Environmental Advocates Press Marcos on Coastal Greenbelt Bill

Environmental groups, fisherfolk, scientists, and local officials are urging President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to prioritize and certify as urgent the proposed National Coastal Greenbelt Act, a landmark bill designed to protect the country’s remaining mangrove forests and coastal ecosystems.

Dozens of handwritten letters addressed to the president were delivered to Malacañang on Monday as part of the “Dear Mr. President” campaign initiated by youth group Mangrove Matters Philippines (MMPh) and international marine conservation organization Oceana.

“Mangroves store up to five times more carbon than other tropical forests; they are our greatest weapon against global warming,” said Leo Anthony Castro, MMPh executive director.

“Let us protect what is left and restore what we can. Prioritize the National Coastal Greenbelt Bill,” he added.

The bill aims to establish coastal greenbelt zones, including mangroves and beach forests, which serve as natural barriers against storm surges and rising sea levels, while also providing habitat for marine life and supporting local fisheries.

Oceana emphasized the proposed law’s role in integrating disaster risk reduction, climate adaptation, and sustainable livelihoods in vulnerable coastal barangays.

“The passage of the National Coastal Greenbelt bill will stop arbitrary cutting of mangroves along coastal areas to pave the way for infrastructure and so-called coastal development that will lead to more disaster than benefits to the people,” said Atty. Rose-Liza Eisma-Osorio, Oceana’s acting vice president.

“Mangroves are the lifeline of Filipinos. These are not for sale nor should be destroyed,” Osorio added.

The proposed measure includes reverting abandoned and underutilized fishponds to mangrove zones and removing illegal structures that threaten coastal biodiversity.

It mandates a National Coastal Greenbelt Management Action Plan to guide rehabilitation and enforcement, with oversight from agencies including the Climate Change Commission and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Pablo Rosales, president of national fisherfolk alliance PANGISDA Pilipinas, stressed the livelihood and food security benefits mangroves provide coastal communities.

“Malaking tulong ang bakawan sa aming mga mangingisda. Dumadami ang huli namin sa laot dahil sa paglago ng mga bakawang pangitlugan at tirahan ng mga maliliit pang isda,” Rosales said.

He also criticized ongoing reclamation and seabed quarrying projects in Manila Bay that have degraded mangrove areas in Bulacan, Bataan, and Cavite.

“Kailangang maipasa ang batas na magdedeklara ng local coastal greenbelt zones para maprotektahan ang mga natitira pang bakawanan,” he added.

The push comes on the heels of a local victory in Cebu, where city officials halted a PHP97-million road-fill project that threatened century-old mangroves in Barangays Inayawan and Cogon Pardo.

Environmental officer findings and pressure from the Coastline Management Board led Acting Mayor Donaldo Hontiveros to issue the stop-work order.

“What happened in Cebu shows us the pervading threats to our mangroves,” Osorio said.

“This fight to save our last remaining mangrove forests is deeply personal,” she added.

Castro warned that inaction could lead to irreversible ecological collapse, calling on Marcos to institutionalize climate resilience through decisive legislation.

“We need to act now. Our future generation needs to prevent the collapse of our natural life support system in the marine environment,” he said.

President Marcos has previously halted large-scale reclamation projects in Manila Bay pending environmental review, a move praised by conservationists as a commitment to ecological integrity.

Advocates believe that by championing the National Coastal Greenbelt Act, Marcos can cement his legacy as a leader in climate adaptation and marine conservation.