MANILA, Philippines - At least eight of the 64 local gover-nment units (LGUs) within the Laguna de Bay region will be honored for their conservation efforts and successful implementation of eco-projects, particularly in the management of solid waste in their localities.
The 64 cities and towns comprising the Laguna de Bay region is responsible for 70 percent of the total liquid and solid pollution load in Laguna Lake.
Edgar Manda, chairman of the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA), said they have been successful in implementing the Environmental Users Fee (EUF) system in Laguna de Bay, resulting in a dramatic drop in the pollution load from industries.
Manda pointed out that their EUF system was made the model of the Clean Water Act but is not yet being fully implemented nationwide.
The “Dangal ng Lawa” awardees will be announced at the Public Disclosure Program of the LLDA on April 28.
The LLDA is now on its third year of recognizing LGUs and industries around the lake for their outstanding environmental performance.
Non-compliant LGUs and industries, on the other hand, are nominated for the “Nakakasulasok Award.”
Manda said that the awards are embodied in the World Bank- Netherlands assisted Laguna de Bay Institutional Strengthening and Community Partici-pation (LISCOP) Project.
Started in 2004, the LLDA successfully implemented the P284-million infrastructure projects, which are modeled in 21 towns in the region. Nine of these are completed and 12 are under construction.
These 21 projects range from setting up of materials recovery facilities, eco-tourism, flood control, and river bank stabilization projects.
The 2007 and 2008 independent studies of LLDA, DENR-EMB and the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission show that Laguna Lake is the least polluted and had met the water quality standards in terms of biological oxygen demand as compared to Pasig River.
From the months of April through July every year, Laguna Lake experiences saline intrusion from Manila Bay through the Pasig River. This intrusion often results in fish kills.
At the same time, pollution flushed from other water bodies also find their way to the lake and to Manila Bay.