Indigenous Peoples (IPs) of Central Luzon have expressed their strong support for the government’s large-scale tree planting project aimed at restoring the Sierra Madre mountain range.
This came during an emergency meeting held in Barangay Ulingao on Tuesday, July 22, led by Suprema Bae Kalikasan Lorelyn Tobias of Aredumstrico, a non-government organization advocating for environmental stewardship.
The meeting, convened among tribal leaders from Bulacan and Zambales, followed a call by Bulacan Governor Daniel Fernando urging local communities to safeguard Sierra Madre’s rainforests for the future generations.
The upcoming reforestation effort will focus on the hilly terrains of Eastern Bulacan—including Doña Remedios Trinidad, Norzagaray, and San Miguel.
Tobias emphasized that climate action should not rest solely on government officials, but must involve every Filipino.
“Patuloy na lumalala ang mga insidente ng malawakang pagbaha hindi lamang sa mga mabababang kabayanan ng Bulacan kundi maging sa matataas na lugar tulad ng San Miguel at San Ildefonso dahil malaking bahagi na ng kagubatan ang nawala sa kabundukan ng Sierra Madre,” Tobias warned, citing increasing flood risks due to widespread deforestation.
She stressed Sierra Madre’s critical role in climate resilience, serving as a natural shield against typhoons from the Pacific Ocean.
As part of the initiative, Tobias encouraged tribal chieftains to expand their tree planting by including cacao, guyabano, coffee, and rambutan across lands under native title or Ancestral Domain—offering sustainable livelihood opportunities.
To date, Dumagat Tribal chieftain Rodolfo “Datu Bituin” Delfin from Brgy. Camachin, Doña Remedios Trinidad reported the planting of 3,000 cacao trees.
Meanwhile, Aeta Tribal Chieftain Throlie Romualdo from Olongapo-San Marcelino, Zambales, has cultivated over 200 banana and coconut trees in their ancestral lands. (Freddie Velez)
