First District Representative Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin, Jr. has filed a resolution to rename the reforested portion of the Sapangbato Watershed in honor of the late Renato “Abong” Tayag, Jr., a respected Kapampangan environmental advocate.
Lazatin filed the resolution on July 29, 2025, in recognition of Tayag’s significant role in advancing reforestation efforts in the area.
“Maragul ya pong saup ing Abong Tayag keng kekatamung adbokasiyang magtanam keni king Sapangbato Watershed. Anya dapat tamung kilalanan ing kayang ambag,” Lazatin said.
Tayag founded the Abacan River and Angeles Watershed Advocacy Council, Inc. (ARAW-ACI), a key non-government organization behind the preservation and reforestation of the watershed.
In 2019, during Lazatin’s term as Mayor of Angeles City, the local government partnered with ARAW-ACI to implement a reforestation program in Sapangbato. The initiative began in June 2020 with a goal of planting 45,000 native trees. As of 2025, over 145,000 seedlings have been planted in the area through the collaboration.
On the same day, Lazatin also filed House Bill No. 2423, which seeks to declare the Sapangbato Watershed a protected area. The proposed law aims to conserve the area’s biodiversity and prevent environmental degradation by enforcing strict regulations.
HB 2423 prohibits activities such as:
- Poaching, killing, or disturbing wildlife within the protected zone;
- Illegal logging and gathering of timber;
- Dumping of toxic substances, sewage, and non-biodegradable materials;
- Unauthorized treasure hunting; and
- Unlawful sale or lease of land covered by existing tenurial instruments.
The bill also proposes the establishment of a Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) to oversee conservation efforts and manage the watershed sustainably.
The Sapangbato Watershed spans 546 hectares in the uplands of Barangay Sapangbato. It is classified by the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Soils and Water Management as Protected Agricultural Land and designated as Fragile Agricultural Land for watershed protection.
(File photo: Cong. Lazatin and Abong Tayag during a meeting on August 17, 2023.)
