Bill seeks protection of Sierra Madre

Amid the growing threats of deforestation, mining, quarrying, land conversion and unregulated development, the country’s longest mountain range — the Sierra Madre, which shields Northern Luzon and Calabarzon from deadly typhoons — faces unprecedented risks. 

In response, Senator Erwin Tulfo has filed a bill seeking to declare the entire Sierra Madre range a strict protection zone to safeguard this vital natural barrier for generations to come.

Filed on 27 November, Senate Bill 1561 seeks to close longstanding protection gaps by declaring the entire Sierra Madre Mountain Range a Strict Protection Zone. 

Under the bill, commercial extraction and other destructive activities would be prohibited, allowing only scientific research, subsistence use, and occupancy by indigenous cultural communities and indigenous peoples in line with the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act, and small-scale or traditional fishing by local communities and indigenous communities.

Before he filed the bill, Tulfo criticized the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for failing to protect the Sierra Madre, questioning during the deliberations the agency’s proposed P27-billion budget.

“They are not doing their job. Why are we funding an agency with P27 billion that isn’t even doing its work? They’ve been treating this agency like a cash cow ever since. Why? Where in the 2026 DENR budget is the funding for protecting our mountains and forests?” Tulfo asked.

He also questioned the sprouting of subdivisions and resorts at the foot of the Sierra Madre in Rizal province, considered a protected area, adding that lots there have been fenced, while timberlands are occupied.

“Mining companies told us that they are not operating in the protected area, so they can mine as long as they want. They are given permits. But when we asked the DENR, they said they are not included in the protected area,” he said.

Tulfo aired the urgent call to conserve and protect the country’s forests, noting their rapid degradation and the adverse impacts on biodiversity, climate resilience, food security, and community livelihoods, among other things.

The lawmaker also asked how much the government is spending to safeguard the forests and mountain ranges, noting that despite billions allocated in recent years — particularly for the National Greening Program —deforestation continues at an alarming rate.

“How much are we spending to protect our forests and our mountains? According to the Haribon Foundation, 9,000 hectares of forest cover in Sierra Madre are lost every year. And we keep on funding DENR to protect our forests, to protect our mountains from mining. Where do they spend the money? How much does DENR allocate to protect our mountains and forests?” he asked.

He said he filed the bill seeking the full protection of the Sierra Madre from north to south, including a total ban on logging, mining and large-scale development.

“Why do we spend so much to protect our forests and mountains, yet nothing seems to be happening? Why did we lose 44,000 hectares of natural forests in 2024 despite the funding?” he asked.

In response, Senator Loren Legarda, the sponsor of the DENR budget, said the Natural Resources Enforcement and Regulatory Program was allocated P1.19 billion, which includes P162.75 million for the hiring of forest protection officers, P57 million for the hiring of 564 forest guards, and P110.56 million for the environment and natural resources enforcement activities.

Legarda said the total funding for forest protection stands at P1.357 billion.

Being the longest mountain range, the Sierra Madre has a land area of approximately 1.4 million hectares spanning the Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and Calabarzon regions, specifically 10 provinces.

For Filipinos, the Sierra Madre mountain range plays a key role in safeguarding Luzon against strong typhoons.

Beyond disaster mitigation, the Sierra Madre plays a vital role in water regulation, climate stability, and biodiversity conservation, hosting around 40 percent of the country’s remaining forest cover and it is home to approximately 3,500 plant species, 58 percent of which are endemic.