The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is coordinating with the Department of Education (DepEd) to repurpose timber from trees cut along Quirino Avenue into school chairs and tables, officials said.

DENR Acting Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna said the initiative aims to help address the shortage of classroom furniture in public schools while making use of materials from trees removed for infrastructure development, as reported by RH Tina Nolasco.

A total of 245 trees have already been cut along Quirino Avenue out of 617 slated for removal to give way to the construction of the Southern Access Link Expressway, a project that will connect to the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3.

Meanwhile, DENR said 27 trees have undergone earth-balling — a process of uprooting trees with soil intact for transfer — out of 94 identified for relocation. These trees are set to be replanted in sites including Intramuros, The Hidden Garden, and Philippine Center Island.

Authorities said the dual approach of reuse and relocation is intended to balance infrastructure development with environmental sustainability efforts.

The DENR earlier said it would temporarily suspend tree-cutting along Quirino Avenue to reassess whether more trees can be preserved through relocation rather than removal.

DENR Sec. Cuna noted that San Miguel Corporation had agreed to pause operations to give way to the evaluation and identify how many trees could still be saved.