A Catholic bishop has condemned the mass cutting of decades-old trees in Manila as “ecological violence” against residents, particularly the urban poor.
Bishop Gerardo Alminaza, president of Caritas Philippines, said the removal of mature trees along Quirino Avenue directly harms commuters, workers, and families facing extreme urban heat.
“[It] is an act of ecological violence against the people of Manila, a direct assault on the poor who have been enduring the daily penance of extreme heat, poisoned air, and sudden floods,” Alminaza said.
He said the trees, which for generations lined the busy corridor, served as “silent protectors,” providing shade and relief to pedestrians in a heavily urbanized city.
The clearing is part of construction work for the Southern Access Link Expressway, a 40.62-kilometer elevated toll road being developed by San Miguel Corporation to link Skyway Stage 3 to Roxas Boulevard.
Alminaza questioned the priorities behind urban development, warning that progress should not come at the expense of vulnerable communities.
“Why must ‘development’ always demand the sacrifice of the vulnerable? Why are our cities designed for vehicles and concrete instead of for children, workers, pedestrians, and the elderly?” he asked.
“We refuse to hide this injustice behind bureaucratic language. What is legal on paper is not automatically moral in the eyes of God,” he added.
The national Caritas backed calls to halt the tree cutting and review the project under ecological justice standards, while Alminaza urged public accountability.
“Demand a development that gives life, rather than one that leaves us in the shadows of stumps,” he said.
READ: ‘This does not make Manila great again’: Groups call for halt to tree-cutting for SALEX
