MANILA – Rizal 4th District Rep. Fidel Nograles on Tuesday pushed for the passage of a bill seeking to create a body tasked to conserve and manage the Sierra Madre, the longest mountain range in the country.
Nograles renewed call for the passage of House Bill (HB) 1972 after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. noticed the alarming deforestation in the Sierra Madre during an aerial inspection over Marikina and Antipolo on Sept. 5 to assess the damage left by Severe Tropical Storm Enteng.
“I hope that the President’s recent statement about Sierra Madre’s deforestation will serve as a nudge in the right direction for us in Congress to prioritize the creation of the Sierra Madre Development Authority (SMDA). This bill is a much-needed intervention as it seems that every typhoon that enters Luzon leaves us reeling and helpless,” Nograles said in a news release.
He said the creation of SMDA could help parallel efforts towards mitigating the effects of climate change, particularly in preventing floods and landslides that occur during typhoons.
“While the SMDA would address the restoration of Sierra Madre’s forest cover and responsible and sustainable development, we must also implement science-based long-term solutions such as a flood control masterplan, better solid waste management and land-use planning, among others,” he said.
Nograles underscored the urgent need of implementing solutions to the flood problem, citing a study by the Asian Development Bank which showed more Filipinos, particularly the poor, are exposed to a higher risk of experiencing floods and dry spells.
According to the ADB’s latest Key Indicators for Asia and the Pacific report, 16.1 million Filipinos experienced medium-to-high risk of water stress or experienced frequent droughts or intense floods.
The report showed that all major parts of the Philippines faced medium-to-high risk of water stress.
The entire Metro Manila was exposed to the risk of water stress, followed by the rest of Luzon (76 percent), Mindanao (75 percent) and the Visayas (71 percent).
Geographic mapping also showed that nearly two-thirds of the Philippines’ poor communities, which are spread out around the country, are exposed to medium-to-high risk of water stress, the report noted.
“It is the government’s duty to ensure that we protect our fellow Filipinos who are exposed to this danger,” Nograles said.
Under HB 1972 which Nograles filed on July 14, 2022, the SMDA shall undertake studies on the conservation, improvement, exploration development and maintenance of the Siera Madre Mountain Range region “subject to the approval” of the National Economic and Development Authority.
Nograles said the Sierra Madre is considered as the “backbone of Luzon” as the mountain range with its forest cover is a natural shield and barrier protecting the island of Luzon by lessening the impact of typhoons from the Pacific Ocean.
“The Sierra Madre is also one of the major drivers of the Philippine economy. Even if it is less developed as the mountain ranges are inaccessible from shore, it directly serves around 10 million people living within and around the Sierra Madre region,” he said in his bill’s explanatory note. (PNA)
