The House of Representatives conducted an aerial inspection and site visit at the Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park in Isabela on Thursday as lawmakers stepped up efforts to protect and sustainably develop the country’s longest mountain range.
The inspection was held in support of House Bill No. 3538, which seeks to establish the Sierra Madre Conservation and Development Authority (SMCDA), a specialized government body that would oversee the long-term protection, rehabilitation, and sustainable development of the Sierra Madre region.
Joining Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III in the activity were members of the House Committee on Government Enterprises and Privatization, chaired by Parañaque Rep. Eric Olivarez, along with environmental officials and technical stakeholders.
The group flew over key areas of the Sierra Madre to assess protected forests, watershed systems, biodiversity zones, and communities vulnerable to illegal logging, deforestation, flooding, landslides, and other climate-related disasters.
“The Sierra Madre is not just a mountain range. It is our natural defense against calamities, our source of biodiversity, and a lifeline for millions of Filipinos,” the Speaker said.
Stretching more than 540 kilometers along the eastern coast of Luzon, the Sierra Madre contains around 40 percent of the country’s remaining forest cover and serves as a natural shield against powerful typhoons entering the Philippine Area of Responsibility.
The mountain range spans 10 provinces: Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Nueva Ecija, Rizal, Bulacan, Laguna, and Quezon. It helps protect more than 50 million Filipinos living in Luzon.
The Speaker cited past storms to emphasize the range’s role in disaster mitigation. He noted that Super Typhoon Lawin weakened from Signal No. 5 to Signal No. 3 after hitting the Sierra Madre in 2016, while Typhoon Ompong’s winds slowed from 200 kilometers per hour to 160 kilometers per hour in 2018.
He also said the mountain range helped weaken Typhoon Ulysses in 2020, with winds dropping from 155 kilometers per hour to 130 kilometers per hour.
Despite its critical role, he warned that the Sierra Madre remains under threat from deforestation, illegal logging, slash-and-burn activities, and outdated forestry policies, putting millions of Filipinos at greater risk from floods, landslides, and stronger typhoons.
Under HB 3538, the proposed SMCDA would craft and implement a comprehensive conservation and development plan covering forest protection, watershed management, biodiversity preservation, ecological restoration, and sustainable economic activity across the Sierra Madre region.
The agency would coordinate the efforts of local government units and national agencies to strengthen environmental governance and enforcement across the Sierra Madre corridor.
The bill would also grant the authority regulatory and planning powers over projects and activities in the region to ensure that development does not lead to deforestation, ecological destruction, or environmental degradation.
The measure also seeks to strengthen watershed and flood control management, promote scientific and environmental research, support eco-tourism and sustainable industries, and guide infrastructure planning based on environmental protection and climate resilience.
He said preserving the Sierra Madre is vital not only for conservation but also for national survival and disaster preparedness.
“The aftermath of Typhoon Ulysses has shown us the importance of conserving the forest cover of the Sierra Madre and further strengthening the storm barrier of Luzon not only for the present times but also for future generations,” he remarked.
The Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park is considered one of the most biologically diverse protected areas in the Philippines and forms part of the country’s remaining old-growth forest system, home to numerous endemic and endangered species.