DPWH stops Laguna de Bay reclamation in Taguig

LAGUNA LAKE. Laguna Lake looks still from a bayside community in Los Baños. Lakeside communities depend on the lake for their livelihood. Photo courtesy of Dan Alexander Abas DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon issues the order in response to a Philippine Reclamation Authority directive The DPWH has ordered a halt to reclamation activities in Laguna de Bay, Taguig City, following a directive from the Philippine Reclamation Authority. Senator Lacson reported that the cost of DPWH projects in the 'illegal' reclamation areas has reached ₱3.713 billion, raising concerns about the lack of permits. Lacson highlighted issues of intimidation faced by PRA officials during inspections related to the reclamation activities. This is AI-generated. Read the article for full context. Report any errors. MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on Wednesday, August 19, directed district engineers of the Metro Manila 1st District Engineering Office to stop reclamation activities in a portion of Laguna de Bay in Taguig City. The DPWH only publicly announced the cease and desist order on Sunday, August 30, over a week after DPWH chief Vince Dizon responded to the letter of Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) General Manager and CEO Cesar Siador Jr. to the agency. In his letter to the DPWH dated August 17, Siador directed the DPWH to suspend reclamation activities in Laguna de Bay. PRA also directed DPWH to submit proof of its authority to undertake the project’s reclamation component, including, where applicable, the appropriate PRA approval, National Economic and Development Authority Board approval, or other approvals required under the prevailing reclamation regulatory framework. Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said in a social media post on Monday, August 31 that “based on official records and our investigation, the total cost of Identified completed, ongoing (and suspended) DPWH Flood Control and Multi-Purpose Projects along the ‘illegal’ Laguna Lakeshore Reclamation Areas in Taguig City has so far reached ₱3.713 billion.” Lacson previously flagged the reclamation of a portion of Laguna de Bay in Taguig City — the bailiwick of Senator Alan Peter Cayetano — over the lack of permits. Laguna de Bay is the largest lake in the country, surrounded by cities in the southeast of Metro Manila, Laguna, and Rizal. “Our Taguig City case study has opened a ‘cauldron of worms’ after my meeting with Philippine Reclamation Authority officials last night — from ghost slope protection projects to illegally reclaimed tracts of land covering Laguna Lake,” Lacson said in a post in early August. Lacson also said PRA officials told him that Cayetano supposedly harassed them during budget deliberations in November 2025, when the budget of the Office of the President was taken up in plenary. The PRA is under the OP. “The same officials likewise disclosed physical intimidation when they conducted an on-site inspection along C6 (Road) in the lakeshore area where the illegal reclamation activities are taking place,” Lacson said in a previous statement. – Rappler.com How does this make you feel? Loading