MAY 14, 2015

NR # 3831B

Bills on mangrove reforestation and rehabilitation pushed

The House Special Committee on Reforestation and the Committee on Appropriations
have jointly endorsed passage of eight substitute bills seeking the reforestation and rehabilitation
of some 2,186 hectares of mangrove areas in the province of Catanduanes.
Mangrove forests are very important as natural barriers against storm surges in typhoonravage Catanduanes and in increasing fish and seafood production for its people, Rep. Cesar V.
Sarmiento (Lone District, Catanduanes), principal author of the eight original bills stressed.
The eight substitute bills, now awaiting plenary consideration, are co-authored by Rep.
Susan A. Yap, Reforestation panel chairperson, and endorsed for plenary passage by the
Committee on Appropriations chaired by Hon. Isidro T. Ungab.
The eight mangrove areas are spread as follow: HB 1156 94 hectares, Virac; HB 1157
85 ha., Viga; HB 1158 362 ha., San Andres; HB 1159 913 ha., Panganiban; HB 1160 233
ha., Pandan; HB 1161 200 ha., Bato; HB 1162 22 ha., Baras; and HB 1163 Bagamanoc, all
in Catanduanes.
The House has earlier approved HB 5609, a substitute bill to HB Nos. 460, 3525 and
4206, authored by Rep. Agapito H. Guanlao (Party-List Butil), Rep. Regina Ongsiako Reyes
(Lone District, Marinduque) and Rep. Yap, respectively, which prohibits the cutting, uprooting or
destroying any mangrove tree, dumping of waste within mangrove reservation areas, construction
or reclamation activity with mangrove reservation areas, or any other acts that will result in the
damage or destruction of mangrove forests.
Rep. Guanlao, during earlier public hearings, noted that from 500,000 hectares in 1914,
Philippine mangrove forests dwindled to only 100,000 hectares in 1994 due to coastal
development, conversion, and reclamation.
Between 1994 and 2015, how many hectares of mangrove areas have been destroyed due
to conversion and other destructive activities? the authors surmised.
It was also stressed that mangroves serve as breeding ground for fish, serve as barriers
against tidal waves, and can store up to four times more carbon than the tropical rain forest.
The amount necessary for the implementation of the proposed statutes shall be charged to
the appropriations of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources under the General
Appropriations Act.
The eight Sarmiento measures are expected to be taken up in plenary any time now and
will be sponsored and defended during floor debates by chairperson Yap, chairman Ungab and
Sarmiento. (30) dpt