LLDA confirms Taguig LGU has no involvement in Laguna Lake project issues
The Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) on Monday confirmed that the local government of Taguig City has no responsibility over the issues surrounding allegedly questionable projects along the city’s side of Laguna Lake.
During Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano’s inquiry at the hearing on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENR) proposed 2027 budget on October 19, it emerged that the Taguig government was not responsible for the alleged lack of permits for several Laguna Lake projects because these were DPWH projects.
“Ninety nine percent ng projects doon, sino ang proponent?” Cayetano asked.
“DPWH, sir,” LLDA lawyer Atty. Marian Soriano answered directly.
When the Taguigeño senator asked which agency had failed to obtain the permit, Soriano again answered: “DPWH.”
Cayetano explained that while Taguig operates the parks and public spaces, which benefits millions of Filipinos, it is the DPWH that carried out the reclamation on which it stands.
“The city runs it (park), [but] it’s the DPWH that built it (reclaimed land),” he said.
“Walang kinalaman ang Taguig. Dalawang departamento kayong nagbabanggaan (DPWH and LLDA), pero sa media, ang pinapalabas niyong may problema, ang city,” Cayetano added.
LLDA, PRA dispute
For the first time since the controversy over the Taguig projects broke out, LLDA also confirmed at the hearing that it has “exclusive jurisdiction” over all Laguna Lake projects, rather than the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA), which has been insisting on permits from the Taguig government.
“Sino ang may jurisdiction ng reclamation sa Laguna Lake?” Cayetano asked.
“LLDA po ‘yan,” LLDA General Manager Engr. Leopoldo Parumog replied.
“We firmly assert the LLDA’s jurisdiction over all developmental activities in the region,” Atty. Soriano added.
Cayetano cited a 1995 Department of Justice (DOJ) opinion supporting LLDA’s jurisdiction and an LLDA board resolution asserting “exclusive jurisdiction”.
Asked which would prevail between a DOJ opinion and an opinion of the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC), Soriano answered: “Sir the DOJ.”
“Oh bakit niyo pinapayagan ang PRA na makialam sa Laguna Lake?” Cayetano said.
“Kung kayo magpahinto, dapat sumunod ang gobyerno. Kayo may jurisdiction. Bakit niyo hindi pinaglalaban ang jurisdiction niyo?” he added.
LLDA’s statements on the overlapping jurisdiction and the DPWH’s permit responsibility were consistent with the answers given by PRA and DPWH to Cayetano during earlier Senate hearings this month.
The senator urged the agencies to resolve their differences and explain their respective responsibilities to the public, rather than leave Taguig bearing criticism over the dispute.
“[Taguig was] slandered and maligned and pinalabas na kalokohan lahat,” Cayetano said.
“I’m not asking you to lie. I’m asking you to give facts. Is it too much to ask for LLDA to say na, ‘Sorry PRA, wala kayong jurisdiction dito?’” he added.
Cayetano also supported compliance with LLDA requirements but sought consistent treatment of comparable developments and a way forward for longstanding projects.
“Just treat everything equally,” he said.
Filipino Version
LLDA nilinaw na walang kinalaman ang Taguig LGU sa mga problema sa Laguna Lake projects
Kinumpirma ng Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) nitong Lunes na walang kinalaman ang lokal na pamahalaan ng Taguig sa mga isyung bumabalot sa mga umano’y kwestiyonableng proyekto sa Laguna de Bay sa baybayin ng Taguig.
Sa pagtatanong ni Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano sa LLDA sa pagdinig sa panukalang budget ng Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) nitong October 19, lumabas na responsibilidad ng Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) – at hindi ng Taguig – na kumuha ng permit para sa mga reclamation sa lugar dahil proyekto ang mga iyon ng DPWH.
“Ninety nine percent ng projects doon, sino ang proponent?” tanong ni Cayetano.
“DPWH, sir,” diretsong tugon ni Atty. Marian Soriano ng LLDA.
Nang tanungin ng senador kung sino ang hindi kumuha ng permit, muling tugon ni Soriano: “DPWH”.
Paliwanag ni Cayetano, ang Taguig lang ang nagpapatakbo ng pampublikong parke sa ibabaw ng reclaimed land, na pinakikinabangan ng milyun-milyong Pilipino, pero DPWH ang nagtayo sa lupang kanatitirikan nito.
“Walang kinalaman ang Taguig. Dalawang departamento kayong nagbabanggaan (LLDA at DPWH), pero sa media, ang pinapalabas niyong ang may problema, ang city,” pahayag ng senador.
“The city runs it (park), [but] it’s the DPWH that built it (reclaimed land),” dagdag ni Cayetano.
Banggaan sa hurisdiksyon ng LLDA at PRA
Sa unang pagkakataon matapos pumutok ang isyu kaugnay ng Taguig projects, kinumpirma rin ng LLDA sa pagdinig na sila ang may “exclusive jurisdiction” sa lahat ng proyekto sa Laguna Lake at hindi ang Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) na pilit humihingi ng permit mula sa Taguig LGU.
“Sino may jurisdiction ng reclamation sa Laguna Lake?” tanong ni Cayetano sa LLDA.
“LLDA po ‘yan,” direktang tugon ni Engr. Leopoldo Parumog, General Manager ng LLDA.
“We firmly assert the LLDA’s jurisdiction over all developmental activities in the region,” dagdag ni Soriano.
Binanggit ni Cayetano ang 1995 Department of Justice (DOJ) opinion na nagsasabing
LLDA nga ang may kapangyarihan sa lawa, at ang Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC) opinion na pabor naman sa PRA.
Nang tanungin ng senador kung alin ang dapat mangibabaw alinsunod sa batas, sinabi ni Soriano: “Sir the DOJ.”
“Oh bakit niyo pinapayagan ang PRA na makialam sa Laguna Lake?” tugon naman ni Cayetano.
“Kung kayo magpahinto, dapat sumunod ang gobyerno. Kayo may jurisdiction. Bakit niyo hindi pinaglalaban ang jurisdiction niyo?” dagdag niya.
Tugma ang mga naturang pahayag ng LLDA sa mga ginawang pag-amin ng PRA at ng DPWH kay Cayetano sa mga nakalipas na pagdinig sa Senado nitong buwan.
Paghimok ng senador sa tatlong ahensya, ayusin ang kanilang mga hindi pagkakaunawaan at maging bukas sa publiko tungkol sa kani-kanilang responsibilidad, upang hindi nabubunton ang mga kritisismo sa Taguig na wala namang kinalaman sa gusot.
“[Taguig was] slandered and maligned and pinalabas na kalokohan lahat,” pahayag ni Cayetano.
“I’m not asking you to lie. I’m asking you to give facts. Is it too much to ask for LLDA to say na sorry PRA, wala kayong jurisdiction dito’?” dagdag niya.
Sinuportahan din ni Cayetano ang pagsunod ng lahat sa mga patakaran ng LLDA, nguni’t dapat aniya ay pantay ang pagpapatupad ng mga ito at may patas na paraan para hindi mahinto ang mga lehitimong proyektong matagal nang sinimulan.
“Just treat everything equally,” aniya.
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