As the country commemorates Save Sierra Madre Day on September 26, and in the wake of Typhoon Karding which hit Luzon on Sunday, Rizal 4th District Rep. Fidel Nograles has renewed his call to immediately pass a bill creating a government body tasked with the conservation and management of the 540-kilometer mountain range.
“Amid the threat of Karding, Sierra Madre has once again shown just how crucial it is in protecting us against extreme weather events. The Sierra Madre Development Authority (SMDA) will help us preserve this shield in the face of a worsening climate crisis,” Nograles said.
The Sierra Madre plays a key role in Metro Manila’s major water supply demands, along with the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, Quirino, Aurora, Quezon, Rizal, Laguna, and Bulacan.
Nograles is the author of House Bill No. 1972, which seeks to establish the SMDA to protect the mountain range, which includes a majority of the country’s sixty-eight protected areas.
The SMDA would also lead the government’s anti-illegal logging and reforestation campaigns, prevent the construction of unwarranted and illegal infrastructure, enhance and develop indigenous resources in the areas that can be utilized for development, and educate people on the importance of the mountain range.
The government body is also mandated to conduct a comprehensive survey of the Sierra Madre region’s physical and natural resources and draft a comprehensive plan to conserve and utilize them to promote the region’s social and economic development.
It will also plan, program, finance, and undertake infrastructure projects such as river, flood, and tidal control work, wastewater and sewerage work, dams and water supply, roads, irrigation, housing, and related work; and assess and approve all plans, programs, and projects proposed by local government offices/agencies within the region related to the development of the mountain range.
The Sierra Madre plays a key role in Metro Manila’s major water supply demands, along with the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, Quirino, Aurora, Quezon, Rizal, Laguna, and Bulacan.
The SMDA would also lead the government’s anti-illegal logging and reforestation campaigns, prevent construction of unwarranted and illegal infrastructure, enhance and develop indigenous resources.
Save Sierra Madre Day is observed annually on September 26 by virtue of Proclamation No. 413 as a reminder of the dangers of the continuous degradation of the mountain range, which is known as the “backbone” of Luzon. It commemorates the day typhoon Ondoy caused massive flooding in 2009.
“Maraming nagsasabi na ‘we got lucky’ at naiwasan natin ang mas matinding sakuna na dala ng Karding. Pero hindi natin dapat inaasa ang kapakanan natin sa swerte. We must act, and we must act now,” Nograles said.
“We have to be more aggressive, strategic, and comprehensive in our efforts to mitigate the effects of the climate crisis. The SMDA will be a massive help in unifying our efforts,” the Harvard-trained lawyer added.
