ANGELES CITY — Pampanga 1st District Rep. Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin, Jr. is seeking the support of the Provincial Government of Pampanga and the Local Government Units of Angeles, Mabalacat, and Magalang for two House measures on the Sapangbato Watershed here.
On July 29, Lazatin simultaneously filed House Bill No. 2423, “An Act Declaring Sapangbato as a Protected Area in the Province of Pampanga, Providing For Its Management And For Other Purposes,” and House Resolution No. 77, “Renaming the Reforested Portion of Barangay Sapangbato in Angeles City Intended For Watershed To Renato ‘Abong’ Tayag Watershed In Honor Of His Exemplary Service And Contribution To The Preservation Of The Watershed.”
In separate letters dated July 31, addressed to Gov. Lilia “Nanay” Pineda, Angeles City Mayor Carmelo “Jon” Lazatin II, Mabalacat City Mayor Gerald “Geld” Aquino, and Magalang Municipal Mayor Maria Lourdes “Malu” Lacson, Lazatin said that the Sapangbato Watershed in Angeles City is deemed as “a vital catchment area that supplies water, not only to the city but to stream systems in the entire Province of Pampanga.”
Due to the Sapangbato Watershed’s significance to the province, Lazatin seeks the passage of a resolution expressing support for HB 2423 by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, headed by Vice Gov. Dennis “Delta” Pineda; the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Angeles, headed by Vice Mayor Amos Rivera; the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Mabalacat, headed by Vice Mayor Marcos Castro Jr.; and the Sangguniang Bayan of Magalang, headed by Vice Mayor Eller Pecson.
Likewise, Lazatin requested support for HR 77, in honor of Tayag’s contribution to the preservation of the Sapangbato Watershed.
HB 2423 aims to ensure the preservation of the ecological biodiversity within the Sapangbato Watershed, located in Barangay Sapangbato, Angeles City, through its establishment as a Protected Area.
Meanwhile, HR 77 seeks to rename the reforested portion of the Sapangbato Watershed in Angeles City after Kapampangan environmental advocate and Abacan River and Angeles Watershed Advocacy Council, Inc. (ARAW-ACI) founder Renato “Abong” Tayag, Jr.
During Lazatin’s time as city mayor, the Angeles LGU partnered with ARAW-ACI for a massive reforestation program at the Sapangbato Watershed.
The reforestation kicked off in June 2020, initially targeting only 45,000 endemic trees to be planted in the area. By year 2025, a total of 145,041 seedlings have been planted. Team Lazatin PR
