MANILA, Philippines — A viral video showing a tree lying on the ground along Roxas Boulevard sparked alarm and raised questions over alleged tree cutting and earthballing activities despite San Miguel Corporation’s reported voluntary stop to such operations linked to its Southern Access Link Expressway (Salex) project.
In an exclusive interview with The Manila Times, concerned citizen Tay Mesario said he recorded the incident after seeing workers conducting activities around trees along the boulevard on Thursday night.
The video posted by Mesario showed workers along Roxas Boulevard, with one tree lying on the ground while others appeared to be undergoing digging activities.
The footage drew public attention after Mesario questioned why the activity was still happening despite the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) saying that San Miguel Corporation suspended tree-cutting activities for the Salex project to allow further review of environmental measures, including the earthballing process.
Mesario said he was driving home along his usual route on Roxas Boulevard at around 10:30 p.m. when he noticed the workers.
He said he had seen a small group of workers digging around trees in the area several days earlier, but noticed that more people were present at the site on Thursday night.
According to Mesario, one tree was already lying on the ground and appeared to have very few roots and branches left, while two other groups of workers were also digging around separate trees.
He said he approached the workers calmly to ask what was happening, but the first response he received from a contractor representative was, “Who are you?”
Mesario said he replied, “I am just a concerned citizen.”
He also questioned whether the process was proper if the activity was intended for tree relocation through earthballing, saying he wanted transparency and compliance with environmental standards.
Mesario said he initially hesitated to record the incident because he was unsure whether his concerns were valid, but decided to document what he saw.
“I was nervous. I was scared because I was alone. I was even stuttering while asking questions,” Mesario said.
“Staying silent would have been the easier choice. But I couldn’t. And I wouldn’t,” he added.
The DENR and San Miguel Corporation have yet to clarify whether the activity captured on video was covered by the voluntary suspension or whether the workers were conducting approved earthballing operations as part of the project review.
The Manila Times has reached out to DENR for clarification regarding the reported activity but has yet to receive a response as of posting time.
The Salex project has drawn public scrutiny over its impact on the environment, prompting calls for clearer environmental safeguards and transparency from concerned groups.
