Building True Disaster Resilience: Enforce Section 19 and Section 9 to Protect Palawan
Why July Matters
Every July, the Philippines observes National Disaster Resilience Month (NDRM) under Executive Order No. 29 (2017), shifting our focus from mere awareness to real resilience—prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery. (lawphil.net) Palawan’s heavy monsoon rains and typhoon track make this observance more than ceremonial: landslides, flash floods, and storm surges are annual threats.
Two Untapped Legal Shields
1. Section 19 of the Mining Act (RA 7942)
Section 19 bans mining in old‑growth forests, watershed reserves, mangroves, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and other critical ecosystems—natural buffers that stabilize slopes and absorb floodwaters.
2. Section 9 of the SEP‑ECAN Law (RA 7611)
Palawan’s ECAN zoning classifies Maximum Protection Zones where any extractive activity is prohibited. When enforced, ECAN keeps keystone forests and mangroves intact, reducing disaster risk for downstream communities.
What Happens When the Shields Fail
- Slope Destabilization & Landslides – Tree cutting for mine access weakens soil structure, increasing the chance of deadly slope failures during intense rain.
- River Siltation & Flooding – Eroded mine tailings clog waterways, raising flood peaks and washing out farms.
- Storm‑Surge Exposure – Removing mangroves for port facilities strips coastal villages of natural breakwaters.
A Call to Action This NDRM
- PCSD & DENR: Publish ECAN maps and immediately suspend permits that overlap Maximum Protection Zones.
- LGUs: Integrate Section 19 and ECAN zones into your Local Climate and Disaster Risk Plans.
- Communities: Report violations—photos, videos, affidavits—to PCSD and seek legal support from ELAC.
- National Government: Treat environmental enforcement as disaster‑risk reduction. Every illegal tree cut today is a landslide tomorrow.
ELAC’s Commitment
For 35 years, the Environmental Legal Assistance Center has empowered communities to defend forests, waters, and coastlines. By amplifying Section 19 and Section 9 during NDRM, we reaffirm that environmental justice is disaster resilience.
“Preventing the next landslide starts with protecting the last old‑growth tree.”
Join us: sign the petition at Save Palawan’s Forests and share this article.
#NDRM2025 #UpholdSection19 #ProtectECAN #SavePalawansForests