CALAMBA CITY, Laguna (PIA) — A whole-of-community approach is needed to control pollution of Laguna de Bay, a provincial environment official said on the heels of a study showing the presence of microplastics in the lake’s surface water.

In a study by Filipino scientists of the Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology and published in the Environmental Science and Pollution Research journal, microplastics were found highest in concentration in areas with ‘intensive’ human activities ranging from household discharges, liquid waste from chemical industries, and intensification of economic activities.

Marlon Tobias, officer-in-charge of the Laguna Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office, said he was aware of the research results adding that the provincial government has not made a similar study on the state of Laguna lake.

“It is everyone’s responsibility to manage the environment, not just the government. People (in the community) are the top generators of wastes that have contributed to the pollution of Laguna de Bay,” he added. 

Tobias asked the public to help the provincial government’s various campaigns and clean-up drives to curb pollution of the Laguna lake. 

PENRO’s program includes the greening and restoring Laguna for a healthy environment which aims to prevent pollution of Laguna de Bay and its tributaries by laying I-Excel and red tilapia fingerlings. It also conducts seminars and workshops to communities within the lake by teaching them composting techniques and proper waste disposal and segregation.

The office also conducts the Ridge-to-Lake project where seedlings are planted along the coast of the lake's tributaries.

According to the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA), fisheries and aquaculture remain the dominant activities in the lake. An estimated 13,000 fishermen depend on Laguna de Bay for their livelihood and harvest around 80,000 – 90,000 metric tons of fish a year.

“The lake can still sustain fisheries but is threatened by contamination from pollution. Likewise, invasive species threatens not only the biodiversity but also poses an alarming impact on indigenous species and on the economic operation in the lake,” the LLDA said in its website.

Known as the largest inland body of water in the country and third largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, Laguna de Bay covers 18 cities and towns in Laguna, nine towns in Rizal, and two cities in Metro Manila. It is also one of the major local sources of freshwater fish in the country, which supports approximately 9,000 hectares of fish pens and fish cages.

The research showed that most microplastics found were from pieces of plastic used by most of the community with the major polymers being polypropylene, ethylene–vinyl acetate copolymer, and polyethylene terephthalate. 

The majority of microplastics were small colored particles specifically blue-colored microplastics which can be linked to the improper disposal of surgical face masks in Laguna de Bay.

The researchers suggested that microplastics pose risks to fish and its natural foods, especially invertebrates, and the possible link to human health need to be understood. 

Fisherman Danilo Miranda, president of the Sektor ng Mangingisda ng Barangay Palingon, agreed with the research findings claiming that fish harvest has dwindled and deteriorated due to solid waste materials dumped in the lake.

“Noong kabataan ko pa, ang mga isda namin dito, malalaki at masasarap dahil wala pang kemikal. Hindi kagaya ngayon na kapag niluto mo ay lasang gaas na o krudo. ‘Yung mga plastic o mga dumi, nakakain din ng mga isda ‘yun,” Miranda, who started fishing since he was 12 years old, said.

He added, his current daily income dropped to P500 from an average of P1,200 last year. The Calamba city government and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) have been providing fuel subsidy to fishermen to help them cope with low income.

He said the cooperation of the whole community was needed to address the lake’s pollution.

“Sa polusyon, hindi man siya maiayos agad, mabawasan man lang. Kaming mga mangingisda, saan kami pupunta? Nawalan ng halaga ang bigay ng kalikasan dito sa atin. Itong lawa ng Laguna ito ang pinakamalaking lawa sa buong Pilipinas. Sayang naman,” Miranda added.

Meanwhile, the LLDA continues to implement programs to conserve the lake’s resources such as the Laguna de Bay watershed greening program where seedlings are planted in crucial watershed areas; river rehabilitation program where community volunteers are mobilized in river clean-up operations; and the shoreland management program where they eliminate incompatible elements designed to control pollution. (CH - PIA Laguna)