09/11/2025
SHIELD AGAINST SUPERTYPHOON UWAN
The site sits on the steep flanks of the Sierra Madre, a mountain range long regarded as a natural storm shield that helps blunt the worst winds and rains from Pacific-born cyclones. “The Sierra Madre reduces wind exposure and downstream rainfall for parts of northeastern Luzon.
⛰️Geological history
The Sierra Madre mountain range in the Philippines was formed around 20 million years ago by the Pacific plate, which pushed the archipelago into the Pacific Ring of Fire.
It forms the eastern backbone of Luzon, stretching from Cagayan in the north to Quezon in the south.
🧔Human history
Indigenous peoples: The mountains have been home to various indigenous groups for thousands of years.
The Agta have lived in the area for nearly 35,000 years, and their history is intertwined with the range's ecology.
The Remontados, or "those who fled to the hills," are Negrito groups who settled in the mountains to avoid Spanish subjugation, according to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.
🌐Modern history:
Parts of the range have been declared a protected area, as seen in the designation of the Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park in the 1990s.
The name "Sierra Madre" also refers to a World War II-era U.S. Navy vessel that the Philippines has since deliberately beached in the South China Sea, but this is a separate entity from the mountain range itself.
🏞Environmental history
Historically, the Sierra Madre was home to the largest remaining tract of rainforest in the Philippines, but this has been significantly impacted by deforestation, illegal hunting, and other human activities.
The range is known for its incredible biodiversity, which is a major reason why it is considered vital for conservation efforts.
