MANILA, Philippines – The grandson of former Philippine President Manuel L. Quezon urged concerned local and national officials to protect the trees set to be cut down in San Luis, Aurora along the highway that connects the province to Nueva Ecija.

In an open letter, Ricky Avanceña urged Senator Sonny Angara, Aurora Representative Rommel Angara, Governor Christian Manuson Noveras, San Luis Mayor Ariel Angara de Jesus to “stop the massacre of trees in our town of San Luis.”

Avanceña is the son of the late civic leader and human rights advocate Nini Quezon Avanceña.

A permit billboard put up by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) indicated that 32 acacia, 1 molave, and 10 narra – a total of 43 trees – will be cut down in Barangay Nonong Sr., San Luis.

Avanceña recounted the efforts of their family in putting up these trees a long time ago. “The Quezon family with the DPWH [Department of Public Works and Highways] planted narra, acacia, and molave trees on the entire highway, for shade and for drainage,” the letter read.

Avanceña attributed the tree cutting to “an ill-conceived road project by unconcerned and uncaring government officials abetted by rapacious contractors.” He did not name the contractors involved.

The tree cutting will give way to a Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) project involving construction/upgrading/rehabilitation and drainage along national roads.

The second president of the Philippines was born in Baler, the capital of Aurora. The province was named after former First Lady Doña Aurora Aragon-Quezon.

According to Avanceña, it was the couple’s “deep love for their homeland” that drove them to purchase most of the area at the foothills of Sierra Madre all the way to the area where barangays in San Luis now exist. – Rappler.com

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