Friends of the Seven Lakes Foundation

November 19, 2008, San Pablo City

An LLDA Executive Forum was held with representatives from LLDA, FARMC, City officials and other stakeholders.

Main issues discussed were:

1) Fishcage belting - The model with half the lake to be used for a fishing village (where the fishcages up to the allowable 10% of the total surface area)and the other half for recreational activities was proposed with general acceptance. A smaller meeting with FARMC and LLDA will be held on Nov 24 to discuss concerns, including moving of fishcages to the proposed site closer to the Brgy San Lucas and Brgy Concepcion areas.

2) Status of demolition - Since we are waiting for more units to be built at the GK housing site, demolition will start with the disqualified settlers. Due process will be followed, but LLDA will follow a timeline that has Dec 31, 2008 as a deadline for disqualified settlers.  They will be more lenient with the qualified settlers as we have to wait for the 30 units that GKwill build.

3) Easement regulations -LLDA says it will take about six months to resolve the issues surrounding easements surrounding the 7 lakes. They have to determine classification of the lands so they can apply the necessary regulations.  LLDA will coordinate with the City Assessor's office. 

Other matters:

GM Manda said that LLDA is requesting for a budget to create an extension office in San Pablo City.

Councilor Ares Escudero will push for the drafting of a resolution to create a local tourism office. 

Regulations on the establishment of mini parks were clarified.  Any individual or group interested in adopting a mini park along Sampaloc Lake can visit Milo Tirones, Officer-in-Charge for 7 Lakes who will facilitate the process.

Atty. Lat (FSLF Pres.) requested Architect Cartabio of the City Engineering office to draw up a master design for the lakeshore areas/parks.

GM Manda offered to sponsor training on bamboo propagation for reforestation and alternative livelihood.

 

 

SAMPALOC LAKE UPDATE:

 

June 19, 2006 – met with LLDA GM with officers and some members of FSLF at the Pasig Office.  Among issues discussed was:

 

The demolition orders for the reduction of fishcages and informal dwellers, more specifically the eleven that are disqualified from GK Unityville I resettlement program.  The legal division head, Atty. Eduardo Torres, confirmed to us that the Demolition and Reduction Orders will be issued on the following week, June 28, 2006 to be exact and that we will be furnished a copy.  NO such copy of order was received within three weeks. 

 

July 8, 2006 - Followed up with letter reiterating issues.  In addition, FSLF asked that if and when the Order is implemented, the presence of an LLDA representative during the actual demolition is expected in order to show joint efforts between the LGU and LLDA.

 

July 31, 2006 - members of the Lake Management Division in the persons of Ms. Jaquie Davo, Ms. Chris Muan and Mr. Ogie Reyes met with FSLF in San Pablo City to follow-up on matters discussed at the June 19 meeting

 

Same issues were discussed to some extent with the Lake Management Division staff, but we are disturbed about the issue that remains unanswered relating to the demolition orders for the structures of the informal dwellers and abandon houses, as well as the orders for the reduction of fishcages.  In particular, we are concerned about the eleven informal dwellers that your office has identified as disqualified from the resettlement program at the Gawad Kalinga Unityville I site. 

 

August 8, 2006 – FSLF sent another letter stating that we still have no official word and/or explanations on the status of the said Orders in spite of the follow up letter that we sent on July 8, 2006.  We requested an update in writing on the current status as to why the Orders have not been issued?  In particular, we asked that the following questions to be addressed:

 

1.     What is causing the delays of the issuance of the Orders?

2.     What steps, if any, has your office taken to address the problem(s) to date?

 

January 18, 2007 – GM Ynares visited with his staff.  He seemed genuinely concerned and ordered his staff to proceed with demolition in one week’s time.

 

Meanwhile, FSLF was following up with LMD staff on almost weekly basis by phone.  They gave one reason or another for the delays in implementing the demolition, including they said that there were more documents that the GM had to sign off on for the demolition.

 

March 22, 2007 – LLDA sent letter asking for proposed amendments to fishcage belt proposal

 

March 31, 2007 – Although FSLF sent a proposal for the fishcage belt in consultation with Lerma Prudente (Tourism Council), it was thought that this issue might be used to distract us from the real issue of the demolition. 

 

FSLF called for a board meeting and discussed issue of demolition again.  Board decided to call a multisectoral meeting to bring the issue to the bigger constituency.  Agreed to call a meeting on April 9 and invite the concerned organizations. 

 

April 9, 2007 – Multisectoral meeting convened to discuss demolition.  Organizations represented agreed to draft a manifesto to ask the LLDA GM for the status of the demolition order.

Bobby Azores, Amben Amante and GM Ynares in animated conversation while Annabelle Cordon and LLDA's Jacky Davo look on.

LLDA Staff and Miro Tirones of the Mayor's office listen in on the discussions with FSLF's Pando Espallardo, Precing Bueser and Judge Bien Reyes. 

Round-table discussion on concerns brought up by FSLF.

FSLF's Kim DyNing, Bobby Azores and Mon San Andres in a photo with City Administrator Amante.

GM Ynares in center with LLDA staff, City officials and FSLF members.

GN Ynares listens to point made by Pando Espallardo FARMC President and FSLF ex-officio member while others look on.

Milo Tirones, Mon De Roma and Arvin Carandang watch on as media covers event.

LLDA conducted the 2nd Laguna de Bay Summit:  Forging and Sustaining Partnerships Toward A LAKE ALIVE, A LAKE FOR LIFE on August 22, 2006 at the Development Academy of the Philippines Conference Center in Tagaytay City.  The event is the 2nd in a series of Annual Learning Fora that has been organized under the World Bank/Netherlands Government's Laguna de Bay Institutional Strengthening and Community Participation (LISCOP) Project. 

The Summit seeks to strengthen existing watershed partnerships with various sectors and emphasize the need to forge new ones to ensure the sustainability of Laguna de Bay.  Highlights of the event included an exhibit by LISCOP participating LGUs and the launch and distribution of the 2nd Laguna de Bay Environment Monitor.

FSLF sent four delegates in the persons of Bobby Azores, Mon San Andres, Arvin Carandang and Daida San Andres.  Several San Pablenos were also present in the persons of FARMC officers led by Pando Espallardo and Ed Jaramillo, Bantay Tubig's Dante Capistrano, Bokal Mon de Roma, and Milo Tirones from the Office of the City Mayor.

FSLF and FARMC delegations in a photo with GM Ynares

Bantay Tubig's Dante Capistrano with FSLF's Arvin Carandang and Bobby Azores

Unilever's Jika Mendoza-Dalupan with FSLF's Bobby Azores and Mon San Andres

 

In photo are: Judge Bienvenido Reyes, Dr. Cesar Fule, Arvin Carandang, Cris Visser, Engr. Mon San Andres, Bobby Azores, Mike Recuenco and Susie Azores and LLDA guests: Jaquie Davo, Chris Muan and Ogie Reyes of the LLDA's Lake Management Division.

This is an FSLF meeting with the LLDA staff on July 31, 2006 held in San Pablo City.  This was a follow-up to the meeting held at the LLDA Pasig office with General Manager Casimiro Ynares III on June 19, 2006.  Among the issues discussed at both meetings were the demolition of illegal structures, reduction of fishcages, zonal development map, violations on and along the lakes, enforcement of environmental laws, etc.

 

For information on the Laguna Lake Development Authority:  http://www.llda.gov.ph

Ms. Lennie Santos-Borja (lady in orange, seated), Chief of the LLDA's Research & Development Division and member of her staff, Rose Tolentino (in white), at a meeting with FSLF Board Members: Bobby Azores, Mon San Andres and Lora Quitain in August 2006 at Canossa College.  They discussed the World Lake Vision and the upcoming Youth Eco-Camp to be conducted by the CLEAR Tripartite partnership of LLDA, Unilever and the Society for the Conservation of Philippine Wetlands in cooperation with FSLF and the San Pablo City government. 

FSLF congratulates Ms. Borja on her election to the Scientific Committee of the International Lake Environment Committee effective 2007 for three years.  FSLF proudly salutes Ms. Borja for the recognition given to her by this international body.

Philippine Delegates to the World Water Forum in Mexico City from March 22-26, 2006.

In photo are:  LLDA General Manager Casimiro Ynares III, FSLF Kid Bayani Elogada, DENR Secretary Angelo Reyes, FSLF Kid Antonio Azores III, NWRB Exec Director Ramon Alikpala and FSLF President Roberto Azores.

 

Ms. Lennie Borja shares the document, WORLD LAKE VISION: A CALL TO ACTION, with the FSLF.  This document looks at lakes and reservoirs all over the world and the critical state in which they are in.  It seeks to convince people of the need to protect water resources for the future of all mankind.

 

 

 

FSLF Kids Moderator Lora Quitain, LLDA's Lennie Borja, FSLF's Irene Albajera, City Councilor Ivy Arago and FSLF Kids Coordinator Cari Azores pose for a photo right after a lake clean-up event on April 22, 2005.