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Hundreds of trees marked for cutting and earth-balling in Manila bayfront for SALEX project. Photo courtesy of Elmer Valenzuela

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Hundreds of trees marked for cutting and earth-balling in Manila bayfront 

Eon Sanchez

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1779670716966HJH6oFpakAAoxtz.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Hundreds of trees marked for cutting and earth-balling in Manila bayfront for SALEX project. <em>Photo courtesy of Elmer Valenzuela</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Rows of trees continue to be cut along Roxas Boulevard as clearing operations proceed for the construction of the Southern Access Link Expressway (SALEX) project.</p><p>Photos taken on May 23 show multiple trees already felled along the bayfront stretch, with several others marked for cutting or earth-balling as part of the ongoing works.</p><p>Based on permits issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources–National Capital Region (DENR-NCR), hundreds more trees are set to be affected along the corridor from Quirino Avenue to Plaza Sulaiman in Malate, Manila.</p><div><br/></div><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:550px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=2058699487393317003&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2026-05-25T01%3A33%3A17.360410%3A8c5e28ae-575e-400a-ae7c-2e84182ee09e%26action%3Dedit&amp;sessionId=eb322ffc5b2f60d9dacc747cb84cd7beb248a2ee&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px" style="position:static;visibility:visible;width:550px;height:599px;display:block;flex-grow:1" data-tweet-id="2058699487393317003"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><p>In Barangay 720, Malate, officials said tree-cutting activities have been observed within their area.</p><p>“Siguro mga nasa bente pong puno, dito lang po &#x27;yun sa nasasakupan namin,” said Barangay Kagawad Josephine Acosta.</p><p>Acosta said an engineer earlier coordinated with barangay personnel prior to the activity. “Ang pagkakaalam ko po may pumunta raw ditong engineer tapos po nanghingi ng assist ng tanod,” she added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/24/wrap-manila-trades-dwindling-tree-cover-for-expressway-project-1320">Manila trades dwindling tree cover for expressway project<br/></a></div><p>Barangay tanod Raul Aguilar meanwhile said they helped manage traffic during the operations. </p><p>The tree-cutting and relocation activities are linked to the SALEX project, a major infrastructure initiative aimed at improving connectivity to southern Metro Manila. </p><p>Similar operations have been documented along nearby stretches, particularly along Quirino Avenue, where large sections of tree cover have already been cleared.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>CONCERN</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>A separate report also confirmed that DENR-NCR granted permits covering tree-cutting and earth-balling in areas extending toward Roxas Boulevard to accommodate the expressway alignment.</p><p>Despite this, some residents expressed concern over the loss of shade and greenery in the area.</p><p>“Syempre nakakahinayang… kasi ang init. Mainit na nga, pinutol pa ’yung puno,” said resident Jelo Jaranilla.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/21/residents-mourn-loss-of-hundreds-of-trees-cut-in-manila-for-infra-project-1953">Residents mourn loss of hundreds of trees cut in Manila for infra project</a></div><p>Another resident, Chielo Policarpio, said the trees served as shelter for some people and relief from the heat.</p><p>“Nakakapanghinayang din kasi ’yun lang po &#x27;yung masisilungan,” she said, although she acknowledged the potential benefits of the project. “Maganda naman po &#x27;yung kalalabasan kung may gagawin po silang expressway.”</p><p>Acosta also noted mixed reactions from residents.</p><p>“Syempre maraming comment diyan. Hindi maalis &#x27;yung nanghihinayang dahil &#x27;yung ibang puno diyan [ay] matatanda na,” she said, adding that the trees have long provided shade. “Naging tulong din yan kapag halimbawang sobrang init. Pwede ka kasing magpahinga dyan panandalian.”</p><p>She added that tree-cutting activities appeared to have slowed in recent days. “Kanina nagronda kami ng 10 p.m., napansin namin na parang wala nang nagpuputol,” she said.</p><p>Under existing regulations, tree-cutting and earth-balling for infrastructure projects require permits from the DENR, along with corresponding environmental clearances and mitigation measures such as replanting.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/19/hundreds-of-trees-along-quirino-avenue-cleared-for-salex-project-2040">Hundreds of trees along Quirino Avenue cleared for SALEX project</a></div><p>The ongoing clearing has raised concerns among residents and commuters over the loss of urban tree cover, particularly as trees serve as natural shade and help reduce heat in densely built areas.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MgmB0Qeqd_g?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/K17MX_JpiEM?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fIZNVwLs8vk?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Rows of trees continue to be cut along Roxas Boulevard as clearing operations proceed for the construction of the Southern Access Link Expressway project.</p>

Rows of trees continue to be cut along Roxas Boulevard as clearing operations proceed for the construction of the Southern Access Link Expressway project.

Hundreds more trees marked for cutting, earth-balling in Manila bayfront for SALEX project

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Hundreds more trees marked for cutting, earth-balling in Manila bayfront for SALEX project

Eon Sanchez,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 25, 2026 09:33 AM PHT

Read More:

SALEX

Roxas Boulevard

DENR

Manila

Tree Cutting

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