...

I woke up enjoying the invigorating smell of the pines, I realized Baguio is still the finest city in the north. Baguio is known for its unique pine environment, it is almost equated to places in Korea and other cold blooded places. Perhaps this is the reason why Baguio is invaded by Koreans--- Well going straight to the point my concern is primarily the old pine trees of Baguio. I have reflected upon this several times to the point that I have joined a tree planting activity.

I used to ignore the importance of pine trees. Actually there was one point when I hated seeing pine trees because I usually connect their existence with loneliness, it’s really weird that one morning I realized their importance; upon waking up I felt invigorated; it’s a feeling that usually makes my day--- and a friend of mine who is also a UP Mountaineer, influenced me greatly on giving importance to a certain tree. It happened 2 years ago before formally constructing the Human Kinetics Building, particularly the university court--- I remembered my friend- Deo Onda to be initializing a petition against the cutting of an old pine tree in giving way to the construction of the university gymnasium. Pine trees are already a part of Baguio- aside from making Baguio a pleasant place it is also important because it simply gives oxygen people, and their roots help in absorption of water, preventing flood and ensuring safety to people who are living at the mountainside. Back to cutting of the old pine trees, actually the act itself is illegal , in cutting a certain old pine tree there should at least be a proper permit issued by the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources (DENR) The second case that I have encountered is, another university reason--- and it happened in Saint Louis University, the administration also said that they have incurred proper papers in lieu of cutting the pine tree, and aside from that the University in return has also launched a tree planting activity in order to at least revive the impression, in lieu to the cutting of the old pine tree and in order to renew what has been taken away from nature.

From school, I usually walk down town, session and I usually walk at the side of the new building beside people support, the blue glass building shall become a prominent structure in the city, because of using high industrialized materials , glass, iron steel and 2 pine trees these are the elements the site however, the pine trees were prevented from existing naturally because they are already implanted with steel and iron--- the last case and the most celebrated one is the case of SM construction project and how many pine trees were deforested? The SM management has also promised to plant more pine trees in order to replace what they have taken.

How many pine trees have given way to so many establishments--- I wish that they can just plant pine trees and abide to what they say--- because at this point Baguio is near to the risks of erosion and landslides--- trees are needed, I just wish that when I’m older, upon returning to Baguio I’ll see more pine trees they are beautifully made to keep the city vividly close to worldwide theme of vacation spot--- and to be able to stand with the title as the summer capital of the Philippines