Flood control? DENR flags Laguna de Bay reclamation

Flood control project or reclamation activity?

- CHRISTINE BOTON

This is the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)'s urgent concern in Laguna de Bay, after flagging a supposed flood control project that turned out to be reclamation activities within the lake.

During the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) budget hearing before the Senate yesterday, DENR Undersecretary for integrated environmental science Carlos Primo David said they have identified several questionable projects presented as flood control initiatives but appeared otherwise, based on remote monitoring.

"This is a flood control project within Laguna de Bay, but if you look at the satellite images, they are actually reclamation projects within the lake right along C6," David said.

"This is a different kind of issue because there are much, much more permits, environmental impact, maybe it even causes further flooding within the Laguna Lake area when you do reclamation projects," he added.

David urged the DPWH and investigating bodies to look deeper into the findings, noting that the DENR's role is limited to environmental monitoring.