House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III has called for stronger protection of natural ecosystems to combat intensifying typhoons, emphasizing that effective flood management requires more than just concrete infrastructure.
Addressing the country’s recent severe flooding, Dy emphasized the urgent need to protect watersheds and forests as critical environmental buffers against extreme weather events:
“Ang mga pagbaha na naranasan natin sa iba’t-ibang lugar ay isang malinaw na paalala na hindi natin maaaring paghiwalayin ang kaligtasan ng ating mga komunidad sa pangangalaga sa ating kalikasan,” Dy said.
“Flood control cannot be about infrastructure alone. We also have to protect our forests, watersheds, and natural ecosystems because they form part of our first line of defense against the growing impact of extreme weather.”
To institutionalize this strategy, Dy is championing House Bill 3538, which seeks to establish the Sierra Madre Mountain Range Authority (SMMRA).
A technical working group under the House Committee on Government Enterprises and Privatization, led by Bukidnon 1st District Representative Jose Manuel Alba, is currently consolidating various legislative proposals focused on protecting the mountain range.
Under the measure, the SMMRA will serve as the central regulatory and policymaking body responsible for environmental governance across the region. The agency will be tasked with executing a 25-year science-based master plan prioritizing conservation, climate resilience, and nature-based solutions.
“Hindi sapat na kumilos lamang tayo kapag baha na ang mga kalsada at lubog na ang mga tahanan. We have to address the problem before the next storms come, and that means protecting the ecosystems that help absorb rainfall, regulate water, and reduce the vulnerability of our communities,” Dy added.
The Speaker also highlighted the necessity of balancing environmental conservation with economic opportunities for local populations residing near the mountain range:
“Hindi natin kailangang mamili sa pagitan ng pangangalaga sa kalikasan at kabuhayan ng ating mga kababayan. Our goal should be to achieve both,” he noted.
“Conservation will be more effective and sustainable when the communities who have lived with and cared for these resources are given opportunities to become our partners in protecting them.”
The proposal to create the SMMRA is currently designated as a priority legislative measure by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC).