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Gov. Jeorge "E.R." Ejercito on Saturday urged the government to speed up the implementation of the Laguna de Bay Rehabilitation Project, which, when completed, would benefit over 13 million people living around the lake, including residents of Metro Manila.

”The P18.7 billion Laguna Lake dredging deal is an opportunity that government should grab immediately before another catastrophe strikes,” Ejercito said.

He lauded farmers, fishermen and ordinary folk and non-government organizations from the two congressional districts of Laguna for petitioning anew President Benigno S. Aquino III to give them the light for the early realization of the rehabilitation project.

Two petitions were submitted by Laguna residents to the Office of the President and the the Department of Finance, seeking the sooner implementation of the project, the first on July 29, 2010 and the second on Sept. 13, 2010.

Ejercito vowed the provincial government under his leadership, to give all-out support to the dredging project, noting that Laguna de Bay, South East Asia’s largest fresh water lake comprising of 94, 900 hectares, is now only two meters deep compared to its 30-meter depth 50 years ago.

“As governor of Laguna, I can assure all residents in the province that I am supporting fully the implementation of the project because most of the lakeshore towns are expected to reap the multifarious benefits that the project would offer to them, including the generations to come.

Ejercito expressed alarm that the heavily silted water body would rise again, flooding lakeshore communities, similar to what had happened at the height of Typhoons “Ondoy” and “Peping” last year and “Basyang” in July this year.

The provinces of Laguna and Rizal, which share portions of Laguna Lake, registered high death tolls during flooding brought by the two storms, he said.

”If the rehabilitation of Laguna Lake doesn’t push through, we will find difficulties finding another opportunity,” the governor said of the dredging deal signed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources with Belgian company Baggerwerken Decloedt en Zoon (BDC).

The costly project was approved recently by Justice Secretary Leila De Lima who stressed that the project was not a “midnight” deal” as claimed by some sectors, including a few officials in government, calling it one of the “midnight deals” of the previous administration.

“We’re running after the time lost here,” Ejercito said, adding proposals to remove silt from the lake had been deferred as far back as 1963. “What year are we now in? “2010!”

"We were hopeful that when the DENR and the Belgian company inked the project early this year, the undertaking will push through without any hassle. Now some national and local officials are trying to block the same, for reasons they know only for themselves," he said.

He also said that the “P18.7 billion fund is, in fact, a small amount. P1 billion (of the fund) goes to the relocation of informal settlers in Laguna and the other P1 billion for Rizal residents,” he said.

The project also covers the dredging of the seven-kilometer Napindan Channel, rehabilitation of wetlands and the construction of 12 ferry stations.

Based on a study, the economic benefits are anchored on navigation and mass transport due to the nautical highway that could be established. Many products of Laguna and Rizal will be competitive since transport costs will be reduced. The transport of commodities by ferries and barges will be simulated, apart from the positive effects of ferry stations, fish ports and economic areas for the lake shore communities.

Ejercito also hinted that a group of Chinese businessmen, from the private sector, have expressed interest in taking over the second phase of the lake dredging. He, however, did not elaborate.

He also said that Laguna was the first to hold a Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DRRM) Summit last week to tackle the DRRM issue and the disaster management program of the province..

Ejercito said the program of the provincial government that started this month, includes the reforestation of 1,000 hectares of forest area over three years; a solid waste management program; the training of 1,216 rescuers; relocation of squatter families from the 12.5-kilometer easement of the lake; creation of a 24/7 command and communications center; declogging of 27 water tributaries in Laguna; and the purchase of rubber and fiber glass boats, jet skis and amphibians that would be used for rescue operations.

According to the governor, the Belgian company contracted to undertake the project is just awaiting for a Notice to Proceed from the DENR. The funds are there and ready to be availed off for the lake’s dredging and rehabilitation, he said.(PNA)

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