SUBIC BAY BAY FREEPORT ZONE — A petition calling on the Office of the President, the Senate and the House of Representatives to independently investigate the recent incident at the Tipo High-Tech Eco Park (THEP) and undertake a broader review of development practices within and around the Subic Bay Freeport is gaining support from concerned residents and stakeholders.
The petition was prompted by a video circulating online that appears to show a retaining structure or slope-protection system giving way at THEP, with a truck caught in moving soil and people attempting to assist. While the incident followed weeks of persistent rainfall, the petitioners stress that its actual cause should be established through an independent investigation rather than speculation.
THEP is an approximately 200-hectare mixed-use industrial development along the Tipo Expressway, near a principal Freeport entry and exit. Given its scale and location, the petitioners believe its engineering, drainage, environmental safeguards, permits and compliance with approved plans deserve careful review.
The petition, however, goes beyond a single incident or project. It calls for a comprehensive review of major developments within the Freeport, particularly those near waterways, slopes, forests, mangroves and other environmentally sensitive areas. The review should examine not only individual compliance, but also the cumulative effects of development on drainage, flooding, slope stability, infrastructure and surrounding communities.
“In light of the flood-control controversy and severe flooding affecting communities, particularly Olongapo, we respectfully call for an independent and comprehensive review of major developments in the Subic Bay Freeport, especially those near waterways, slopes, forests and mangroves,” Jen Velarmino-van der Heijde, spokesperson of the Save Subic Bay Coalition, said.
“The review should assess compliance with environmental, structural, land-use and public-safety requirements, as well as the cumulative impact of these developments on drainage, flooding, infrastructure and surrounding communities. This is not about blaming or singling out any developer, but about transparency, accountability and public safety,” she added.
The petitioners emphasize that areas once covered by forests and vegetation naturally absorbed and slowed rainfall, while buildings, roads, concrete and other impervious surfaces can generate faster and greater runoff. They are therefore calling for independent technical and hydrological assessments to determine whether existing drainage, detention and water-impounding systems remain adequate as development expands and rainfall events become increasingly intense.
The review should begin with THEP and similarly situated developments, including other projects undertaken by the same development group where relevant, but should apply the same objective standards to all developers. The petition is not intended to target any company; rather, projects should be examined based on their scale, location, environmental sensitivity, engineering requirements and potential impact on surrounding communities.
Another major concern is the protection of Subic Bay’s remaining mangroves. With only approximately 61–65 hectares of protected mangrove forest remaining within the Freeport according to available ecological assessments, the petition calls for no further encroachment, clearing, reclamation or development on existing mangrove areas, regardless of the project or its proponent.
The proposed Subic-Clark Railway Project has heightened these concerns, with its planned alignment identified as passing through or affecting more than six hectares of mangrove areas. The petition calls for all technically feasible alternatives to be examined and, where feasible, for the railway to be realigned to avoid these remaining mangroves.
“Mangroves are not vacant land. They are natural coastal infrastructure that help protect communities from erosion, flooding and storm surges while supporting fisheries, biodiversity and marine life. Where a project can be moved to avoid a mangrove, move the project—not the mangrove,” Velarmino-van der Heijde also said.
“At its core, this petition is a call for better governance and prevention. We are not against investment, infrastructure or responsible development. We are asking that rules be followed, environmental and engineering studies be meaningful, permits and inspections be properly enforced, communities be heard, and government strengthen safeguards when existing processes are no longer sufficient,” El Latinazo, organizer of People Against Corruption Olongapo, one of the coalitions’ members, said.
The petition calls on the President and both Houses of Congress to investigate the Tipo incident, review development and environmental practices within and around the Freeport, assess cumulative impacts on surrounding watersheds, protect remaining mangroves, and hold accountable—after due process—any private or government actors found responsible for violations or failures of oversight.
“Prevention is not anti-development. It is responsible governance,” Latinazo added. “We hope this moment will lead to meaningful corrective and preventive action before another tragedy or irreversible environmental loss occurs, and that Subic Bay can continue to develop without sacrificing the safety of its communities or the natural systems that protect them.”