DA, LLDA eye P90 billion Parañaque spillway revival

MANILA, Philippines — Reviving the P90-billion Parañaque spillway project could ease recurring floods and turn Laguna de Bay into a productive fisheries hub and dependable freshwater reservoir, according to the Department of Agriculture and Laguna Lake Development Authority.

The DA and LLDA will work with public works and environment officials, local governments and private stakeholders to address affected communities’ concerns, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said.

Residents of Muntinlupa and Bacoor have raised concerns about the project, such as community displacement and possibly shifting flood risks from one area to another.

Building the spillway is urgent as the Japanese-funded Manggahan control gate structure is expected to raise Laguna de Bay’s water levels, LLDA general manager Leopoldo Parumog said.

The Manggahan project will divert floodwaters, with an Olympic-size swimming pool’s volume, from Marikina River to Laguna de Bay.

Tiu Laurel said the spillway will ease recurring floods in lakeshore communities across Laguna, Rizal and Metro Manila.

Proposed in the 1970s, the 10.5-kilometer spillway would link Laguna de Bay to Manila Bay.

Construction is expected to last at least a decade.

“Laguna de Bay is one of Metro Manila’s most important food baskets and our most affordable source of bangus,” Tiu Laurel said.

“If we restore the lake’s health by improving water circulation and managing floods better, we can raise fish production, increase fisherfolk incomes and improve raw water quality, which could eventually help lower water treatment costs for consumers,” he said.