Community members and volunteers celebrate a reforestation effort in Quezon Province. Through initiatives led by Haribon and its partners, tree planting strengthens natural defenses against floods while fostering biodiversity and sustainable livelihoods. – Photo courtesy of Haribon Foundation (@goharibon on Instagram)
MANILA – As climate change fuels stronger typhoons and rising floodwaters, environmental advocates are reminding Filipinos that some of the most powerful defenses are not built from concrete but grown from the ground up.
In the September 12, 2025 season finale of The Chairman’s Report, the Haribon Foundation and the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) highlighted how forest restoration, mangrove rehabilitation, and biodiversity protection can serve as sustainable and cost-effective alternatives to traditional flood-control infrastructure.
Mangroves as natural seawalls
Haribon’s Head of Strategic Partnerships Erika Bergara stressed that mangroves play a dual role. They blunt the force of storm surges while sustaining coastal livelihoods.
“If we invest in reforesting our mangroves, we’re actually creating or supporting a larger coastal industry as well in protecting all the other life that happens in our coasts,” Bergara said.
CFO Chairperson and program host Dante “Klink” Ang II added: “Building concrete seawalls may not be as effective as planting mangroves. The mangroves will probably last longer.”
On the ground in Quezon Province
Haribon has been active in Quezon Province where it has partnered with Manulife Philippines on a mangrove restoration program in Infanta. The initiative will see 15,000 mangrove seedlings planted over three years in priority conservation areas.
Since 2022, the Haribon-Manulife partnership has already planted more than 21,250 native tree seedlings across 17 hectares in the provinces of Quezon, Rizal, and Zambales. These efforts form part of Haribon’s Forests for Lifemovement, which uses science-based methods and local partnerships to restore ecosystems.
The Philippines’ natural wealth
The Philippines is recognized globally as one of only 17 “megadiverse” countries, home to unique species of coral, trees, and wildlife found nowhere else on Earth.
Bergara noted that protecting this diversity is critical not only for climate resilience but also for cultural and economic survival. Ang echoed that point, saying many Filipinos may be “sitting on wealth that they don’t know about,” referring to untapped biodiversity resources.
Diaspora-driven support
Through the CFO’s Lingkod sa Kapwa Pilipino (LINKAPIL) program, overseas Filipinos can directly support biodiversity and reforestation projects. LINKAPIL, established in 1989, channels donations into local development efforts ranging from livelihood and education to health and small-scale infrastructure.
