DENR chief plans to convert Laguna Lake into an eco-tourism zone

In line with President Rodrigo Duterte's plan to prioritize small fishermen in Laguna Lake, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Gina Lopez on Wednesday said she plans to convert the lake into an eco-tourism zone.

"We are going a step further, we're gonna convert the whole Laguna Lake into a magnificent eco-tourism zone, which is special like no other," Lopez told reporters at a press briefings in Quezon City.

But Lopez did not tell when the plan will start.

The DENR chief noted that she is looking into the possibility of "maneuvering" domestic wastes from 400,000 households around the Laguna Lake so that it will not come to the water.

"If we can maneuver that the septage doesn't go into the lake or gets clean before it goes to the lake. If we can maneuver that...the lake is clean, the water is clean," Lopez said.

She said that by reforestration, the moving of septage into the lake will be stopped.

"When the Laguna Lake is clean, imagine there is sailing, restaurants...the lake must be clean. What we are going to do there is massive reforestration," she said.

Lopez also noted that she will talk to mayors of municipalities or cities around the Laguna Lake to find a way so that septage will no longer go to the lake.

"We can have a really really beautiful lake. You can build an economy on something that is beautiful...That lake we can bring it back to its original pristine condition, the well being of all the municipalities around that lake will be very very good and it can be a superb example of what happens if you take care of the environment. That's the game plan," the DENR chief said.

On Monday, the President said in his first State of the Nation Address (SONA), "The Laguna Lake shall be transformed into a vibrant economic zone showcasing ecotourism by addressing the negative impact of the watershed destruction, land conversion and pollution." 

"This is what I am telling you. The poor fishermen will have priority in its entitlements," he added.

Lessen fish pens

Also during his SONA, Duterte ordered Lopez to lessen large fish pens in Laguna Lake.

"Ayusin mo, Ma’am (Lopez). Huwag mo namang ipitin but they have to reduce the areas of occupation," the President said.

The DENR chief said she will stand to what Duterte has directed. 

"This is his directive, we lessen the fish pens because it's too much. When we are lessening the fish pens... we don't jeopardize the small fishermen," she said.

In his SONA,  Duterte said: "Itong Laguna Lake, naubos ang mga... Wala na ang fishermen. Iyon na lang — the difference with one big fish pen to the other — iyon nalang ang sa mga tao. 

"Every time nakita ko, talagang wala ng ano. And the fishermen are complaining about their loss. Talagang wala na sila kasi ang maliit na lugar iyon lang ang kanila," the President said. — RSJ, GMA News