DIRECTING THE CONTINUATION OF THE UNFINISHED BUSINESS OF THE MOUNT PINATUBO COMMISSION
THE FOLLOWING IS A DRAFT PREPARED BY AND VOLUNTARILY SUBMITTED BY PRIVATE CITIZEN RAMON IKE V. SENERES IN THE INTEREST OF NATION BUILDING FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD:
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES
EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. ___, s. 2026
DIRECTING THE CONTINUATION OF THE UNFINISHED BUSINESS OF THE MOUNT PINATUBO COMMISSION THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A NATIONAL LAHAR RESTORATION, CLIMATE ADAPTATION, AND DISASTER RISK REDUCTION PROGRAM, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
WHEREAS, in June 1991, the eruption of Mount Pinatubo caused widespread devastation in the provinces of Pampanga, Tarlac, and Zambales, burying vast agricultural lands and river systems in lahar and displacing thousands of families;
WHEREAS, the Mount Pinatubo Commission (MPC) was previously created to coordinate rehabilitation, infrastructure restoration, and recovery efforts in affected areas, but long-term ecological restoration and watershed rehabilitation remain incomplete;
WHEREAS, subsequent initiatives, including the Mount Pinatubo Hazard Urgent Mitigation Project (PHUMP), the construction of anti-lahar megadikes, and irrigation rehabilitation projects, have mitigated risks but have not fully restored lahar-affected ecosystems and farmlands;
WHEREAS, lahar-affected landscapes remain highly vulnerable to flooding, sedimentation, and climate-induced extreme weather events, necessitating integration of restoration into climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategies;
WHEREAS, Republic Act No. 9729, or the Climate Change Act of 2009, and Republic Act No. 10121, or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, mandate the mainstreaming of climate resilience and DRR into national and local development planning;
WHEREAS, there is a need for a legally anchored, multi-decade, science-based, and community-driven master plan to complete the unfinished rehabilitation of lahar-affected areas and ensure intergenerational environmental justice;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND R. MARCOS, JR., President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution and existing laws, do hereby order:
SECTION 1. National Lahar Restoration and Resilience Program (NLRRP).
There is hereby created a National Lahar Restoration and Resilience Program (NLRRP), which shall continue and institutionalize the unfinished rehabilitation functions of the former Mount Pinatubo Commission, with a thirty (30)-year implementation horizon.
The Program shall cover lahar-affected areas in Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, and other impacted provinces.
SECTION 2. Objectives.
The NLRRP shall:
a. Restore lahar-covered agricultural lands through soil remediation, irrigation rehabilitation, and climate-resilient agroforestry systems;
b. Rehabilitate and stabilize river basins and watersheds, including the Sacobia-Bamban river system;
c. Integrate ecosystem restoration into flood control, sediment management, and anti-lahar infrastructure;
d. Mainstream climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction in all restoration planning;
e. Promote biodiversity recovery using native species and science-based ecological methods;
f. Generate sustainable livelihoods linked to restoration, including agroforestry, ecotourism, and native plant production.
SECTION 3. Lahar Restoration Master Plan.
Within twelve (12) months from effectivity of this Order, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), in coordination with concerned agencies, shall formulate and approve a 30-Year Lahar Restoration Master Plan, which shall include:
a. Clear annual and decadal restoration targets (hectares restored, river kilometers stabilized, forest cover regenerated);
b. Climate risk and hazard mapping under projected climate scenarios;
c. Funding requirements and phased budget programming;
d. Defined roles and accountability mechanisms for national government agencies (NGAs), local government units (LGUs), and private partners;
e. A monitoring and evaluation framework with publicly accessible progress reports.
SECTION 4. Lead and Partner Agencies.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) shall serve as Lead Agency.
The following agencies shall have specific responsibilities:
a. Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) – Integrate ecosystem-based approaches in megadikes, dredging, and flood control systems;
b. Department of Agriculture (DA) and National Irrigation Administration (NIA) – Implement soil rehabilitation, irrigation expansion, and climate-resilient crop systems in restored lahar lands;
c. Department of Science and Technology (DOST) – Establish Restoration Science Centers in affected provinces to support soil analysis, native species propagation, and sediment studies;
d. Climate Change Commission (CCC) – Ensure alignment with Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and climate adaptation frameworks;
e. Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) – Integrate restoration measures into DRR plans and early warning systems;
f. Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) – Direct LGUs to incorporate lahar restoration targets into Local Climate Change Action Plans (LCCAPs) and Local DRRM Plans;
g. Commission on Higher Education (CHED) – Mobilize State Universities and Colleges to support research, nurseries, and community extension programs.
SECTION 5. Conditional Performance Grants to LGUs.
A Lahar Restoration Performance Grant Fund is hereby established. Funds shall be released to LGUs only upon verified achievement of restoration benchmarks, including:
a. Minimum vegetative cover targets;
b. Adoption of climate-resilient land use plans;
c. Community participation in restoration programs;
d. Transparent public reporting of expenditures and outcomes.
SECTION 6. Public-Private and Community Partnerships.
The DENR and NEDA shall develop mechanisms to support partnerships with private institutions, non-government organizations, cooperatives, and academic institutions engaged in botanical restoration, agroforestry, and watershed protection.
Incentives may include tax benefits, land tenure security assistance, technical support, and access to green financing mechanisms.
SECTION 7. Integration with Climate and DRR Financing.
Restoration activities under this Order shall qualify as climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction expenditures and may be funded through:
a. The People’s Survival Fund;
b. The National DRRM Fund;
c. Annual General Appropriations Act allocations;
d. Official Development Assistance (ODA) and climate finance facilities.
SECTION 8. Reporting and Transparency.
The DENR shall submit an annual consolidated report to the Office of the President detailing:
a. Area restored;
b. Flood and sediment risk reduction impacts;
c. Biodiversity indicators;
d. Livelihood outcomes;
e. Budget utilization.
Reports shall be made publicly accessible online.
SECTION 9. Separability Clause.
If any provision of this Order is declared unconstitutional or invalid, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 10. Repealing Clause.
All issuances inconsistent with this Executive Order are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
SECTION 11. Effectivity.
This Executive Order shall take effect immediately upon publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
DONE, in the City of Manila, this ___ day of __________, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Twenty-Six.
(Sgd.) FERDINAND R. MARCOS, JR.
President of the Republic of the Philippines
By the President:
(Sgd.) RALPH G. RECTO
Executive Secretary
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