MANILA, Philippines—A lawmaker today (Tuesday) asked the Supreme Court to issue a Writ of Kalikasan to stop the degradation of Taal Lake.
Agham party-list Representative Angelo Palmones, in his petition said the renewal of contracts for fish cage owners in the lake causes the increasing number of fish kill in the area.
“In 1927 the fish inventory of Taal Lake recorded 76 migratory and many endemic species. Then about 50 years later (in 1975) the inventory was down to 15 migratory and only four endemic species. In 2003, the catch of tawilis, the most popular endemic specie from Taal, reportedly dropped by 80 percent,” Palmones said.
He added the fish kill last year affected 2,105 metric tons of fish with an estimated amount of P148.7 million.
The Writ of Kalikasan “contains a very specific set of remedies which may be availed of individually or cumulatively to wit—it is available to a natural or juridical person, entity authorized by law, people’s organization, non-governmental organization or any public interest group accredited by or registered with any government agency, on behalf of persons whose constitutional right to a balanced and healthful ecology is violated or threatened with violation by an unlawful act or omission of a public official or employee or private individual or entity involving environment damage of such magnitude as to prejudice the life, health or property of inhabitants in two or more cities or provinces.”