Senator Alan Peter Cayetano has proposed establishing a government-private corporate entity to manage and develop Laguna Lake, the largest lake in the Philippines, to address its environmental challenges and realize its economic potential.
Sponsoring Senate Bill No. 2647, which aims to strengthen the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), Cayetano urged similar attention to the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA). He suggested that this entity could oversee the lake’s development, balancing public and private investment to improve its infrastructure and environmental management.
During a Senate Finance Committee hearing on September 9, Cayetano highlighted the lake’s enduring issues, including pollution, sedimentation, declining water quality, and loss of biodiversity, as noted in studies by LLDA. He called for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to initiate comprehensive studies, potentially involving the Asian Development Bank (ADB), to create a viable development plan for the lake.
Cayetano also pointed to LLDA’s limited resources, contrasting it with the BCDA’s success in transforming areas like Fort Bonifacio and Clark. He emphasized the need for a structured approach to development that aligns with road and reclamation projects, ensuring ecological sustainability and community benefits.
The senator also noted that while fish pens and floating solar farms are already in place on Laguna Lake, additional development could be pursued responsibly to enhance economic growth for surrounding provinces, including Rizal, Laguna, Muntinlupa, and Taguig.