Just a week ago on November 23, 2016, the new Philippine President, Rodrigo Duterte declared that the fishpen owners in Laguna Lake (largest freshwater lake in the Philippines) should voluntarily limit the size of their pens before the second week of December.  This is part of the effort to clean up Laguna Lake with the end in mind of turning it into an eco-tourism zone.  The President said: "Limit your area you can fence it. But you have to give the bigger share to the so many fisherfolk...If you cannot do the job, by the second week of December, I will order the military to destroy it and this time no more arrangement of what will be your area."

Actually, the clean-up of this lakes was one of the main points that the President mentioned in his State of the Nation Address in July 2016.  So the Department of Environment and Natural Resources under its new Secretary, Gina Lopez, was slowly demolishing fishpens.  They had started some dismantling, but there were issues so this could not be complied with.

But with this directive, it became clear to the fishpen owners that they had better voluntarily dismantle or lessen their areas.  Just this week, our Laudato Si group was invited to witness dismantling of some fishpens in Laguna Lake. Led by Monsignor Jerry Bitoon, a group of San Pablenos went to the lake early in the morning of November 28. They went there to lend support to the dismantling team composed of the DENR and the Coast Guard.  DENR Undersecretary for Field Operations, Arthur Valdez, led the operations. Some other NGOs joined the group to show solidarity.

After several hours in the water with the operation team removing the posts holding down the nets, the effort was completed.  Undersecretary Valdez declared the operation a success. Hopefully, this is the start of the effort to clean-up Laguna Lake and other lakes, including our own seven lakes in San Pablo. Thank you, Mr. President for initiating this!! Thank you, Tito Monsi and friends for representing us!