FORESTRY BODY CHIEF SAYS: ‘Flooding is everyone’s responsibility’

By Mariela Angella Oladive

In the wake of persistent flooding across the Philippines and growing scrutiny of multi-billion peso flood control projects, Philippine Forestry Education Network (PFEN) President Marlo Mendoza said the country needs more than infrastructure to address its worsening flood crisis.

Speaking during a press conference on September 11, held alongside the 77th Society of Filipino Foresters, Inc. (SFFI) National Conference at the Iloilo Convention Center, Mendoza emphasized the need for both public and private sectors to adopt landscape-based, ecological flood mitigation strategies.

“Flooding is a huge topic of discussion now. The approach is not just infrastructure. It’s better if there are preventive measures, which are vegetative — meaning plants,” Mendoza said.

He explained that the country’s unique geography, with roughly half of its land classified as mountainous and the other half as low-lying, adds to its vulnerability to floods.

He added that public and private lands are nearly equally distributed, which makes private landowners equally responsible in addressing flooding risks.

“So the responsibility to address flooding does not rest solely on public lands. If you imagine a landscape from the uppermost ridge to the lowest level, roughly half is public land and half is private land. The role of private landowners is very significant,” he explained.

Mendoza said it is wrong to assume that flood management is the government’s responsibility alone.

“As private citizens, especially those living on slopes, you should be aware of the measures to ensure your land is not contributing to soil erosion. We often see flooding as the government’s problem, but that is not true — private citizens also have responsibilities,” he stressed.

Citing Laguna Lake as an example, he said siltation caused by soil erosion from 325,000 hectares of surrounding land has significantly reduced the lake’s depth from 10 to 12 meters to just 2 to 3 meters.

“When the lake is silted, there is no more space to hold the water — where will it go? It will overflow,” he emphasized.

He said vegetative measures must include a multi-layered approach: trees, shrubs, grasses, and ground cover should all be part of reforestation and land rehabilitation.

“So here in Iloilo, whenever there is flooding, don’t see it as just the government’s responsibility. It’s everyone’s responsibility, and this includes planting not only trees but different kinds of vegetation. Our perspective on forests should be that they are multi-layered,” he said.

Mendoza explained that each type of vegetation plays a role in preventing erosion, from the deep roots of tall trees to the shallow roots of grasses and bushes.

He said that beneath the surface, these plants support biodiversity in the soil — including fungi, bacteria, and insects — which all help maintain healthy ground cover.

He emphasized the importance of coordinated action among government agencies, the private sector, and communities.

“What’s important is that we have a plan and that everyone works together to make sure the plan is carried out,” he said.

He added that the country already has strong environmental policies that encourage more planting without requiring massive public spending.

“Our policies encourage more planting without spending much government money. Government funds should focus on geohazard areas and protected zones where investors won’t go. Private sector funds should support production forests but they must get a fair share of their investment,” he said.

Themed Promoting Wood Self-Sufficiency and Biodiversity Conservation, the 77th SFFI National Conference gathered over 1,400 foresters, policymakers, and environmental advocates to discuss forestry education, climate change, biodiversity, and sustainable land management.