THE PLANNED Philippine General Hospital extension will not be built on protected land, an official of the University of the Philippines said.

UP Vice Chancellor for Public Affairs Elena Pernia clarified that the planned hospital will be constructed in an open space and not on the Arboretum.

“The hospital would be located not in the academic area, but in the largely open parks and major open spaces, leaving most of the forested area as forested area,” Pernia said.

She added that the construction will be done in the area reclassified as academic support zones. The reclassified land measures 9.58 hectares.

“The 9.58 hectares comprises both open parks and spaces, and protected forested areas, but the hospital will be built in the open area,” Pernia said.

She added that the project will occupy 4.2 hectares of the reclassified land.

“It is not in the protected forest area. It is really cleared,” Pernia said.

“We are sure no mature tree will be chopped off in the construction of the hospital. We are committed to retain this as a forest reserve,” she added.

Meanwhile, UP President Danilo Concepcion said no informal settlers living in the Arboretum will be evicted until the university finds a relocation site for them.

Recently, UP Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo said his office will consult environmental experts regarding the lifting of the protected area status of the Arboretum.

Since 2012, the UP Arboretum has been classified as a protected forest area.