Illegal structures threaten reforestation in Angeles City, says mayor

AT RISK The encircled areas are are where illegal structures are beginning to be put up inside 150 hectares of the former American military baselands in Angeles City’s watershed, threatening the city-initiated reforestation in the area. -ANGELES CITY COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES OFFICE

ANGELES CITY—More than 100,000 trees planted across 150 hectares of the former American military base lands in this city’s watershed are under threat from land speculators planning to clear the area for illegal structures, Mayor Carmelo Lazatin Jr. warned on Wednesday.

The trees are part of a reforestation program launched in 2019 by the city government in partnership with the Abacan River and Angeles Watershed-Advocacy Council Inc. (Araw-CI), led by businessman Renato “Abong” Tayag Jr., the mayor told the Inquirer in a phone interview.

Lazatin, explained in the statement that the reforestation project was done “in line with our advocacy to protect the environment, prevent flooding in the city and ensure that future generations of Angeleños will have a viable source of clean water.”

Lazatin said a portion of Barangay Sapangbato and the watershed, which is now a forested area at the then Clark Air Base and located at the southern foothills of Mt. Pinatubo, had been designated as a nonbuildable zone in the city’s comprehensive land use plan.

Portions of the watershed have been adopted by companies such as Converge ICT Solutions, Angeles City Water District, Balibago Waterworks System, Porac Bank, Holy Family Academy Batch ’80, Philippine Academy of Family Physicians Angeles chapter, De La Salle Alumni Association, Inc., Pampanga Press Club, ScrubbedNet, Angeles Rotary Club Kuliat, Jocson College, Ocampo’s Jewelry and DKL Manufacturing.

Inspection

“Any attempts to illegally construct within the ‘nonbuildable zone’ threaten not only the ecological balance of the watershed but also the safety and well-being of Angeleños,” the mayor said.

The mayor said he has sent an inspection team composed of personnel from the building, engineering, licensing, environment, planning, health and sanitation offices.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has been asked to help preserve the area.

The mayor ordered a stop “without delay” to the construction of illegal structures.

He declined to name the land speculators, but several of them are known to be planning to develop resorts in the area, according to several members of Aeta communities residing nearby.