Vol. XXI, No. 187 [ Business World Online ]
Thursday, April 24, 2008 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES
Legal structures will also be cleared
THE LAGUNA Lake Development Authority (LLDA) yesterday started demolishing seven illegal fish pens in the 3,000-hectare Laguna Lake.
along the banks of Laguna Lake in the town of Angono in Rizal province east of
Metro Manila. Greenpeace has called on the government for strict enforcement of
wastewater laws to protect the country’s freshwater sources and reminded
the public that waste dumped on land eventually ends up in the water. — AFP
The dismantled structures comprised only half a hectare.
In a telephone interview, LLDA General Manager Ed Manda said the agency has also suspended the renewal of permits for existing fish pen owners.
Legal fish pens with unexpired permits will not be demolished, Mr. Manda said, but noted that these structures, which cover about 10,000 hectares, will also be demolished in due time.
Fish pen permits last for one year, according to the LLDA.
"Eventually, we will get rid of all the fish pens in the lake," said Mr. Manda.
The dismantling of fish pens is based on a directive from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to restore Laguna de Bay and allow small fishermen to benefit from its resources.
In a telephone interview, Bonifacio Federizo, leader of Mamamayan Para sa Pagpapaunlad at Pagpapanatili ng Lawa ng Laguna (Koalisyong Mapagpala), said in Filipino, "We are glad that our fishing area will expand, and if this continues our catch will increase."
Meanwhile, Environment Secretary Jose L. Atienza, Jr. has also asked the local government of Angono, Rizal to stop dumping garbage along the bank of the lake following reports that the municipality uses it as a dump site.
Mr. Atienza said, "Our next target would be the illegal dump sites along its bank which also greatly contribute to the degradation of the lake’s water quality."
"Laguna Lake is dying and collective efforts are necessary to nurse it back to life," he said.
Rumors have it that most of the fish pens are owned by local officials, but this could not be confirmed as of press time.
The fish pens have since been a sore thumb between the government and the structures’ operators. The pens have been criticized for the limited catch among small fishermen who are being deprived of their main source of income.
The LLDA has said the pens have put pressure on the lake’s capacity to increase fish stock. — Aizel Joyce A. Catipay
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