Watch more in iWantv or TFC.tv

MANILA - Trees along Commonwealth Avenue which were uprooted to give way to the construction of MRT-7 were "not totally" killed, an official of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said Saturday.

The trees were located along the roads where the new railway that would link Quezon City and San Jose del Monte, Bulacan is expected to rise.

"I don’t think tinatanggal namin 'yan totally. We have close coordination with DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources). 'Yung iba diyan tinatanggal pero itatanim ulit. We don’t totally sinisira 'yan," MMDA Assistant General Manager Jojo Garcia told ANC's Dateline.

The North Avenue station of the MRT-7, part of the P8-trillion infrastructure program of the government, is expected to be finished by the end of 2019, but Garcia said the whole project may take longer than that.

Construction along North Avenue will begin Saturday evening, and the MMDA has warned of possible heavy traffic in the area and along Commonwealth as they set alternate routes.

• Traffic sa North Avenue, titindi kasabay ng konstruksiyon ng MRT-7

Garcia asked for patience from motorists who may be using these alternate roads and residents who may be affected by clearing operations on side streets.

• Ilang lugar sa QC at Caloocan, isasailalim sa road reblocking

"We really need to decongest 'yung mga EDSA, C-5, major roads so 'yung mga side streets natin we have to clear them of obstructions, not only because mayroon tayong construction sa North Avenue," he said.

"Sa ating mga kababayan, kailangan nating magtiis nang kaunti talaga or kung araw-araw na tayong naiipit sa traffic, in three to four years, all these ‘Build, Build, Build’ programs by the government might be done and then mapapaluwag na natin 'yan," he added.