By CESAR JOLITO III
The devastation brought by Typhoon “Tino” in Negros Occidental has reignited long-standing concerns over the province’s weakened forest defenses, as environmental groups blame years of neglect and unregulated development for worsening the disaster’s impact.
Environmental watchdogs Green Alert Network (GAN) and the Group of Environmental Socialists (GOES), Inc. said the widespread flooding that hit the central and southern parts of the province revealed the fragility of Negros’ natural barriers — particularly the North Negros Natural Park (NNNP) and Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park (MKNP).
“The floodwaters were not just rain; they were the scream of protest from the land we’ve neglected,” GAN founder Rusty Biñas said.
“For years, we’ve pleaded for stronger protection of our green giants — but warnings were ignored,” he added.
Biñas said both forest parks, which serve as natural shields and sponges against typhoon winds and heavy rainfall, have been “hurt and wounded” by illegal structures and land conversions in their headwaters.
“Illegal structures at the headwaters are not just buildings; they are tears in the sponge and gaps in our defense, allowing floodwaters to rush straight into our homes,” Biñas stressed.
Citing a study by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Protected Area Management Board, Biñas said Negros Island retains only four percent of its original 53,238 hectares of forest cover, with a deficit of nearly 480,000 hectares.
Biñas said NNNP and MKNP currently have just 20.7 percent and 36.6 percent forest cover left, respectively.
“These forests are our first line of defense. Without them, every typhoon becomes a catastrophe,” Biñas said, calling for urgent reforestation and strict enforcement of environmental laws.
‘Wake-up call’
For Randy James Rojo, co-founder of GOES, Typhoon “Tino” should serve as a “wake-up call” for both the government and the public.
“If we continue to ignore the lessons of past disasters, the next ‘big one’ — whether a stronger storm or an earthquake — could devastate us beyond recovery,” Rojo warned.
Negros Island, once boasting 95 percent forest cover, now faces severe degradation due to illegal encroachments and unchecked development, Rojo added.
GAN and GOES are pushing for a holistic implementation of disaster risk reduction measures, including a comprehensive land use plan, climate change adaptation strategies and poverty reduction programs that integrate environmental sustainability.
“We must demand accountability from our leaders,” Rojo said.
“Protection of our environment is protection of our people,” he added.
“Tino” left a trail of destruction across Negros Occidental, submerging communities in unprecedented floods on November 4.
The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office reported at least 53 deaths, with several others still missing as of press time.
Floodwaters reached up to 10 feet in some areas of La Carlota City, as well as the municipalities of Murcia, Moises Padilla and La Castellana, which experienced such scale of flooding for the first time.
Aerial surveys revealed widespread damage in Isabela, Hinigaran, Binalbagan, and Pontevedra, as well as in the cities of San Carlos, Bago, La Carlota, and Himamaylan.
Cut logs, tree roots and mud were seen littering communities, particularly in Barangay Roberto Salas Benedicto in La Carlota./CJ, WDJ