MANILA(January 5) — As floods and water stress battered communities across the country in 2025, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) reported progress in forest restoration and flood management reforms—gains the agency says are critical as climate change turns extreme weather into a lived reality for millions of Filipinos.
DENR Secretary Raphael Lotilla said the initiatives align with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’ push to boost climate resilience, as heavy rains, flash floods, and water shortages increasingly occur even without strong typhoons.
Yet on the ground, communities—particularly in flood-prone urban centers and rural watersheds—continue to shoulder the immediate costs of climate disruption.
On August 30, Metro Manila, including Quezon City, recorded 134.2 millimeters of rain in a single day, nearly a week’s worth of rainfall, flooding streets, damaging homes, and disrupting livelihoods.
In Cebu, Typhoon Tino dumped 183 millimeters of rain in just two days, overwhelming drainage systems and forcing evacuations.
“These conditions show that we are dealing with extraordinary challenges that demand extraordinary responses, not only from government but from the whole of society,” Lotilla said.
Forest recovery vs. frontline realities
The DENR reported a net forest gain of 53,952 hectares in Luzon from 2020 to 2025, based on 2025 data from the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority, gains recognized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
From 2022 to September 2025, the agency planted 62 million seedlings across nearly 99,000 hectares, focusing on critical watersheds. While these projects generated more than 760,000 jobs, environmental advocates note that forest recovery takes years to translate into reduced flooding for downstream communities already facing recurrent disasters.
To protect restored areas, the DENR filled over 2,000 forest ranger positions and launched the “Forests for Life” campaign, now targeting 10 million trees by 2028. Communities living near forestlands, however, continue to call for stronger protection against illegal logging and land conversion that undermine long-term gains.
Flood control rethink, local impacts uncertain
Water security emerged as a policy priority in 2025, with the DENR shifting toward integrated water resources management to address flooding, scarcity, and pollution together.
The agency installed desalination and filtration systems in 28 island communities, projected to benefit 28,000 residents—a lifeline for areas long dependent on rainwater and expensive deliveries.
Still, many remote barangays remain without reliable access to safe water, especially during prolonged dry spells.
A draft National Flood Master Plan, completed in August 2025, promotes nature-based solutions alongside traditional infrastructure, emphasizing water capture rather than rapid drainage.
“Flood management is not just about removing water, but about using it wisely,” Lotilla said.
For flood-prone communities, particularly informal settlers along waterways, the impact of these reforms will depend on how quickly national plans translate into barangay-level interventions, relocation support, and sustained maintenance.
Waste, protection, and livelihoods
The DENR reported that compliance with the Extended Producer Responsibility Act exceeded targets, with plastic recovery reaching 56 percent by October 2025.
Environmental groups, however, stress that waste reduction must be felt in coastal and river communities where plastic pollution continues to damage fisheries and tourism.
Protected areas expanded to 7.87 million hectares across 251 sites, including 14 ASEAN Heritage Parks, strengthening biodiversity protection.
Coastal communities affected by oil spills and marine degradation say faster response times and compensation mechanisms remain critical gaps.
Climate gains measured in lives, not hectares
Lotilla emphasized that environmental governance requires a whole-of-society approach, involving local governments, communities, and the private sector.
But for residents repeatedly displaced by floods or facing water shortages, success will be measured less by national statistics and more by whether homes stay dry, water flows year-round, and livelihoods survive the next extreme weather event.
As climate risks intensify, the challenge for the DENR is ensuring that forest gains and policy reforms translate into tangible protection for the communities on the climate frontlines.
