MANILA, Philippines – “Amid the threat of Karding, Sierra Madre has once again shown just how crucial it is in protecting us against extreme weather events,” Rizal 4th District Rep. Fidel Nograles said, also seeking to establish the Sierra Madre Development Authority (SMDA) by filing House Bill 1972.
Sierra Madre was observed to weaken Karding’s power as the typhoon hit the “backbone of Luzon”. Because of this, #SaveSierraMadre trended on Twitter until Sept. 26, which is coincidentally marked as “Save Sierra Madre Day” by virtue of Proclamation 413 of 2012.
Angat Kalikasan Pilipinas stated in a post that Sierra Madre acts as a buffer and is the country’s strongest protection against typhoons that form in the Pacific Ocean, weakening them before impact.
Under Nograles’s bill, Sierra Madre will be given protection by leading anti-illegal logging and reforestation campaigns, preventing construction of unwarranted and illegal infrastructure, and utilizing its natural resources for its region’s economic development.
Meanwhile, Dasmarinas City Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. came up with House Resolution 430 to look into the degradation of the 500-kilometer mountain range to come up with ways to properly protect it.
“There is an urgent need to determine whether human activity such as illegal logging, gold mining, limestone mining, construction aggregate quarrying, deforestation and dam construction are being conducted at the Sierra Madre Mountains,” the solon said.
“There is a need to confirm if there were corresponding permits issued by the concerned government agencies,” Barzaga added.