ANGELES CITY – “Nakita na natin na lahat ng sakuna na nangyari ay dulot ng pagkalbo sa mga bundok at kagubatan – huwag na nating hintayin pa na mangyari din ito sa Unang Distrito ng Pampanga.”
Referencing the massive landslides and floodings in Cebu province caused by the recent typhoons, Pampanga 1st District Rep. Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin called on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to help in ensuring that the “no-build zone” shall be enforced in the Sapangbato Protected Agricultural Land which includes the watershed in this city.
During Lazatin’s tenure as mayor, Angeles City passed its Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) 2021-2030 designating the 546 hectares of land covering the Sapangbato Watershed as a “protected agricultural land” and “no-build zone” prohibiting the construction of buildings within the area.
In a letter dated Nov. 11, Lazatin requested the assistance of the DENR in the strict implementation of Angeles City’s CLUP to prohibit structures from being built in the protected area of the Sapangbato Watershed.
The congressman is also seeking the assistance of his brother, current Angeles City Mayor Carmelo “Jon” Lazatin II, and the officials of Angeles City in strictly implementing the CLUP.
Likewise, Pogi Lazatin called on the Bases Conversion and Development Authority and the Clark Development Corp. to thoroughly consider the environmental impact when approving development projects on their property located within the protected area.
The area covered by the Sapangbato Watershed is within the political jurisdiction of Angeles City, however, parcels of land in the area are owned by the BCDA and the CDC.
It can be recalled that as city mayor, Pogi Lazatin ordered the closure of several establishments, including restaurants and resorts, that were found erected in the protected area through an agreement between the establishment owners and the BCDA – in violation of Angeles City’s CLUP.
“Nananawagan din ako sa ating mga kababayan na makiisa sa ating adbokasiya ng protektahan ang kalikasan at, kung maaari, tumulong sa reforestation ng Sapangbato na inumpisahan natin noong 2019,” Pogi Lazatin said.
In his time as the city’s chief executive, a total of 145,041 seedlings were planted in the watershed through the reforestation program of the Angeles LGU in partnership with the Abacan River and Angeles Watershed Advocacy Council, Inc.
Studies
According to a 2015 report from the European Environment Agency, forests can soak up excess rainwater, which aids in preventing run-offs and damage from flooding.
A 2025 study by Herath, et al. notes that a forest cover functions as a “natural flood defense” by detaining water and reducing the energy of floodwater. An increased forest cover tends to reduce water flow; meanwhile, deforestation causes a sharp increase.
A 2023 study by the University of British Columbia also shows that the loss of forest cover is associated with more frequent and more extreme flooding. Team Lazatin Media
