PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has ordered relevant government agencies to monitor the water quality at Taal Lake in Batangas province in the wake of a reported fish kill.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Monday, June 3, 2019, that Duterte was worried over reports that some 605 tons of tilapia were found dead in Taal Lake.
"The President has expressed concern about the fish kill in Taal, which according to fisheries experts is caused by sulfur upswelling triggered by the strong Amihan that accompanies an extreme temperature drop," the Palace official said in a statement. Amihan is Filipino for northeast monsoon.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources noted that around 121 fish cages have been affected in Buso-Buso and Gulod villages in Laurel town and the village of Bañaga in Agoncillo town.
On Sunday, June 2, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) issued a warning that the lake water has reached a dangerously low level of oxygen and has continued to decline in the following days.
The BFAR advised fish cage owners to either move their cages or harvest early.
Panelo, meanwhile, cautioned the public to refrain from spreading false news on the issue, as it may only cause "undue alarm."
"He (Duterte) also required the officials concerned to undertake measures to mitigate the impact of the natural phenomenon," he said.
"He ordered increased vigilance over the prices and supplies, as well as the freshness of fish sold in the market," Panelo added. (SunStar Philippines)