P5M for lake rehabilitation

SAN PEDRO CITY—At least P5 million has been released for the rehabilitation of one of seven lakes that had made the city of San Pablo in Laguna province famous, according to officials.

Eleazar Alaira, Laguna environment officer, said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) allotted the funds for a one-year program to rehabilitate Sampaloc Lake.

The funds, from the DENR’s Biodiversity Management Bureau and part of the 2015 national budget, were released on Jan. 13.

The 104-hectare Sampaloc Lake that lies at the center of San Pablo City drew international attention last year after the Germany-based Global Nature Fund named it as the most threatened of San Pablo’s seven lakes in 2014. The other lakes are Palakpakin, Calibato, Bunot, Yambo, Pandin and Muhicap.

The seven lakes are suffering from heavy pollution caused by the discharge of domestic wastes directly into the bodies of water and too many fish cages.

In a phone interview on Thursday, Alaira said the rehabilitation program started late last year with an information and awareness campaign on lake conservation.