CALAMBA, Laguna—Former lawmaker Rodolfo “Totoy” Tingzon sees new hope for Laguna Lake after the government’s recent order to clear the water body of fish pens.
“I can already visualize small fishermen going back to the lake to fish, just like in the old days,” Tingzon, chairman of the Save Laguna Lake Movement, told Manila Standard.
“I am very happy and thankful to the Duterte administration for finally taking steps in dismantling the fish pens in Laguna Lake, which I have been advocating since I was Representative of the second district of Laguna of the 9th Congress, 22 years ago,” added the former solon, who is now 91 years old.
Tingzon hopes he is still alive to see the lake “free of these destructive fish pens that has been the cause of siltation and flooding in the coastal communities surrounding the lake.”
It may be recalled that after issuing a final warning to all fish pen operators in the lake, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources began dismantling fish pens and fish cages last month. Environment Secretary Regina Lopez vowed to clear all 90,000 hectares of Laguna Lake.
President Rodrigo Duterte told Congress last year he ordered the dismantling of big fish pens and fish cages in Laguna Lake to allow small fishermen to gain access to their traditional fishing grounds.
All fish pens in the lake were considered illegal after the Laguna Lake Development Authority did not renew their permits as they expired last Dec. 31.
The DENR said it would zero in “on large, illegal fish operators that have benefited and profited from the lake region since the ’70s.”
“Operators have been given enough time to dismantle their own pens last year, and as of January this year all permits to operate have been canceled,” the department added.
Tingzon said the only way to save the heavily polluted lake and give access to small fishermen was to dismantle all illegal structures there.