During the two separate consultations in
Mandaluyong City and Calauan, Laguna, which
were well attended by Mayors, Sangguniang
Bayan and Local Officials, 20 Local
Government Units (LGUs) have indicated
interest to participate in the Additional
Financing with subprojects ranging from
material recovery facility (MRF), sanitary
landfill, environmental enhancement, river
bank protection and local flood control,
wastewater treatment facilities (WWTFs) to
eco-tourism, agro-forestry and
reforestation.
On August 9, 2011, the Paete Waste
Management Sub-Project consisting of
Wastewater Treatment Facility, Material
Recover Facility and Level 1 Sanitary
Landfill, was launched in Paete, Laguna.
Leading the launching was Mayor Emmanuel
Cadayona and LLDA OIC Dolora Nepomuceno with
Mr. Mark Woodward, Sustainable Development
Leader of the World Bank, and Congressman
Egay San Luis of the 4th District of Laguna
who graced the occasion. Together with the
sub-project in Paete, there are now four
major projects in the pipeline, the other
three are: (1) Bay Lakeshore Protection, (2)
Rizal Environmental Enhancement; and (3)
Pila River Bank Protection and Environmental
Enhancement.
In addition, a number of subprojects are
also in the works such as the Rodriguez
Environmental Enhancement, and the Bay MRF.
Overall, there are 37 environmental
initiatives programmed for three years under
the Additional Financing for LISCOP.
Presently, much has been achieved in the
first component (Strengthening of
Institutions and Instruments) of the LISCOP
Project. One of which is the adoption of
micro-watershed planning in the municipal
planning process, a 53% reduction of solid
waste in dumpsites, reduced Biochemical
Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Total Suspended
Solid (TSS). These translate to 301 metric
tons of solid waste being properly processed
through segregation, reuse and recycling.
With the closing of the Original Financing,
a total of 33 subprojects have been
implemented by 21 LGUs around Laguna Lake.
In terms of types of subprojects, seventeen
(17) are MRFs, six (6) are Eco-enhancement,
three (3) are Flood Control, three (3) are
WWTFs, one (1) is Reforestation, and one (1)
Sanitary Landfill. Overall, these projects
have generated 482 direct jobs for its
operation and maintenance.
Recipients of WWTFs such as the LGUs of
Nagcarlan, Sta. Cruz and Lucban are now
effectively complying with the effluent
standards. Eco-tourism subprojects have also
increased the revenues of the recipient LGUs
such as Tanay, Pakil and Panguil with a
total of Php 2.9 million gross revenue from
January to July 2011.
Dolora N. Nepomuceno, LLDA OIC-General
Manager, expressed her utmost enthusiasm
with the launching of the latest World Bank
funded programs that aim not only to bring
in best practices of cleaning the
environment but also and more importantly,
to inculcate to the people the essence of
protecting Laguna Lake so it can continue to
give us life and nourishment.
