Sta. Cruz, Laguna
April 5, 2013

President Benigno S. Aquino III met with local leaders and the community in the town of Sta. Cruz, Laguna to make known to its residents the government’s plans and programs to improve their living conditions.

In his statement, President Aquino cited several projects for the community, particularly in flood control, which will bring out positive results in the province. He had initially launched the start of the implementation of a P780-million Flood Control and River Protection Convergence Project of the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Laguna Lake Development Authority in Sta. Cruz.

“Ipinapatayo na po ang mga imprastrakturang tutulong sa pagkontrol sa ragasa at pag-apaw ng baha, at sa iba pang maaari nitong idulot na pinsala. Dagdag pa rito, mayroon din tayong land raising projects sa mga lungsod na nakapalibot sa Laguna de Bay,” he said.

He also mentioned the 47-kilometer Cavite-Laguna Expressway from Kawit, Cavite to Mamplasan, Laguna and the Calamba-Los Baños-Bay Expressway from SLEX Extension that will bridge the municipality of Bay, Laguna.

In addition to these projects, the President said in a media interview after the meeting that there are also measures being done to demolish 3,000 illegal and abandoned fish pens along Laguna Lake while the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has a cash-for-work program for people living along the lake to help in eliminating ‘knife fish’.

There is also the long-term government plan called the National Greening Program that aims to plant 1.5 billion trees to help reduce sediments from upstream flowing into the rivers or lakes.

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