Loren bats for Lake Lanao rehabilitation

Genuine Opposition senatorial candidate Loren Legarda has expressed strong support for the creation of a Lake Lanao Development Authority to rehabilitate the dying lake and improve its ecology for both economic growth and social activity.

"It is lamentable that Lake Lanao, with a surface area of 357 square kilometers, is now considered a dying lake when once it was the center of a thriving population that benefited from its clean water and rich marine resources," said Loren.

Known for her vigorous advocacy for a clean environment, Loren appealed to the National Power Corp. (Napocor), which operates six hydroelectric power plants along the Agus river, a main artery of Lake Lanao, to comply strictly with the environment compliance certificate (ECC) issued to it by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). A seventh power plant is being built along the Agus river.

Loren backed the demand of the Philippine Muslim Women Council (PMWC) that Napocor should comply strictly with the 23 terms and conditions of the ECC, including irrigation for the farmers, compensation for damages to residents under the environmental guarantee fund and prevention of water-borne diseases emanating from the lake.

Loren also asked the DENR and the Philippine National Police to strengthen their drive against illegal logging in the watershed area of Lake Lanao. She also asked the Department of Agriculture, particularly the Bureau of Fisheries to stock the lake with fish fry as the fish stock of the lake is said to have been seriously depleted through over fishing and water pollution.