Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday called for the creation of a corporate entity that will develop Laguna Lake and unlock its full potential.
Cayetano made his call on September 11, 2024 as he sponsored Senate Bill No. 2647 which advocates for the strengthening of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), saying the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) should also be given attention.
“I hope we can come up with some kind of corporate entity that is partly government, partly private to actually develop the Laguna Lake and the ancestral lands of the indigenous peoples of the Philippines,” he said.
Earlier in the week, Cayetano urged the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to conduct thorough studies and look into the possibility of creating a development plan for the Laguna Lake.
During the September 9, 2024 Finance Committee hearing on the agency’s proposed 2025 budget, Cayetano emphasized past issues as he brought up the project.
“In 1998, my first privilege speech was about Laguna Lake. Sabi ko, ‘LLDA – Laguna Lake Development Authority. I see the ‘Laguna Lake,’ I see the ‘Authority,’ but where is the ‘Development’? 1998 po ‘yon. Pare-pareho na tayong tumanda. Nando’n pa rin ang Laguna Lake. Nando’n pa rin ‘yong Authority. Pero wala pa rin y’ung Development,” the senator stressed to DPWH.
Laguna Lake, the country’s largest lake, is used for fisheries, flood control, power generation, recreation, irrigation, industrial cooling, waste disposal, and domestic water supply.
However, studies by LLDA reveal that the lake faces serious ecological issues, including poor waste management, sanitation problems, congestion, sedimentation, pollution from various sources, declining water quality, flooding, and loss of biodiversity.
Cayetano underscored the need to resolve these problems while also seeking new development opportunities. He emphasized the need for careful planning to ensure the project benefits everyone involved and to prevent negative environment and social impacts.
The senator suggested that in-depth studies, potentially involving the Asian Development Bank (ADB), be conducted for the development of the Lake.
“It’s bigger than Singapore, at may one third pa na kasya sa loob ng Laguna Lake, Mister Secretary. Pakitingnan lang po kung baka pwedeng may gumawa ng study [to maximize the lake],” Cayetano told DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan.
While noting that there are fish pens and on-going floating solar farm projects on the lake, the senator said the LLDA could still unlock more potential similar to the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), which has successfully developed areas like Fort Bonifacio and Clark.
He also pointed out that LLDA lacks the funds and development focus that BCDA has, emphasizing the need for a solid plan to reveal potential opportunities, especially from road and reclamation projects.
“Napakaganda ng Laguna Lake… In terms of areas to develop, [it covers the provinces of] Rizal and Laguna, and then the cities of Muntinlupa and Taguig in Metro Manila,” he said.
“Ang dami nating pwedeng i-develop sa Laguna Lake, but it has to be done the right way,” he added.
