Friday, November 14, 2008 Peña: Freeing up Laguna Lake By Rox Peña E-ssue
DURING a courtesy call to the then newly-installed Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Lito Atienza, our group asked him what his priorities are as the nation's top environmentalist. I distinctly remembered him mentioning about the removal of fish pens along Manila Bay.
Last August, or almost a year after that meeting, the actual demolition of illegal fish pens in Manila Bay was started. Demolition crews tore the first batch of fish pens with backhoes on August 27 with Secretary Atienza and Cavite Governor Ayong Maliksi witnessing the clearing operation.
After Manila Bay, Secretary Atienza turned his attention to the Laguna Lake where a similar fish pen clearing operation is being conducted.
During his recent inspection of the area, he was reported to have been disappointed with the very slow pace of the demolition. He said he would send the Department's own team to do the job like what he has just done in Manila Bay if LLDA failed to "liberate" the lake.
Reiterating his call to LLDA, Secretary Atienza said "We have to liberate the lake for the benefit of the whole fisher-folk and not just a few. Once free of obstructions, the lake will regenerate itself since water will flow from surrounding mountains. Laguna de Bay can be the source of Metro Manila's fresh water requirement."
Why is Laguna Lake so important? It is the largest freshwater lake in the country and the largest freshwater basin in Southeast Asia.
Aside from being a major food source and a possible source of fresh water, Laguna de Bay is home for various species of plants and animals. About 48 percent of flowering plants and ferns endemic to the Philippines are found within the lake basin.
Many people living within the watershed depend on the lake for food. High commercial value fish like milkfish or bangus, tilapia, carp, Thai catfish or hito, ayungin, and biya are grown in the lake. There are about 269 species of plants, fishes, and various kinds of aquatic organisms.
The proliferation of illegal structures however has contributed to the degradation of the lake. There's also the problem of pollution and over population.
According to LLDA, four out of 15 rivers draining into the lake are highly polluted in terms of biological oxygen demand (BOD) and dissolved oxygen (DO). About 77 percent of the pollution load of Laguna de Bay reportedly comes from households, 11 percent from industries, and 12 percent from land run-off. All the 15 rivers that were monitored exhibit high fecal contamination.
Aside from man-made problems, the Laguna Lake ecosystem is affected by the introduction of invasive exotic species that compete with native species for food and space. The Thai catfish displaced the native catfish and the golden apple snail displaced the native snail. I guess this is what happened too with our native catfish here in Pampanga. The giant African Catfish has displaced the smaller but tastier native "hito."
The DENR chief is not only concerned with the situation in Laguna Lake and Manila Bay. He is likewise worried about the ongoing proliferation of fishpens and fish cages in other water bodies, like Taal Lake. As such Secretary Atienza is pushing for a nationwide "zero fishpen policy."
I wonder if that proposed policy will include Pampanga River.
