Deforestation one of major causes of RP floods

With the gravity of forest degradation in the Philippines, floodings have become more frequent and predictable in recent years.

In 1990, it occurred in Region 9 and in Zamboanga del Sur. In 1991, floods devastated Ormoc, Leyte and also occurred in Regions 3 and 11.

In 1994, there were nine incidents of flooding recorded, majority of them in Regions 10, 11 and 12. In 2004, the provinces of Quezon, Aurora, Bulacan and Nueva Ecija tragically suffered from flash floods and mudslides.

In most of these areas where killer flash floods occurred, particularly in Samar, Leyte, Camiguin, Surigao, Isabela and Quezon, deforestation has been reported as severe due to various causes.

However, a study conducted recently by the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Indonesian-based Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) has been quoted as saying that deforestation is not a cause of flooding.

The study was conducted in Guatemala and China whose geological landscape, environmental conditions and political systems are very different from the Philippines.

"If FAO/CIFOR concluded that in those countries deforestation is not a cause of flooding, such findings do not hold true in the Philippines where forest degradation has gone from mild to severe, from 70 percent forest cover in 1900 to barely 18 percent in 1998," said Anabelle Plantilla, executive director of Haribon Foundation (www.haribon.org.ph), the country’s foremost environmental non-government organization in the forefront of issues for more than three decades.

"The FAO/CIFOR analysis that forests do not act as ‘giant sponges’ is highly contentious," Plantilla added.

According to Norman Myers, author of the Primary Source, Tropical Forests and Our Future (1992), "the forests exert a sponge effect, soaking up moisture before releasing it at regular rates… The multi-storied structure of the forest, together with its vast amount of foliage, helps break the impact of a tropical downpour."

He added that "the region where deforestation is most advanced is Southern-Southeast Asia, and it suffers (from) floods that increase in rage and intensity year by year."

"When there are not enough forest cover, the absorptive and carrying capacity of the forest is diminished. Studies also indicate that if deforestation in the Philippines continues, soil resource depreciation would increase to P334 million in 1988, with a likely increase to P906 million in 1996," Plantilla said.

Whatever FAO/CIFOR found out about Guatemalan and Chinese trees that made them conclude that such trees have roots that are too shallow to prevent major mudslides, this is not true for the country’s native dipterocarps, she said.

"Our trees, especially those found in the lowland forests, are large and buttressed. Their roots are deeply planted in the ground. Thus, they remain sturdy windbreakers and barriers against heavy storms," Plantilla said.

"However, in deforested areas due to land conversion, for example, the remaining trees are no longer sufficient to help absorb water," she added, citing the case of Panaon, Leyte where the original dipterocarp trees were replaced with coconut palms.

The shallow roots of these palms could not have prevented mudslides and flash floods. Thus, the tragedy that occurred in 2003 was inevitable, Plantilla said.

"To generally conclude that deforestation in the Philippines is not a cause of flooding is misleading. The plunder and ravage done to the country’s forests are already enough to make Filipinos suffer not only from floods, but also from food shortage, water scarcity and health problems," she said.