THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has expressed its support for a bill declaring the Kaliwa River Forest Reserve (KRFR) as a protected area under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS).

According to its Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office, it supports all efforts to further protect and preserve KRFR and the rest of the Sierra Madre Mountain Range.

Joining the DENR are the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) and the local government of Rizal province.

House Bill 5055 filed by Rep. Emigdio “Dino” P. Tanjuatco III of the second district of the province of Rizal seeks to establish the Kaliwa River Forest and Wildlife Sanctuary.

Republic Act 7586 or the NIPAS Act, as amended by RA 11038 or the Expanded NIPAS Act of 2018, mandates the DENR to implement measures and programs to protect, maintain, and sustain the perpetual existence of all native plants, animals, and natural resources for the benefit of present and future generations.

The Kaliwa River Forest Reserve is named after its geographic location being on the left side of watersheds situated in Luzon’s northeastern seaboard and part of the Sierra Madre Mountain Range.

According to a recent suitability assessment, the proposed KRFWS is under the jurisdiction of the municipalities of Tanay, Rizal and General Nakar, Quezon with a total area of 31,883 hectares.

It is known to be the home of various endangered wildlife species such as the Northern Philippine Hawk-eagle (Nisaetus philippensis), Philippine Brown Deer (Rusa marianna), Philippine Warty Pig (Sus philippensis), Northern Rufous Hornbill (Buceros hydrocorax) and others. It is also considered to be the home of the critically endangered Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi), a species endemic to the Philippines.

The proposed Kaliwa River Forest and Wildlife Sanctuary has 12,147 hectares of remaining forest, with approximately 172 types of plant species, 39 of which are endemic and 17 are classified as threatened. Some species that can be found in the area are Rafflesia (R. Philippinensis and R. Lagascae), and Tayabak or Jade Vine (Strongylodon macrobotrys).

A recent study on Pungapong (Amorphophallus sp.) led the way to the discovery of a new species of Pungapong (Amorphophallus funtarumii), which was first found in a portion of the proposed Kaliwa River Forest and Wildlife Sanctuary.

This new species has been classified as highly endangered due to the present threats of forest degradation and destruction.

“All those species are endemic, meaning, they can only be found in the Philippines. Those are considered keystone species, with crucial roles in defining an entire ecosystem.” said DENR Calabarzon Regional Director Nilo B. Tamoria.

“Once legislated, fund support for the management of the KRFWS is assured and stringent regulations will be implemented,” he added.

Apart from its rich biodiversity, Kaliwa River Forest Reserve is also home to the Indigenous Peoples of the Dumagat-Remontado of the Sierra Madre, who play an important role in the conservation and protection of the environment and natural resources within the area.