Sierra Madre also known as the “backbone of Luzon,” is the longest mountain range in the Philippines. It covers the northeast coast of Luzon island, serving as natural shield against typhoons coming from the Pacific Ocean. The range also comprises numerous watersheds that serves the adjacent agricultural lands in Central Luzon and Cagayan Valley. Furthermore, it supports major infrastructure, including irrigation dams, water utility and power plants, that are serving urban settlements, including Metro Manila.

However, Sierra Madre is undergoing a period of extraordinary human-induced environmental change. Global and local worries have grown as a result of the possibility of losing a large portion of the region's biodiversity.

Sierra Madre is divided into three sections that cover ten provinces, thus the millions of people who live in these areas will be the ones who will be most affected by its degradation. Ethnic communities, some of whom live in the Sierra Madre highlands, would be forced to evacuate their homes in search of new locations with abundant and readily available resources.

Furthermore, since agriculture is the backbone of most provinces' economies, and agriculture relies on water from the Sierra Madre forests, farmer harvests will suffer. Not only will this have an impact on our food supply, but it will also worsen poverty in the Sierra Madre's northern region, which is largely reliant on its resources. Typhoons would damage or flood the affected provinces, including Metro Manila, if the natural wall defending the provinces was not present.

Sierra Madre is currently confronted with the following challenges:

Illegal Logging
Despite the fact that the Sierra Madre is home to only five commercial logging enterprises, there are signs that operational errors are wreaking havoc on the forestlands and biological resources.

Agricultural Practices
This practice is inextricably linked to unethical commercial logging operations and road development, which allow forest residents to use forest areas for agriculture — both for food and for profit.

Mining Activities
In Sierra Madre, mining covers an area of 811,541 hectares. Many applications have been withdrawn as a result of the lack of requisite legal documentation to justify final approval. On a local level, there is also ongoing opposition to mining operations.

Even so, there are many ways to show to Sierra Madre, our defender, that we care. Join us as we save our savior amid a typhoon.

It is now our time to PROTECT THE DEFENDER!