The “Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Ramon Paje granted permission to SM Baguio to cut 172 trees in the mall’s property facing Governor Pack Road, paving the way for the mall’s expansion which will include a centralized parking and bus terminal in the area,” SunStar reports.

Baguio City Mayor Mauricio Domogan said that “the trees that will be cut are not pine trees but other smaller trees, while the pine trees will all be earth-balled.” On the other hand, SM said that it “will be reballing, not cutting” trees. It also said that “it has been working closely with the Baguio City Government and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – and had received the necessary permits – to re-ball and relocate 142 trees in the shopping mall area.”

The SM City expansion plan has sparked protests. There’s an online petition with 4,833 signatures as of 19 January 2012. A group, which also threatened to boycott SM, claimed that “uprooted or earth-balled pine trees above 10 years old have a very low survival rate when transplanted as exemplified in previous earth-balling activities inside Camp John Hay”.

So, some say progress is good and the pine trees, which will be replanted, would be saved. Other say just leave the pine trees alone. Which side will you take? The poll is found below. Your comments at the bottom.

Update: As of 9 February 2012, a total of 115 votes were cast relating to the poll “Agree to cut/replant Baguio pine trees and other trees for SM Baguio expansion”. 97% (111 votes) said “No, leave the pine trees alone”, while 3% (4 votes) said “Yes, it is part of progress”. You could still express your opinions through the comment section below.