Barangays told to inventory dead, leaning trees

Mayor Benjamin Magalong directed the barangays to keep an inventory of dead or leaning trees or trees with overhanging branches in their areas of jurisdiction for concerned city offices to address as calamity mitigating measures.

The mayor said that during the onslaught of typhoon “Paeng” which unleashed strong winds, most of the incidents responded to were fallen or leaning trees or branches and the experience should remind all those involved in disaster management including the barangays to adopt a more proactive stance.

“During the (typhoon), the city’s disaster risk reduction and management teams were on constant high alert to respond to felled trees and downed power lines with most reports coming directly from affected residents,” the mayor noted in his Memorandum No. 155-2022.

“As a mitigating action for prolonged inclement weather, all barangays are reminded to take necessary actions to mitigate any further risk to the safety, security and comfort of constituents,” he added.

“Henceforth, all barangays are directed to conduct a survey of snags, dead trees and low hanging branches that are in danger of causing damage to nearby roads or infrastructure or injury to persons located within the immediate vicinity,” the mayor directed.

He said the reports from the barangays should specify the location and pictures of the trees and must be submitted to the City Environment and Parks Management Office for immediate cutting, pruning or any other intervention. – Aileen P. Refuerzo