Century-old trees among victims of Typhoon Glenda's gales

Not even centuries-old roots could hold against the fury of Typhoon Glenda (Rammasun) as it swept through the National Capital Region and Southern Luzon on Wednesday.

The 100-year-old acacia tree in front of Malacañang's Kalayaan Hall was among the casualties shown on "24 Oras" Thursday, along with a century-old tree at Bicol University that withstood Typhoon Reming in 2006.



Several old acacias were also felled in the UP Diliman campus.

Dr. Isidro Esteban, a forestry consultant with the Manila Seedling Bank Foundation, said one of the fallen trees was at least 100 years old. He said its heavy branches, coupled with Glenda's wind speeds and adobe under the roots, may have caused it to topple over.

"Dapat i-trim muna yung mga sanga ng puno to lessen the load of the crown of the tree. (Pero) maski itayo mo ito, mahihirapan na. The best is to remove this at magtanim na lang ng iba, " advised Esteban.

He said the Tandang Sora tree, and old duhat tree in Quezon City, which remained standing, must be protected from a similar fate, for it supposedly bore witness to heroism of Melchora Aquino and the Katipunan. — Rie Takumi/JDS, GMA News