A partylist lawmaker has filed a measure seeking the establishment of coastal greenbelts to lessen the damage wrought by waves and storm surges on human lives and property.

Representative Rodel Batocabe of the AKO-Bicol partylist organization said his proposal, House Bill 5948 will help mitigate the adverse impact of super typhoons such as Haiyan (Yolanda), which devastated Eastern Visayas two years ago.

AKO-Bicol is a partylist ally of the National Unity Party (NUP) under the Coalition for Peace and Development.

Under his proposed National Coastal Greenbelt Act of 2015, Batocabe said 100-meter protection zones shall be established “initially for the Eastern Pacific seaboard, where typhoons make landfall.”

A coastal greenbelt, as defined under Batocabe’s bill, is “a strip of natural or planted coastal vegetation, stretching at least 100 meters in width from the sea towards land, primarily of mangrove and beach forest species, which are designed to prevent coastal erosion and mitigate the adverse impacts of natural coastal hazards on human lives and property.”

Batocabe, who chairs  the House Special Committee on Climate Change, said establishing the National Coastal Greenbelt Program shall provide the Climate Change Commission the directives, funding and general guiding principles for implementing a science-based and cost effective program.

World Bank studies show that the Philippines ranks 8th among countries most exposed to multiple hazards and ranks 13th at high economic risk to natural events.

"In the age of global climate change, this has unfortunately become the new normal. The poor coastal communities' natural exposure to storm surges and lack of resources for preparation and recovery make them most vulnerable," Batocabe explained.

He said it has  been scientifically proven that coastal greenbelts can reduce wave wind height and swell waves by 13-66 percent over 100 meters of mangroves.

He further said that coastal forests could reduce the force, depth and velocity of a tsunami, lessening damage to property and reducing loss of life.