Arroyo aides quarrel over issue of prolonged floods

MANILA – Two aides of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo are feuding in public over the issue of prolonged floods that could last until December and affect the lives of about two million people living along the shores of a major freshwater lake in Metro Manila and Southern Luzon.

The protagonists are Secretary Lito Atienza of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Edgardo Manda, the general manager of the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA).

Their quarrel started when Atienza told a radio interview he would not hesitate to file charges against Manda for allegedly reneging in his duty to dismantle fish pens in Laguna de Bay, Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake.

Atienza insisted that Manda’s failure to dismantle the fishpens, which he ordered him to do so in 2007, are among the major reasons why the floods caused by typhoon “Ondoy” on September 26 have not subsided, especially cities in Metro Manila as well as areas in the provinces of Rizal and Laguna in Southern Luzon that are located along the shores of the lake.

Another contributing factor, Atienza said, is the presence of thousands of “informal settlers” or squatters who built their homes on the wetlands of Laguna de Bay.

According to Atienza, the fishpens, put up by businessmen, and similar illegal structures obstructed the free flow of water from the lake to the historic Pasig River and to its final destination – the Manila Bay.

As a result, Atienza said that floodwaters brought by Ondoy (international codename “Ketsana”) continue to remain in many towns and cities like Marikina, Pasig, Muntinlupa and Las Pinas in Metro Manila as well as Cainta in Rizal province and Pakil in Laguna province, both in Southern Luzon, more than week after Ondoy struck and brought historic-setting record rainfall on these areas.

Fears are that the floods would remain in many lakeshore areas and affect at least two million residents along the lakeshore areas until December, which prompted Atienza to say:

“I will not think twice about suing Mr. Manda. The obstruction of the free flow of water is the main reason for the massive flooding.”

But Manda responded that this is not the time for finger-pointing and blame-throwing as he stressed the urgent need for all concerned, from the government to the private sector and the especially the people affected, to come up with solutions to the problem.

“After the problem principally of flooding has been solved, then I am willing to face a firing squad if it is proven that I am to blame,” said Manda, acknowledged as a protégé of lawyer Jose Miguel Arroyo, the controversial husband of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Manda stressed the fishpens should not be the only one to blame for the flooding, saying that the government must also look into the vanishing vegetation and trees in the watersheds that surround Laguna de Bay.

“Massive reforestation should be done,” he said, hinting that this is one of the major functions of Atienza’s department.

Other major contributory factors to the flooding, Manda said, are poor waste management, siltation and land conversion, particularly the construction of private housing estates along the lakeshore towns and cities.

At the same time, Manda described his agency as a “toothless tiger” as he explained that the LLDA has no police powers to dismantle the fishpens. He added it is the local government units, not the LLDA, that are mandated by law to prevent squatters from building their homes along restricted areas of Laguna de Bay.

“Ten to 15 years ago, the construction of illegal fishpens has already become a big problem,” Manda said. “We can’t be a miracle worker and make them all disappear overnight.”

He disclosed that the LLDA has stopped issuing permits for the construction of additional fishpens in the lake. Besides, he said, he could not dismantle the existing fishpens without an order from the lower courts.

Related News and Articles:

• No Related News and Articles