Pact boosts effort to protect Lake Lanao

By NICOLE MANAGBANAG,
Correspondent

Lanao del Sur and the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources Region 10, over the weekend, has signed a memorandum of agreement to preserve Lake Lanao together.

Under the agreement, signed by Governor SorayaAlontoAdiong and DENR 10 Director Ruth Tawan-tawan, there shall be an effective management of the Lake Lanao River Basin, watershed conservation, and reduction or reversal of environmental degradation in the basin.

Adiong said both parties will jointly implement the Integrated Natural Resources and Environmental Management Program (Inremp).

Both parties believe the goals will increase revenues derived from the watershed management and livelihood investments.

“In general, this would lead to a sustainable socio-economic development in Mindanao,” said Adiong.

The project under co-financing from International Fund for Agricultural Development has set aside an amount of SDR 13.250 million for the full implementation the Inremp project.

Adiong said part of the fund will also be alloted for the watershed management of three other priority areas namely: Chico Basin in the Cordillera Autonomous Region, Wahig-Inabanga River Basin in the Island of Bohol, Lake Lanao in Lanaodel Sur, and Upper Bukidnon River Basin in Bukidnon.

DENR Secretary Gina Lopez said that after six months, she expects a good and big difference in Lanaodel Sur with Adiong and DENR 10 supervising the Inremp project.

Secretary DatuAbulKhayrAlonto of the Min-danao Development Authority said it is high time to install measures to preserve and protect Lake Lanao which was once named Sultan AlauyaAlon-to Lake.

Adiong said that after 12 years of advocacy, coordination, and discussions on the development of Lake Lanao –– which started during the time of her late husband, Congressman Ma-mintalAdiong, Sr. –– she is happy to have signed the agreement that will change the lives of the Maranaos.

Adiong said the Mara-naos derived their name from “Ranao” or “lake” which identifies them as “people of the lake.”

Adiong added that Lake Lanao is not merely for the Maranaos but for the entire Philippines as the lake is the primary source of water that propels the turbines of the six hydroelectric plants along the Agus River.