Should authorities consider permanently relocating residents living along the shoreline of Laguna de Bay?
This, as residents living near the lake continue to face the threat caused by the rising waters in the Philippines' largest freshwater lake.
In an advisory last November 17, the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) reported that the lake's water level has reached 13 meters on that day.
This is still considerably higher than the 12.50 meters critical high threshold level that was breached during the monsoon rains last July.
The LLDA cited the "massive inflow" due to the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) as a reason for Laguna de Bay's rising levels.
"Water and runoff from the 21 major tributaries drain directly into the lake, creating a high volume influx subsequently reaching and even exceeding the lake’s threshold," the agency added.
LLDA also cited "bottlenecks" at the lake's only outlet - the Napindan Channel, which leads to Pasig River - as well as persistent siltation at the lake.
"In the coming days, the water level of Laguna de Bay will depend entirely on the dominant weather pattern, i.e. lesser rainfall and warmer weather will mean gradual decrease in the lake’s level. Otherwise, if the rains persist, the lake level will remain high and/or continue to rise, inundating the low-lying and shoreland areas," it warned.
This meant that residents living along the shores of Laguna de Bay may either face Christmas submerged in floodwaters or else decide to leave their homes for good.
While local and national governments, along with the private sector, have undertaken the first steps in dredging Laguna de Bay, the question remains: how will they address the runaway development that has resulted in the encroachment of communities at the shores of the lake?
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