THE activist fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas on Monday told the Department of Public Works and Highways to reject the revival of the mega dike project in Laguna de Bay, known as the Laguna Lakeshore Expressway Dike Project.
The LLEDP was one of the biggest projects of then President Benigno Aquino III under the Public-Private Partnership program, amounting to P122.8 billion.
The LLEDP has two proposed components—a 47-kilometer expressway dike from Muntinlupa, Taguig to Los Baños, Laguna; and the 700-hectare reclamation intended for commercial, residential and mixed use.
But the project was terminated early last year due to failed bidding accompanied by strong resistance from the Laguna lake fishers, settlers and other sectors concerned in the brackish lake.
Fisherfolk, residents, environmentalists and other concerned sectors oppose the project because this will pose grave threat to the fragile marine environment and species of the 90-thousand hectare lake.
Moreover, around 4.9 million fisherfolk and urban poor families will be waned away from their livelihood and coastal community.
The DPWH, one of the implementing agencies of the LLEDP, earlier said it would still push through the construction of the mega dike, arguing for its importance in the transformation of the Laguna de Bay into eco-tourism zone.
Pamalakaya meanwhile said the revival of the mega dike would nullify the initiative of the present administration through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to revive and rehabilitate the dying lake through fish pen moratorium and dismantling.
“DENR’s initiative to rehabilitate Laguna de Bay through moratorium on fish pens will become futile unless this mega dike that is a total menace to the lake would be suspended permanently. We hope that fish pen dismantling is not a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the total conversion of the productive fishing water of Laguna de Bay into money-making eco-tourism hub for the business tycoons and the rich,” Fernando Hicap, Pamalakaya chairperson, said in a statement.