The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has urged local government units (LGUs) with coastal areas under their jurisdiction to establish, reforest, and protect coastal greenbelt zones.
The order instructs LGUs to assess areas that can be declared as coastal greenbelt zones, and to collaborate with concerned government agencies and civil society organizations in environmental protection, conservation efforts, and the formulation of management plans.
“As frontliners in disaster risk reduction and climate mitigation, LGUs are in the best position to implement localized strategies to establish and manage coastal greenbelts,” the DILG Memorandum Circular said.
The order also directs coastal towns and cities to initiate the dismantling of illegal structures within coastal easement areas. It further stated that municipal waters, fishing grounds that extends up to 15 kilometers from the shoreline, must be considered in the establishment of greenbelt zones to prevent conflicts.
Coastal greenbelt zones are strips of natural or planted coastal vegetation, including mangroves and beach forests. They serve as buffers to protect coastal communities against storm surges and other natural calamities.
According to marine conservation group Oceana Philippines, at least 20 areas in the country have begun establishing coastal greenbelt zones. These include provinces such as Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Leyte, and Bataan.
“Local communities should not resign to their fate of having to face storm surges, strong waves and other fatal impacts of climate change,” said Oceana Philippines vice president Rose-Liza Eisma Osorio.
Dr. Jurgenne Primavera, an internationally recognized mangrove scientist and the current Chief Mangrove Advisor of the Zoological Society of London (ZSL)-Philippines, underscored the importance of mangroves as natural shields or barriers during calamities.
She pushed for the establishment of coastal greenbelts to protect coastal communities from storm surges while allowing denuded mangroves to recover. Through this measure, more mangrove forests along the country’s coastlines can be sustained.
According to the World Risk Index 2024, the Philippines is considered one of the most disaster- prone countries in the world. On average, around 20 tropical storms hit the country each year.
Coastal greenbelts are vital natural barriers that can be institutionalized through local ordinances, declaring them as conservation or protected areas.
