Address concerns in Taal Lake, CA asks gov't

MANILA, Philippines - The Court of Appeals (CA) has directed the government to address the environmental concerns raised by Agham party-list regarding Taal Lake in Batangas.

The appellate court also gave Agham party-list Rep. Angelo Palmones and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) two weeks to agree on a solution to the alleged degradation of the lake before deciding on whether to proceed with a “writ of Kalikasan.”

“After hearing the parties’ respective positions, the court suggested that they first try meeting and ironing out their differences among themselves. After all, they are united by a common desire to conserve and protect the Taal Lake Protected Area for themselves, the entire Filipino people and the future generations as well,” the CA resolution stated.

The CA has tasked Assistant Solicitor General Renan Ramos to get the parties together and preside over their meetings “without prejudice to the other meetings which the parties themselves may initiate.”

Palmones had filed a petition with the Supreme Court to stop the DENR from issuing new fishing operations permits in the lake. The SC remanded the case to the CA.

The lawmaker said contracts for fish cage owners should not be renewed, citing the fish inventory at the lake. He said there are only 15 migratory and four endemic species compared to 76 migratory and numerous endemic species recorded 50 years ago.

“In 2003, the catch of tawilis, the most popular endemic species from Taal, reportedly dropped by 80 percent,“ he added.