informative essay about sierra madre

Sierra Madre, the Philippines’ longest mountain range

The Sierra Madre mountain range is also called the “backbone of Luzon,” and with good reason. It is the longest mountain range in the Philippines; in addition, it is one of the country’s most biodiverse areas.

Covering Luzon’s northeast coast and serving as a natural shield against Pacific typhoons, Sierra Madre stretches across roughly 1.4 million hectares of land, spanning 10 provinces. It is about 500 km (310.69 mi) in length. It also encompasses no less than sixty-eight protected areas in the Philippines, including marine reserves and national parks.

Furthermore, Sierra Madre is extremely biodiverse, with many species of flora and fauna – some of which exist exclusively in the Philippines – finding sustenance and security in its vastness.

Conservation issues in Sierra Madre

Due in large part to human activity, the Sierra Madre mountain range is undergoing drastic changes. These are severely affecting the biodiversity within the region; experts fear that without proper and immediate intervention, the damage to its ecosystem will become massive and irreparable.

These detrimental human activities include illegal logging, mining, road construction and development, and other projects that are greatly altering the forests and destroying the natural habitats of Sierra Madre’s rich and diverse wildlife.

While there are certain laws in place that serve as guidelines for the management and utilization of Philippine forests, they are not enough to guarantee protection of the country’s mountain ranges and biodiversity. Thus, it’s important to continue calling for the conservation of this irreplaceable and invaluable environmental wonder.

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• http://www.forestfoundation.ph/sierra-madre/
• https://businessmirror.com.ph/2018/10/01/sierra-madre-stifles-worlds-fiercest-typhoon-this-year/

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Conservation Initiative Helps Nature Heal Itself for Sierra Madre Reforestation

Climate Tracker Southeast Asia Forest Recovery Collaborative Journalism

Despite having the largest share of the world's tropical forest, Southeast Asia has become the world...

Part 2 of a feature on reforestation efforts in the Sierra Madre.

Read Part 1, on an upland farmers' association working to green a former kaingin area,  here .

RIZAL, Philippines — When he is not guiding visitors through the nature sanctuary, park ranger Ernie Belmonte nurtures trees planted in a patch of land in Rizal, a province east of Metro Manila.  

First, Belmonte gets rid of stubborn weeds surrounding delicate saplings. He then digs a shallow ring around the plant — carefully, to spare its roots — and loosens the hard soil to make it easier for water to seep through.

For the final step, he stacks the weeds on top of the soil to keep moisture in and to shield the plant from extreme heat. 

“What we’re doing is a small step in a larger initiative to restore the denuded land,” the 36-year-old park ranger says.

Planting trees is easy. Keeping the seedlings alive for them to grow is the challenge for Ernie Belmonte and other forest rangers at the Masungi Georeserve Foundation.

In 2017, the national government enlisted the organization’s help to restore and rewild some 2,700 hectares of heavily degraded lands in Baras town. 

The project, called Masungi Geopark, has led to the planting of 60,000 native trees and has primed some 1,700 hectares for reforestation so far. 

“The number of trees is not the main objective. It’s really bringing back an entire ecosystem of wildlife, water sources and biodiversity,” Billie Dumaliang, trustee and advocacy officer of Masungi, says.

Bringing back forests

Bringing back forests is a familiar task for the people behind the foundation. It manages the Masungi Georeserve, an award-winning conservation area known for its lush tropical scenery and sprawling karst landscape.

For a first-time visitor, it is hard to believe that what is now the Masungi Georeserve was once an abused strip of land. It now boasts of dense greenery and is home to more than 400 species of flora and fauna. 

The conservation project began in 1996 as a partnership between the Department of Natural Resources and Blue Star Construction and Development Corp. Since then, the firm has initiated major restoration efforts in a 430-hectare area degraded by real estate speculation, quarrying and illegal logging. 

Masungi Georeserve opened its doors to the public in 2016 as a “low-volume” ecotourism site. Fees paid by visitors are used to finance its conservation initiatives. 

A year after opening the georeserve to the public, the organization entered into an agreement with the government to restore the land around the Masungi limestone formations, the original site of the project. 

Some 100 park rangers, mostly from the nearby upland communities, help conserve wildlife species and the 60-million-year-old limestone formations, and protect the sanctuary from threats.  

Letting nature heal

Masungi uses the forest rejuvenation method known as assisted natural regeneration (ANR), which relies on the natural ability of species to grow in an area.

The approach is centered on the idea that nature can come back to life when it is undisturbed, which means removing or reducing barriers to natural succession such as grazing and slash-and-burn is essential to the planting and nurturing of native trees.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, ANR is a low-cost restoration method as expenses associated with seedling production, site preparation and planting are greatly reduced. 

But while it works for Masungi, the strategy may not work for other open areas in the country or those that are heavily denuded, Priscila Dolom, director of the Forest Development Center at the University of the Philippines - Los Baños, said. 

She added that “it will take time” before a forest is restored using ANR — more time than typical reforestation because it uses tree species such as narra and yakal instead of faster growing species. 

“It took us 20 years to restore the original site into a thriving forest. Hopefully, with accelerated growth by native tree planting and interventions against encroachment, we could see a restored forest in 10 years or so,” Dumaliang said.

The Forest Management Bureau said there is no one approach to reforestation, especially in the Philippines. Hence, prescribing ANR as the default reforestation strategy is “not sound.”

The Forest Foundation Philippines agreed, saying “the pursuit of this generalization has led to the planting of inappropriate species, deployment of inappropriate methods and engagement of inappropriate groups.” 

Saving Sierra Madre, watersheds

There were renewed calls to protect the Sierra Madre, the longest mountain range in the country that spans from the northern province of Cagayan down to Quezon in southern Luzon, following back-to-back typhoons late last year. 

Protecting the Sierra Madre is critical because it is the site of nearly half of the surviving old-growth forest in the Philippines. The mountain range also historically serves as a buffer against storms that develop in the Pacific Ocean, protecting millions of Filipinos living in the main island of Luzon. 

Despite many laws and regulations aimed at preserving the remaining forests, the Sierra Madre remains under heavy threat of illegal logging, mining activities and development projects.

The inability of watersheds to absorb and hold rainfall contributed to the severe flooding that submerged communities in Marikina City and Rizal following the onslaught of Typhoon Ulysses (Vamco) late last year. 

Masungi, located on the foothills of the Sierra Madre, is part of the 26,000-hectare Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape and is located near the Kaliwa Watershed Forest Reserve, the site of a controversial dam project. 

The new forest is seen to help prevent landslides and flooding events by restoring the natural ability of watersheds to regulate water for upland communities and lowland cities.  

“We need to realize that nature’s health and people’s health are strongly intertwined. The current pandemic, as well as the floodings from Typhoon Ulysses and Rolly [Goni], are stark reminders of what will continue to happen if we don’t make radical changes to the way we have been treating our forests and watersheds,” Dumaliang said. 

Battles to defend the reserve 

In 1993, the DENR issued an administrative order declaring Masungi a strict nature reserve and wildlife sanctuary and making it off limits to exploitative activities that might adversely affect the ecological balance in the area. 

The inundation of communities brought by Tropical Storm Ondoy (Ketsana) in 2009 prompted a declaration upgrading the status of the Marikina watershed to a protected area. 

Despite these, the Masungi foundation still struggles to defend its project.

Dumaliang said 1,500 hectares of the site have since been covered by Mineral Production Sharing Agreements, which give contractors the right to mine within the area. 

In March 2020, a quarry company fenced off some 500 hectares of the reforestation site to block the access of Masungi personnel. In October of the same year, they faced the same threat; this time from a meat distributor that also owns a renewable energy company.

Rublou Inc. claimed the area it fenced off is part of the ancestral domain of the indigenous Dumagat-Remontados, not of the Masungi Geopark. Dumaliang said they met with the community’s council of elders, who denied involvement in the actions.

"After a while, several alleged members appear to have backtracked on this statement, apparently without the knowledge and consent of the elders and the rest of the [community]," she says. 

After learning that an estimated 500 hectares of the project site was included in the group’s application for ancestral domain title, Masungi said it would respect their rights in parts of the geopark covered by their ongoing application.

If declared as an ancestral domain, all development projects within the land will need the free and prior informed consent of the IP group before these can proceed.

Charcoal-making is also one of the illegal activities inside the watershed. 

“It saddens us that young trees are cut down and turn into charcoal. It takes 20 years for a tree to grow but people only cut it down in an instant,” Belmonte said, as he pointed to charcoal pits, piles of logs and stumps that were left of the trees in an area that is only in the early stage of forest succession.

To protect the nature sanctuary, Dumaliang asked the government to cancel mining and quarrying permits inside the project site and provide them a “dedicated and courageous” counterpart from the environment department. 

“In the context of the climate crisis, where Filipinos are some of the most vulnerable people, it is not just unsound, but highly immoral and maybe even criminal to sacrifice nature’s conservation in favor of short-term and destructive interests,” she said.

Expanding initiatives

The organization aims to make its reforestation initiatives “as big as possible.” 

“It’s important to continuously expand the conservation area. We should do more because these are contiguous areas and they try to support a wide variety of species, plants, animals, an entire ecosystem,” Dumaliang said. 

For Belmonte, his experience with Typhoon Reming (Durian) in 2006, which wreaked havoc in his hometown in the Bicol region, made him realize the critical role that trees play during disasters.

Knowing this and the importance of the area he is protecting within and beyond Rizal motivates him to take care of trees and the lands where they belong. 

“We’re protecting the land not only for beautification purposes but for the sake of the next generation,” he said. 

The story is part of the Climate Tracker's Southeast Asia Forest Recovery Collaborative Journalism project, produced with support from the Rainforest Journalism Fund in partnership with the Pulitzer Center.

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The Sierra Madre Is Luzon's Strongest Defense Against Typhoons, So Why Is It In Danger?

The Sierra Madre has been called the backbone of Luzon for a reason. Aside from the way it stretches along the eastern coast of Luzon like a spine keeping the country upright, it’s true function is to act as nature’s shield against the onslaught of super typhoons and storm surges.

At 500 kilometers long, the Sierra Madre is the longest mountain range in the country and our greatest hope at surviving the Philippines’ many, many natural disasters. It spans 10 provinces, three regions, and protects the 50 million lives in Luzon. While it doesn’t stop typhoons in their path, it can reduce its strength and absorb the worse of it.  

Also read: 

These Are the Highest At-Risk Philippine Provinces for Climate Change-Driven Disasters

Metro Manila Is Expected to Get 4°C Hotter by 2050, Thanks to Climate Change 

Covering almost 1.4 million hectares, which is home to the country’s most biodiverse forests, Sierra Madre is undoubtedly irreplaceable.

So why is it in danger?

Human activity has always been the greatest threat to this planet, and the Sierra Madre is no exception. Illegal—and legal—mining, deforestation, and construction on its land are slowly chipping away at Luzon’s biggest natural shield.

The large mountain range is home to almost 20 protected areas and forests, such as the La Mesa Watershed Reservation and the Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscapes. But while they are, by law, protected areas, they are not actually protected. Forest rangers can only do so much against the might of mining companies, illegal logging operations, and armed guards that are a common sight in places far from the public eye.  

These instances happen everywhere, even in places as high profile as the Masungi Georeserve, which reported illegal loggers shamelessly chopping trees in a reforestation area.

Former senator and staunch environmentalist Loren Legarda once said that “unchecked illegal logging remains the main culprit” or deforestation, and “government negligence has prompted the devastation of forests.”

“Philippine forestry laws passed since 1930 have failed to provide adequate security provisions for virgin and second-growth forests, thus the forests had virtually no protection at all. For instance, there is only one forest guard for every 3,000 hectares (7,413 acres) of forests,” said Legarda to the Eurasia Review.

A government project, the controversial Kaliwa Dam, is also being proposed, and if passed, would cause massive deforestation on the southern end of the Sierra Madre. The China-funded project is supposed to “reduce flooding” and serve as an answer to the metro’s water crisis, but environmental advocates argue that it will cause more harm than good and have set up a petition to save Sierra Madre.

Dedicated environmental advocates can only make so much noise before they’re drowned out by the sound of bulldozers and chainsaws—and the money these human activities are meant to make.

And this begs the question of whether environmental damage is worth the cost of “development,” and if development will one day cost us the Sierra Madre shield.

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Sierra Madre, mother mountain

The Spaniards called her Mother mountain, this vast range stretching down the northeastern flank of the island of Luzon like the heaving backs of massive whales. Through the years, the trees and slopes of the Sierra Madre, acting like giant windbreaks, broke the backs of tropical cyclones swirling in from the West Pacific. She was also a weather maker. Her peaks and lonely upland valleys, blanketed with great sweeps of rainforest, were magnets for moisture, constantly building towering stacks of cumulus clouds, and rain. Bringing precious water to the rivers and rice fields of the thirsty lowlands…”

That is from the ode-like introduction of the book “The Last Great Forest: Luzon’s Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park” (Bookmark, 2000) by Jose Ma. Lorenzo Tan. (The author headed World Wildlife Fund-Philippines for many years.) It is a book like no other because of the way the author presented it—with illustrations, photos, and highlighted texts that make the book look like a field guide that makes readers want to head for that “last great forest” and experience for themselves what a living mother it is. My signed copy has Lory’s handwritten words: “Forests=Water=Rice=Development. The Formula!”

Why the Sierra Madre? Because after Supertyphoon “Karding” hit Luzon last Sunday, the Inquirer had a page one story with the headline “Netizens hail Sierra Madre for ‘taming’ typhoon” (9/27/2022) by Frances Mangosing and Jeannette I. Andrade. A mountain as story maker, not just a where in the what-where-when-why-how-how much, but a how. How did she do it? Also a what. What did many people think she did?

The lead paragraph: “Sierra Madre … became a trending topic on Twitter during the onslaught of Supertyphoon ‘Karding’ (international name: Noru) as netizens called attention to how it protected Metro Manila and several provinces from calamities.”

Netizens, the story said, reminded their followers of its important role as an effective barrier against storms coming from the Pacific Ocean. As of Monday morning, the topic had 78,000 tweets. What a welcome change from all the toxic, hateful posts on social media directed at persons who do good, while those who promote and defend evil are extolled.

An online petition, “Save Sierra Madre,” emphasizes that the mountain range is truly the longest mountain range in the Philippines. “It covers 10 provinces and stands proudly at 6,069 feet. It contains the largest remaining tract of old-growth tropical rainforest … which is about 1.4 million hectares of forest, representing 40 percent of the country’s forest cover…

“(It is) home to hundreds of wildlife species, many of which are unique to the Philippines, including the Philippine eagle and the golden crowned flying fox.”

Facebook friends Monette and Darwin Flores posted that they have checked with their Dumagat friends, who live in the higher areas of the Sierra Madre, and learned that the indigenous community there has lost all their rice that was supposed to be harvested in two weeks. “Each family consumes 15 to 18 sacks per year for their high-energy requirement. They walk up and down high mountains and work fields in steep inclines. We will have conversations with the Dumagats on how they wish to be assisted and what they, too, wish to share…” You may contact Monette or Darwin at 0920-923-2327.

Typhoon Karding versus the Sierra Madre became like an allegorical tale about might versus might. I found a folktale about the Sierra Madre in Tatler magazine (“Magical Paradise,” March 14, 2016) where other tales about Philippine must-visit places were featured. Let me tell it briefly in my own words.

Long ago, in the coastline of what is now Luzon, there lived a dedicated mother named Sierra and her two sons, Iloco and Tagalo. Bugsong Hangin, the king of the mighty easterly winds, often visited and brought destruction to the place. The king had always been jealous of Sierra’s husband, Lusong, a warrior who lost his life during one of the king’s destructive visits.

To put an end to Bugsong Hangin’s wrath, Sierra lied down on the coastline, her arms shielding her two sons, while howling winds and torrents of rain buffeted them. Sierra lost her life, but her sons survived. The story of Sierra’s sacrifice lives on, her spirit felt by those who honor her and live in her protective embrace.

Prayers and praise for the five Bulacan rescuers who lost their lives during the typhoon. May your families draw strength from your courage.

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SIERRA MADRE: THE PHILIPPINES’ NATURAL BARRIER AGAINST TYPHOONS

With the Philippines being located along the typhoon belt in the Pacific, the country is visited by an average of 20 typhoons every year, five of which are destructive (Asian Disaster Reduction Center, 2019). Luckily, we are protected by a 1.4 million hectare mountain range that acts as a natural shield against typhoons and storm surges – the Sierra Madre.

Also known as “the backbone of Luzon,” the Sierra Madre Mountain Range is the longest in the Philippines, spanning almost 500 kilometers in length. It covers 10 provinces – Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Nueva Ecija, Aurora, Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna and Quezon, and it’s highest peak has an elevation of “1,266 meters above sea level or equivalent to three Petronas Towers of Malaysia stacked together” (BusinessMirror, 2018).

Photo retrieved from Orange Magazine

The Sierra Madre, aside from being our natural shield, also serves as support to “major infrastructure, including irrigation dams, water utility and power plants that are serving urban settlements, including Metro Manila” (Forest Foundation Philippines, n.d.). 

We may be unaware of it but this mountain range has saved our lives countless times. Numerous typhoons could have been more devastating for the Philippines, but thanks to the Sierra Madre, these fierce typhoons have been stifled. 

Typhoon Ompong, which hit the country in 2018, is an example of a could-have-been more devastating super typhoon. With an international name Mangkhut , this super typhoon was seen to be the strongest storm to ever hit the planet for the year 2018. However, the Sierra Madre Mountain Range slowed down Ompong’s sustained winds from 220 kilometers per hour to 160 kilometers per hour. Our natural wall hampered Super Typhoon Ompong’s greater impact. 

“Since the Sierra Madre has a large surface area with many slopes and curves, it can help break the eye of the cyclone resulting in a slower wind speed,” (Haribon, as cited in BusinessMirror, 2018). 

The Sierra Madre Mountain Range also served as our protective barrier on the onslaught of Typhoon Karen and Super Typhoon Lawin in 2016. 

In the aftermath of the most recent tropical cyclone Typhoon Rolly in Nov. 2020, we checked out the effects of the storm in some of our favorite developments in Antipolo, Sun Valley and Eastland Heights. As Typhoon Rolly approached Metro Manila, news reports indicated supertyphoon levels of strength, however, it could be surmised that as the typhoon approached the Sierra Madre mountains, it’s wind strength had significantly decreased, resulting in no significant damage even in areas with high elevations like Sun Valley and Antipolo. Check out the video here.

Asian Disaster Reduction Center. (2019). Information on Disaster Risk Reduction of the Member Countries – Philippines . Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3eycI59

BusinessMirror. (2018). Sierra Madre stifles world’s fiercest typhoon this year. Retrieved from https://businessmirror.com.ph/2018/10/01/sierra-madre-stifles-worlds-fiercest-typhoon-this-year/

Forest Foundation Philippines. (n.d.). Sierra Madre . Retrieved from https://www.forestfoundation.ph/sierra-madre/

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BREAKING NEWS!

The importance of the sierra madre mountain range during the rainy season.

• August 6, 2024
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In times of disaster, nature protects our country, and the Sierra Madre acts as a defense against typhoons.

As our world continues to change due to climate change, the effects of typhoons in the Philippines seem to be getting worse.

In the midst of calamities, especially during typhoons, one mountain range serves as Luzon’s defense.

This is the Sierra Madre, the longest mountain range in the country, which acts as a natural barrier against the winds brought by typhoons.

Did you know that in 2018, if it weren’t for the Sierra Madre, Typhoon Ompong could have caused even greater damage in the Philippines?

The Sierra Madre slowed down the rapid intensification and growth of the typhoons winds.

This has been the contribution of the Sierra Madre for all typhoons entering the country.

The Sierra Madre spans approximately 1.4 million hectares of land.

It covers ten provinces, particularly Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Nueva Ecija, Aurora, Rizal, Bulacan, Laguna, and Quezon.

Aside from being a disaster shield, this mountain range also serves as an ecosystem.

It houses thirty-nine watersheds, 3,500 species of plants, and is home to twenty-eight endangered animal species, including the Philippine Eagle, the Philippine Crocodile, and even the Dugong.

As people’s lives continue to change with modern technology and other developments in the country, we must remember to take care of nature like the Sierra Madre, which has never failed to protect us from dangers.

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Sierra Madre stands up to Karding, but needs protection vs the humans it saves

INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—No, Sierra Madre was not built by anyone. Like most mountain ranges, Sierra Madre had been formed tens of millions of years ago by geological activity.

The longest mountain range in the Philippines, Sierra Madre spans several provinces and regions, among them Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and Calabarzon.

When Super Typhoon Karding (Noru) struck carrying violent winds of close to 200 kph, Sierra Madre proved itself to be “our strongest defense against typhoons,” being credited with facing Karding’s fury head on and weakening the strongest storm to make landfall in the Philippines this year.

But lost in the homage being paid by netizens, including the uninformed, to Sierra Madre for its role in saving Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon from Karding’s Category 5 winds was the assault on Sierra Madre by mainly human activity. In the last 12 years, the mountain range had already lost 161,240 hectares of forest.

Last Sunday (Sept. 25), as Karding barreled through Luzon, Sierra Madre stood her ground and was credited with saving thousands of lives simply by being there and cushioning the blows brought by 185 to 195 kph storm winds.

READ: Netizens hail Sierra Madre for ‘taming’ typhoon

Forest Foundation Philippines (FFP), an environmental group monitoring the state of Sierra Madre and other Philippine ecological sites, said the mountain range’s elevation—1,266 meters above sea level—makes it an effective barrier against typhoons from the Pacific Ocean.

GRAPHIC: Ed Lustan

Sierra Madre—500 kilometers long—traverses the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Nueva Ecija, Aurora, Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna, and Quezon.

Araceli Mercado, chair of the Save Sierra Madre Network Alliance (SSMNA), said the mountain range is a “natural shield” as typhoons weaken as they pass through the corridor.

This was echoed by Sr. Elizabeth Carranza, TST, a member of the secretariat of the Laudato Si’ Movement Pilipinas, who said that the mountain range was indeed “our backbone” as it “takes the blows, protects us from the blows of typhoons.”

Vanessa Torres, a weather specialist, told the INQUIRER that Sierra Madre was one of the reasons for the weakening of Karding, explaining that the mountain range was a “rugged terrain so Karding naturally lost some strength.”

SSMNA said Karding was not the first typhoon that was “stifled” by Sierra Madre, pointing to other equally destructive storms—Ompong (Mangkhut), Lawin (Haima) and Karen (Sarika)—that met their match in Sierra Madre.

Rizal Rep. Juan Fidel Felipe Nograles, author of House Bill No. 1972, which seeks the creation of the Sierra Madre Development Authority, said back in 2018, Ompong’s winds fell from 220 kph to 160 kph when the storm passed Sierra Madre.

Two other storms—Lawin and Karen—also crossed Luzon in 2016 but were weakened from Category 5 to Category 3 when they slammed into Sierra Madre, SSMNA said.

But as Sierra Madre trended both on Facebook and Twitter, a nincompoop netizen, apparently a troll, tried to spread the brazen falsehood that President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. built the mountain range and thanked him for it.

The absurdly fantastic claim quickly drew disbelief on social media among other apparent trolls, who considered the claim that Marcos built Sierra Madre to be too unbelievable but nonetheless gave credit to the spirit of “Apo Lakay” for dwelling in the mountain range. Some netizens can only sigh in exasperation at the utter falsehoods.

‘Her life is our life’

Carranza, who also served as chair of SSMNA, told INQUIRER.net that Sierra Madre, which literally means “mother mountain,” carries life that should be protected since “her life is our life.”

She said that years back, her group initiated the “Paglalakbay ng Krus ng Sierra Madre” with the theme “Save Sierra Madre, Save Million Lives,” stressing the significance of the mountain range for millions of Filipinos.

This, as Sierra Madre is the source of water and electricity not only of the provinces that it traverses but also Metro Manila, which has a population of over 12 million. “The water of the Pasig River and Laguna lake also comes from Sierra Madre,” she said.

Mercado told INQUIRER.net that “the role of Sierra Madre is very vital in protecting the 10 provinces—from Cagayan to Quezon—especially because the Philippines is hit by an average of 20 typhoons every year.”

She said that typhoons are more dangerous now, explaining that winds and rain continue to intensify from Category 3 back then to Category 5 now. This, she said, can cause so much destruction to infrastructure, agriculture and also bring massive loss of lives.

Mercado asserted that since “we are now in the stage of a climate emergency or crisis, we cannot afford to lose Sierra Madre or else, the impact [of typhoons] could be catastrophic.”

Threats persist

Carranza said “Sierra Madre wants us to take care of her.” “This is not only for the government, but for all of us: We really need to protect Sierra Madre, which is now threatened,” she said.

Asked about the present threats that confront the mountain range, Mercado said “it is being threatened by activities, like mining, logging (illegal and legal), land conversion, and construction of roads and dams.”

She said the consequences that these activities leave behind are permanent and that if these threats will persist, “we can no longer bring back the natural state of Sierra Madre.”

Based on data from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the mountain range had lost 161,240 hectares of its forest in only 12 years—from 1998 to 2010.

It also said that the Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park, which spans 359,486 hectares and is considered the largest protected area in the Philippines, loses an average of 1,400 hectares of forest every year.

The DENR said that this was because of continued assault on the mountain through illegal logging, slash and and burn farming, fuel-wood collection, illegal hunting, and expansion of human settlements.

FFP said despite the clear benefits that Sierra Madre provides, “its resources are continuously exploited,” saying that mining and agriculture have started to negatively affect the corridor’s ecosystem.

“Resource exploitation, changes in land use, infrastructure development, and political neglect have far-reaching consequences for the inhabitants of Sierra Madre,” FFP said.

This, as the construction of the P12.2 billion China-financed New Centennial Water Source Kaliwa Dam Project, was seen to further worsen the environmental assault on Sierra Madre as it would permanently flood 300 hectares of forest.

The environmental group Haribon Foundation said the Kaliwa Watershed Forest Reserve was declared as a forest reserve by Proclamation No. 573. A part of the watershed was also declared as a National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary.

IPs’ fight

The issue surrounding the dam, Carranza said, is not new. Together with indigenous peoples residing in Sierra Madre, her group SSMNA is also fighting the construction of a much bigger dam—Laiban.

In the last 10 years, the Dumagats had been protesting Laiban and Kaliwa dams especially as the ancestral domain clause of the Indigenous People’s Rights Act of 1997 was clear on the Sierra Madre corridor being placed in their care.

RELATED STORY: Kaliwa Dam: Dumagat leader stands ground vs Duterte threat

The Dumagats opposed—and successfully blocked—the Laiban Dam project of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System, but with the construction of the Kaliwa Dam being imminent, the success was shortlived.

The Kaliwa dam project, the government said, is intended to supply 600 million liters of water to Metro Manila, but the think tank Ibon Foundation said there are alternative sources of water.

RELATED STORY: Vulnerable Dumagat folk find light, lift in solar power

Haribon Foundation, which said that the Kaliwa dam construction will destroy the corridor’s biodiversity, stressed that Sierra Madre provides indispensable services vital for humans to survive, like water.

Based on a 1999 data from the DENR, 40 percent of the remaining 22 percent forest cover in the Philippines was within the mountain range, which the FFP said has rich biodiversity.

As a sanctuary to a rich ecosystem, the mountain range boasts of 68 protected areas, including national parks, watershed forest reserves, natural monuments, marine reserves, landscapes, and seascapes.

READ: A tribe under threat: Dumagat vs dams

“The biological importance of the Sierra Madre corridor is due to the intact forest in its central areas, as well as its high plant diversity—with more than 3,500 recorded species,” it said.

These represent roughly 45 percent of all species recorded in the Philippines, with at least 58 percent of them endemic to the corridor. Sierra Madre also contains the most species of birds in Luzon, accounting for at least 80 percent of resident breeding birds.

FFP also said that out of all the species within the mountain range, a 2001 study by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature listed 106 plant species and 28 animal species as threatened.

‘Something has to be done’

Mercado said these threats pose greater risk to Sierra Madre and those living in high and lowland areas, who can experience flooding and mudslides, loss of livelihoods, lives and infrastructure, and disruption of economic activities.

“If unchecked for long, these activities may threaten millions of lives. Indigenous people dwelling in the mountains will lose their ancestral domain and eventually, their identities,” FFP said.

“The dependence on Sierra Madre for irrigation means that agriculture would also be gravely affected. As more forests are cleared for industry, Sierra Madre would lose what makes it a sturdy wall, leading to flooding or drought in the provinces it touches.”

Mercado said the government and all sectors should “participate, plan and implement programs that will protect, conserve and preserve Sierra Madre as habitat of biodiverse flora and fauna [and] our communities who depend their livelihoods and culture [on the corridor].”

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READ: Environmentalists: Protect Sierra Madre

“In the context of the climate crisis, we need to have collaborative efforts to strictly implement environmental laws and create policies that will protect our remaining natural resources,” she said.

READ: Sierra Madre deforestation cancels gains of greening program

Responding to appeals for help, the Inquirer is extending its relief efforts to the families affected by Typhoon Karding. Cash donations may be deposited in the Inquirer Foundation Corp. Banco De Oro (BDO) Current Account No.: 007960018860 and through Maya

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[OPINION] Last stand in the Sierra Madre

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This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

In a span of 3 weeks, 5 typhoons entered and ravaged the Philippines, leaving hundreds of thousands displaced, hundreds dead, and even more affected because of the floods and inundation, power outages, and water shortages, among others. 

There is a connection among all these typhoons and their effects on the country, looking into our geography and topography, and the history of our environmental policies and decisions, and how these fare currently in the face of climate change.

The Sierra Madre and our environmental response

As an archipelago situated in the Pacific, the Philippines is not a stranger to typhoons; the effects of these typhoons and the ferocity by which they affect the country in recent years, however, have been unprecedented. 

One of the reasons for the more destructive effects of typhoons is the denudation of the Sierra Madre, the longest mountain range in the country, which spans from the province of Cagayan down to the province of Quezon. It is a 540-kilometer mountain range that borders the northeastern side of Luzon, hosts 14 protected areas, covers 1.4 million hectares, and protects millions of Filipinos, historically serving as the country’s buffer and strongest defense from typhoons coming in from the Pacific Ocean, weakening them before they make landfall in mainland Luzon. Cagayan Valley, for instance, has been protected from the harshest effects of typhoons because of the mountain range. 

Land use causing issues

Unfortunately, decades of deforestation, mining, and improper land use, in addition to the passage of forest laws that fail to sufficiently protect forests and those who live therein, have led to the Sierra Madre’s weakened capability to buffer mainland Luzon from incoming typhoons. Illegal logging has led to soil erosion and increased flooding in the low-lying areas that neighbor the mountain range.

The construction of dams has also been at issue and has served as a contributing factor to the worsened effects of typhoons in the country. While dams have been framed historically to meet irrigation, energy, and water supply needs, their construction has also displaced the indigenous peoples living in the area, and has led to deforestation in order to make way for the creation of canals, roads, and industrial developments that inevitably accompanies the creation of dams. With the intensification of climate change, dams have also become the most dangerous threat to parts of Luzon. There is irony here as these dams were also designed to help in flood control.

It is with this view that we continuously oppose the construction of the Kaliwa Dam, which will be located by the foot of the Sierra Madre, and will affect the communities in the Rizal and Quezon provinces. It will require the cutting down of trees not just where the dam will be constructed, but also where they plan to create the roads that will lead to the dam. The Kaliwa Dam, advertised to augment the water demand on the Angat Dam and decrease dependence on the latter, will definitely do more harm than good.

[OPINION] When will we ever learn?

Showdown in Masungi Georeserve

Another alarming issue on land use surrounds Masungi Georeserve, a conservation area in Baras, Rizal, also by the foot of the Sierra Madre. The Georeserve, which contains several caves and geological formations of the Masungi rock, has recently been facing concerns because of the entry of armed guards of Rublou Inc. and its renewable energy subsidiary, Green Atom, which are reportedly patrolling at least 500 hectares of the Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape. It is to be noted that under Proclamation 296 issued in 2011, the area entered into by the armed guards has been declared protected under Republic Act No. 7586 or the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act of 2002. In a statement, Masungi Georeserve declared that Rublou Inc. did not present any legal document to justify its occupation of the watershed and its installation of fences; Rublou Inc., however, claimed that the fenced off area was part of the ancestral domain of indigenous peoples, and that the same was not part of the Masungi Georeserve. 

The Masungi Georeserve has worked tirelessly to restore the degraded lands surrounding the Masungi formation, and has been monumental, through its guided tours, in providing in-depth information about sustainable tourism in the country. It is therefore important to oppose these “development projects” that will necessarily encroach into our forests, and stand with the indigenous peoples who have always been at the forefront of many of these initiatives opposing the same.

Megan Young’s advice for Miss World 2014

Deluge in Cagayan

The floods in Cagayan Valley is a combination of its geophysical characteristics and rooted in socio-economic and political realities. This is confirmed by the study conducted by the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute, commissioned by Mayor Tin Antonio of Alcala. As she summarized its findings: “The final study describes the confluence of factors that brings severe flood and suffering not just to the town and people of Alcala, but to all towns and peoples throughout the length of the Cagayan River from Isabela to Aparri, Cagayan where the river empties into the sea.” Aside from the geographic vulnerabilities, the study also identified how:

“Mountains, slopes, and watersheds in the whole Cagayan Valley have been stripped of native trees that hold soil and regulate water release; trees are cut down and forests threatened not only by illegal logging but by agriculture in slopes and mountains, particularly yellow corn farming and the use of herbicide that kills all vegetation and weakens the soil.”

Mayor Antonio then shares her main insight – that these floods “cannot be attributed to just one cause outside of us, but to a complex, interrelated web with us right at the center.” According to her, “It’s not just about Magat Dam protocols, although in our state of despair Magat Dam is the most visible target. It’s about us, it’s the way we live — as if we are apart from nature, as if what we do does not come back to us. It’s us — how we have cut our trees and destroyed our forests, our soil and groundwater, how we have eaten up the land with farms and buildings.”

[OPINION] Listen to our scientists: A note from the Mayor of Alcala, Cagayan

There is also the reality of climate change. The dams in the Sierra Madre were created to augment the irrigation, energy, and water needs of Luzon, but aside from the denudation of forests that comes with their construction, climate change means stronger typhoons and heavier rain, and these mean heavier floods, which will inevitably lead to the release of water from dams, leading to the destruction of lives and properties. We should be wary of engineering solutions to floods, making sure that the choices we make should always reflect the specific needs and context of the Philippines, and its specific vulnerabilities considering climate change. 

Climate change also means that low-lying areas will experience heavier flooding during typhoons, and with the frequency of typhoons, shorter time in between to recuperate. The national government, therefore, and not just the local government units, has to ensure that mechanisms are in place to assist residents, especially of these low-lying areas, like those who live in valleys and coastal areas, in relocation, in finding other livelihood opportunities, and/or in disaster preparedness and response.

Finally, we go back to Sierra Madre, the backbone of Luzon, and our strongest shield against many more typhoons to come, and on whose bosom lies the Cagayan Valley region, the ends of which cradle the Rizal and Marikina areas. We have to go back to basics and protect our forests, be more aggressive in our campaigns against deforestation, mining, and quarrying, and listen to the indigenous peoples. Stop building the Kaliwa Dam! Preserve Masungi! In saving our forests, we will be able to save lives. – Rappler.com

Tony La Viña teaches law and is former dean of the Ateneo School of Government.

Joy Reyes is a collaborator of La Viña’s. She graduated from the University of the Philippines College of Law.

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Follow our news, recent searches, sierra madre range has been protecting manila from the forces of nature, but how long can it continue, advertisement.

Environmental defenders are putting their lives on the line amid land grabbing and other illegal development activities.

A ranger at Masungi Georeserve, a crucial ecosystem close to Manila that has been at the centre of a violent land dispute. (Photo: Jack Board)

MANILA: Under the misty canopies and alongside the meandering rivers of the Sierra Madre, the Dumagat people have always had simple dreams. The mountain range has been the tribe’s provider and its protector. Life here has deep roots in the land, where prosperity is borne only by the riches of the forest and waterways of the Dumagat’s ancestral domain.

“We only wish we can eat every day and live right,” explains Danny Escaraga, a tribal leader from Quezon. “This is where we first gained awareness of our culture and tradition through nature. Everything that we have came from the Sierra Madre.”

The Sierra Madre is the backbone of the island of Luzon, stretching more than 540 km from north to south. It is a priceless patch of biodiversity, a diverse habitat of ancient forests and animals found nowhere else on the planet.

The range that looms at the edges of the Manila horizon has historically shielded millions of urban dwellers from the very worst weather generated in the Pacific Ocean. Its forests have absorbed rain from countless typhoons, preventing flooding in the city.

It is also a dangerous frontier, a collision point between those who would protect the land and environment and those who wish to develop or exploit it. 

Over time, the Sierra Madre has been pillaged of its defensive assets. In the face of ever worsening impacts of climate change, the potential demise of this natural shield poses great risks. 

“It's crucial, not just for Metro Manila, but all of Luzon,” said Tony La Viña, an environmental policy expert and executive director of the Manila Observatory

“We're having problems because people take it for granted that this will always be there and you don't have to do anything. 

“They don't realise that when they deforest it, when the mountains are actually literally cut down to size for quarrying purposes, then the protection disappears,” he said.

It is estimated that the Philippines has lost about 90 per cent of its original forest cover since the days of early Spanish colonisation. Deforestation has continued despite bans on logging and attempts to quell illegal forest activities.

Recent efforts to restore the country’s forested areas through the Enhanced National Greening Program, which continued under the Duterte administration, have been mixed. 

While billions of seedlings have been planted during the programme, survival rates for young trees have been low and successful reforestation has simply offset continued deforestation in other areas. Throughout the Sierra Madre range, deforestation rates picked up again between 2016 and 2018 after declining for the five years prior to that, researchers found.

Officials with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) conceded that particularly in remote areas, they struggle to curtail the intruding and illicit influences that affect the Sierra Madre region. 

“Actually the enforcement and protection of the park is really a challenge to us,” said Gwendolyn Cabataña Bambalan, the DENR director of Region 2, which covers the northern sections of the Sierra Madre. “It's really very important for us because it is the home of carbon sequestering and serves as a natural barrier to any calamities that might affect us,” she said.

The mountain range is host to multiple critical watersheds. Water that falls upcountry flows all the way down the Pasig River, Marikina River and then out to Manila Bay.

It is exactly that water that the Philippine government wants to harness, as a solution to the capital’s drinking water woes. But, the Dumagat people will be standing in the way.

CONCRETE IN THE JUNGLE

The first time Danny Escaraga stepped away from his people’s forest realm and into the bustling capital city, he recalls being struck by the scale of man’s intervention, the tall buildings and busy roads.

“When I saw Manila, I thought, ‘so there really are places like this’,” he said.

“Where I'm from there are rivers without bridges. In Manila, there is a bridge even without a river. It made me realise that there really are places in the world and in this country that are so different from where I'm from.” 

Soon, he fears, the concrete of the cityscape he once looked at in amazement, will be constructed in his people’s own patch.

With support and funding from the Chinese government, the Kaliwa Dam project promises to provide 600 million litres of raw water from the Sierra Madre to a fast growing metropolis every single day. 

It is a controversial idea that was meant to be a flagship project of the Duterte Administration but has now fallen into the hands of the new government led by President Bongbong Marcos. The dam has been delayed several times and while some construction has begun around the project site, it is far from certain to be completed.

It falls within an Environmentally Critical Area, and if it proceeds, will see the flooding of old growth forest areas and displace thousands of people. 

For opponents of the project, it has become symbolic of the continued degradation of a precious ecosystem. “These are the types of projects that plague the critical watersheds across the Philippines, not only the watersheds relevant to Metro Manila,” said Leon Dulce, the national coordinator of Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment.

“It's part of that economic paradigm where the damages in cost to the environment are always externalised. They're never part of the equation.

“So the damages are borne by the frontline communities. And that is why the most motivated to stop these projects are the defenders in these grassroots communities,” he said.

The area around the dam site has become heavily patrolled - there is palpable tension among local indigenous peoples. The recent arrest of a high-profile activist has put the community on a conflict footing on an environmental frontline. 

“We are opposing the project not because we are not denying anyone of water, but because we don’t want the environment to suffer,” said Dumagat tribal leader, Jualito Tina.

“We are protecting our lives when we protect our native land. The younger generations will suffer should we fail to take care of the environment.

“There would be no problem if it would really resolve Metro Manila’s water supply issue, but is there no other way? It would be an answer to one problem in the city, but there would be consequences and sacrifices,” he said.

Climate change and development pressures have already made an impression on the landscape around the municipality of General Nakar in Quezon, where Dumagat tribe members reside. 

Standing in the way of further possible environmental damage, however, is a precarious game, here and throughout the entire country.

In the path of the storm: Life in Batanes on the Philippines’ typhoon track

From Philippines to COP26: Mother and daughter unite to fight for Indigenous people’s climate change rights

Defending the land.

Wedged between the Sierra Madre range and metropolitan Manila, the Masungi Georeserve is a critical piece in the wider ecological system.

Age-old pinnacle limestone karsts emerge dramatically throughout the 430-ha protected area. From their heights, the skyline of metro Manila emerges encircled by its daily haze. 

Masungi is a rare type of project - a private enterprise that has taken custody of land critical for the public good. The georeserve has become a popular tourist destination and small groups of city escapists scramble on rope walkways and pose for selfies overlooking a dense rainforest reserve.

There is pride in the voice of Ann Dumaliang as she recalls how this land used to be when she and her sister would play here, while their engineer father envisioned its fate.

“In the 1990s when I was around like six or eight years old, and our dad would bring us here, and I’d usually be playing in dried grass and goat poop to be honest,” she said.

She added: “What's very noticeable then was just the scorching heat of the sun at your back because there were very few trees in the area. And it's nice to really grow old with a place and see how it's evolved through time. 

“From a barren landscape like that, it's really evolved into this lush greenery that we are now protecting."

But Dumaliang, a conservationist and geotourism advocate who co-manages the park with her sister, is frustrated and exhausted by the constant struggle to manage Masungi’s boundaries.

Land grabbing is rife around the green fringes, water is being diverted and trees are being cleared to build resorts or houses. Masungi rangers - many of whom are indigenous peoples - are the ones putting themselves in harm’s way to prevent these activities.

“When people talk about development aggression, that's basically how it first manifests - people grabbing land that they are not supposed to take for themselves,” she said. “And we're not talking about ordinary people taking land because they are landless. We're talking about syndicates, businesses, who have made a profit out of selling land and occupying land.

“It's also been so violent in the last year. It's so exhausting. It's so tiring.”

In July last year, Kuhkan Maas was one of two rangers shot in the head and neck and almost killed while defending a patch of adjacent land, where there are ongoing disputes with resort operators and companies looking to develop a large-scale quarry.

His main role is to help plant trees and restore the 2,700 ha piece of land as part of an agreement with the national government in 2017. But he also has to contend with intruders.

“I think our jobs as rangers are important. It is a very difficult job. We get a lot of hate, he said.

“If there are no rangers, trespassers will be able to occupy the area. We caught so many violators who cut trees, burn wood, install structures for the resorts down below.

“I now have a child. I want my child to be like me. That when he grows up, he will see the work I have done. He will see the trees I have planted.”

These are the types of risks that had the Philippines ranked the third most deadly country in the world for land and environment defenders in 2020. It had the worst record in Southeast Asia for eight consecutive years.

Under the Duterte administration, 166 killings of land defenders have been recorded since 2016, according to Global Witness.

As the fourth most vulnerable nation in the world in terms of climate impacts, Dulce of the Kalikasan people’s network believes the work of these defenders are of “global consequence”.

“Filipino environmental defenders are operating in what we would describe as a planetary frontline. It's a crucial battleground where we are working - in one of only 17 mega biodiverse countries in the world,” said Dulce.

“We are a hotspot for forest loss, deforestation. We are a target for mining expansion. And we are also a frontline of the impacts of the climate crisis.”

“It's alarming that the dangerous work that we Filipino environmental defenders engage in is the first but also the last remaining line of defence left against these destructive projects that threaten to unleash unimaginable disaster on millions and millions of Filipino people, especially in Metro Manila,” he said.

“Most of us in the capital region are unaware about the dangers that are looming on the horizon.” 

IN THE FACE OF THE FLOOD

At the end of the watershed system, residents in Marikina, a city of metro Manila, live in the flood path of twin rivers.

Misery has inundated this place in the past, most recently in 2019 when Typhoon Ulysses brought devastating flood waters that quickly swallowed up low-lying neighbourhoods.

The inability of watersheds upriver to hold water saw debris barrelling towards the densely populated neighbourhoods in Marikina.

During both typhoon and flooding events, Mary Jane de Paz was left standing on her rooftop as the swollen river engulfed her family’s home.

But she does not plan to leave the area amid a feeling that authorities and the community itself are better prepared for disaster events. 

“As a mother, I do not wish for my children to experience what I have experienced. But the memories and the blissful times I had with my parents who have passed on keep me from leaving. I’d rather prepare for the flood when the rainy season comes,” she said.

Since the devastation of Typhoon Ondoy in 2009, city authorities have been taking preventative measures against bigger storms. 

The ‘Great Wall of Marikina’ is a gravity wall along the Pasig-Marikina River that has been years in the making - and still incomplete - but designed to reduce flooding impacts.

Here, there is also support for more infrastructure to solve climate-fuelled problems, including the Kaliwa Dam.

“We cannot stop flooding until the construction of the dam is complete. Although we can minimise the casualties, we cannot stop flooding. Our priority is the safety of our people,” said Redentor Masangkay, a local government unit official in charge of disaster management.

He expressed confidence that the Marcos administration will act on promises to revamp “long overdue” projects to help with flood management from the previous Ferdinand Marcos era.

Others hope that the Philippines will do more to develop strong climate policies, particularly around adaptation and the empowerment of local communities. 

How the new national government handles the environment will be crucial, but remains unclear at this early stage.

“I frankly, have no idea what to expect because they have no platform. And they obviously have different, more personal priorities. But they did say that climate change would be a priority,” Niner Guiao, Managing director of Parabukas, an international environmental consultancy

“We're kind of optimistic,” she said, “but also trying to be extra watchful.”

Additional reporting by Aiah Fernandez.

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Nueva Ecija is a province located in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. Known as the "Rice Granary of the Philippines", Nueva Ecija is one of the country's leading producers of rice and vegetables. The province has a long and rich history, as well as beautiful natural landscapes.

Nueva Ecija has some of the most fertile land in the Philippines, producing substantial crops of rice, corn, onions, garlic, mangoes, and other fruits and vegetables. Rice is the province's primary crop, with Nueva Ecija producing nearly a million metric tons of palay (pre-husked rice) each year. This abundance of food production has earned Nueva Ecija the nickname "Rice Granary of the Philippines". The agricultural industry employs the majority of the population in Nueva Ecija.

Nueva Ecija has a number of historical attractions, including some well-preserved Spanish colonial architecture. The Palacio del Obispo, or Bishop's Palace, in the capital city of Palayan City is a fine example of colonial architecture featuring grand arches and columns. Another key site is the Minalungao National Park, which contains picturesque canyons and rivers as well as cave systems with unique rock formations. The General Tinio ancestral house in Cabiao is also historically significant, showcasing a traditional Filipino home.

Nueva Ecija has a diverse natural landscape, including the Carabao Mountains and the extensive Pantabangan-Carranglan watershed. The province contains parts of Aurora Memorial National Park, as well as a section of the Sierra Madre mountain range. The diverse terrain leads to a variety of flora and fauna, like fruit bats, macaques, deer, and various species of birds living in the forests. The 4,000-hectare Pantabangan Reservoir is a popular spot for watersports and wildlife viewing. The natural scenery and outdoor activities attract many visitors to Nueva Ecija.

From its agricultural bounty to historical sites to natural landscape, Nueva Ecija has a great deal to offer tourists and residents alike. Though less frequented by visitors than other parts of the Philippines, Nueva Ecija provides an appealing glimpse into life in Central Luzon and the country's heritage. With its rice granaries, colonial architecture, and mountain ranges, Nueva Ecija is a rewarding place to explore.

Explanation:

Here is a draft of an informative essay about Nueva Ecija:

Introduction: Nueva Ecija is a province located in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. Known as the "Rice Granary of the Philippines", Nueva Ecija is one of the country's leading producers of rice and vegetables. The province has a long and rich history and culture, as well as beautiful natural landscapes.

Body Paragraph 1: Nueva Ecija has some of the most fertile land in the Philippines, producing substantial crops of rice, corn, onions, garlic, mangoes, and other fruits and vegetables. Rice is the province's primary crop, with Nueva Ecija producing nearly a million metric tons of palay (pre-husked rice) each year. This abundance of food production has earned Nueva Ecija the nickname "Rice Granary of the Philippines". The agricultural industry employs the majority of the population in Nueva Ecija.

Body Paragraph 2: Nueva Ecija has a number of historical attractions, including some well-preserved Spanish colonial architecture. The Palacio del Obispo, or Bishop's Palace, in the capital city of Palayan City is a fine example of colonial architecture featuring grand arches and columns. Another key site is the Minalungao National Park, which contains picturesque canyons and rivers as well as cave systems with unique rock formations. The General Tinio ancestral house in Cabiao is also historically significant, showcasing a traditional Filipino home.

Body Paragraph 3: Nueva Ecija has a diverse natural landscape, including the Carabao Mountains and the extensive Pantabangan-Carranglan watershed. The province contains parts of Aurora Memorial National Park, as well as a section of the Sierra Madre mountain range. The diverse terrain leads to a variety of flora and fauna, like fruit bats, macaques, deer, and various species of birds living in the forests. The 4,000-hectare Pantabangan Reservoir is a popular spot for watersports and wildlife viewing. The natural scenery and outdoor activities attract many visitors to Nueva Ecija.

Conclusion: From its agricultural bounty to historical sites to natural landscape, Nueva Ecija has a great deal to offer tourists and residents alike. Though less frequented by visitors than other parts of the Philippines, Nueva Ecija provides an appealing glimpse into life in Central Luzon and the country's heritage. With its rice granaries, colonial architecture, and mountain ranges, Nueva Ecija is a rewarding place to explore.

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