'Inaction on Laguna Lake issue putting lives at risk'

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Environment and Natural Resources is putting the lives of thousands of people and the livelihood of hundreds of fisherfolks at risk “for its sin of omission” on the issue of rehabilitating the already dying Laguna Lake.

Laguna Gov. Jeorge “ER” Ejercito said the DENR should be held liable for any untoward incident that could happen to those living near the huge body of water in case massive flooding again takes place like what happened last year during typhoon Ondoy.

Ejercito said the lives and livelihood of people, more especially his constituents, “are in serious danger” unless the lake, which has become shallow following years of neglect, is rehabilitated at the soonest possible time.

He scored the DENR’s inaction and silence on the problem surrounding the issue of reviving and dredging the Laguna Lake to improve its sorry state.

Members of the ruling party have sought to stop the dredging project on allegations it was supposedly tainted with graft which remain in the realm of unsubstantiated allegations, according to Ejercito.

The DENR, the implementing agency for the Laguna Lake Rehabilitation Project, has opted to keep mum, refusing to clarify the issues.

In the meantime, he said the DENR, through Secretary Ramon Paje, has not offered any alternative solution to rehabilitate the lake.

The dredging of Laguna Lake, which has become shallow, was proposed by Belgian company Baggerwerken Decloedt en Zoon N.V (BDZ) with the project enjoying the support of the Belgian government which is providing a soft loan to finance the same.

Successful dredging of Pasig River

BDZ was also behind the successful dredging of Metro Manila’s Pasig River, which was recently completed two months ahead of schedule.

Initially, the DENR questioned alleged technical flaws in the Laguna Lake dredging project as questions of its legality have already been settled by two justice secretaries – former secretary Alberto Agra and current Secretary Leila de Lima. As project proponent, BDZ readily agreed to the conditions set by DENR just to ensure the implementation of the project and its completion by June 2012.

The DENR, during a budget hearing in the Senate, failed to cite any allegations of fraud in the project but nevertheless gave three conditions before it gives its go signal – the re-forestation of the Marikina watershed; a third-party monitoring team to oversee the progress of the project, and mapping of the delineation of the boundaries of the Laguna Lake.

“We’re willing to work together with the Philippine government to address the concerns raised by the DENR and ensure transparency of the undertaking,” BDZ Area Manager for Northeast Asia Dimitry Duttileux assured.

The quick assurance of the Belgian firm however, was met with silence from the DENR making Ejercito fear that only an Ondoy-like flooding like last year would finally prompt DENR to speak up “but then, it may be too late.”