LLDA celebrates 43rd anniversary

MANILA, Philippines - The Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA), led by Presidential Adviser for Environmental Protection and LLDA general manager Neric Acosta, is celebrating its 43rd anniversary this month.

To kick off the anniversary celebration, the Freedom Run by the Lake will be held at the Club Manila East Compound in Taytay, Rizal today.

Popular singer-composer Noel Cabangon will  grace the event and will sing the new LLDA song which narrates the story of Laguna de Bay and the efforts of LLDA in safeguarding the lake.

The event is co-sponsored by the Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftungfür die Freiheit (FNF) which is a non-profit organization that promotes liberal democracy, respect for human rights, the rule of law and economic freedom.

LLDA has been actively engaging partners from the private sector to further its advocacies. The Freedom Run is one such partnership with FNF and various other partners including the business sector and people’s organizations including those representing LLDA watershed communities.

For the first time, the Freedom Run will be along Laguna de Bay. The Freedom Run is an annual event of FNF with the motto  “I am free from corruption!” as its battle cry.

“The highest manifestation of ecological balance is cleanliness of the environment and the well-being of the people. If the environment is dirty, it is because of corruption; not just corruption in the government bureaucracy, not just corruption of the business sector and industries that continue to circumvent environmental regulations but also by our own corrupt practices as citizens,”  Acosta said.

He elaborated further on the  essence of the Freedom Run by the Lake project, “We corrupt the ecosystem because we dump garbage, because of improper sewage and most of all, because of our indifference. The Freedom Run by the Lake is our commitment to be free from graft and corruption, and to be free from the corruption of our ecosystems.”

Tomorrow Oct. 22, a dedication ceremony will serve as the ground-breaking of the new LLDA office which will be the first government green building in the country at the National Ecology Center, East Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City. 

Vice President Jejomar Binay, Speaker Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte Jr., Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje, Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista and governors Jun Ynares  of Rizal and E.R. Ejercito of Laguna are expected to grace the occasion.

On Oct. 23, the Environmental Regulatory Department (ERD) of LLDA will  host a bowling tournament among LLDA employees at the SM North Edsa.

A sports fest will follow on Oct. 24 to 25 at the Sugar Center compound where the LLDA office is currently located.

Acosta lauded the dedicated men and women who have served the agency in the last 43 years, “It is through our combined efforts and steadfast dedication that the LLDA was able to protect and nurture the lake’s ecosystems.

There is much more to be done and all of our hardworking engineers, planners, writers, community workers, scientists and all staff will continue to work towards finding effective solutions to flooding, environmental degradation and pollution.”

Acosta also emphasized that “the LLDA will not only become a stronger regulatory agency but more importantly, LLDA will be a leading development authority that will holistically address the challenges of flooding, pollution and environmental degradation.”