Alat at tabang: the significance of saltwater intrusion for the rehabilitation of Laguna Lake

Abstract

The environmental state of Laguna Lake has drastically been disrupted over the past four decades. What was once a lake filled with biodiversity and a source of livelihood for the fishermen, is now slowly being converted for industrial and commercial use. The lake is of brackish ecology but currently, the flow of saltwater is blocked by a dam. Many fishermen believe that the saltwater is essential in reviving their dying livelihood as well as reviving the vibrancy the lake once possessed. Thus, fishermen of Binangonan call for the opening of the Napindan lock. And in the process of doing so, it must be accompanied with projects and programs that advocate the rehabilitation of the lake and it must recognize and respect the rights of the fishing communities who inhabit there. Lastly, all of these efforts must be accompanied by the participation of the locals, the nearby industries, the governing body of the lake, and the national government in order to push forward for the genuine rehabilitation of the lake. Through surveys and key informant interviews, the researcher was able to prove the need for saltwater intrusion in the lake's rehabilitation.