Development Issues of Bunot Lake: The Lesser Lake among the Seven Lakes of San Pablo City, Philippines

Bing Baltazar C. Brillo, PhD.

Associate Professor
University of the Philippines Los Baños,

Institute for Governance and Rural Development
College of Public Affairs and Development
Los Baños, Laguna, PH 4031

 This is an Author's Original Manuscript of an article published in Lakes & Reservoirs: Research & Management on 2015 (vol. 20, no. 3, pp. 155-165). 

Abstract

Bunot Lake has the worst condition compared to the rest of the seven crater lakes of San Pablo City. It is the most polluted one, oversaturated by fish pens/cages, and has the highest concentration of illegal settlements. These attributes strongly suggest that Bunot Lake takes precedence in the agenda of its two administrative agencies— the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) and the City Government. In practice, however, Bunot Lake is wanting of key development initiatives and programs, and seems to be a lower priority for the LLDA and the City Government. This reality is perplexing since the lake is very near the urban center, closest to the premier lake (i.e. Sampaloc Lake), and the site of the first commercial production of tilapia in floating cages in the city. Under this context, this paper looks into and analyzes the immediate development issues in Bunot Lake. The study contends that Bunot Lake should be given preference by the LLDA and the City Government, specifically by: (1) modifying their model-template approach; and (2) taking steps to tackle a basic need of Bunot Lake— the formulation of a zoning-development plan. Furthermore, the study is also designed to directly address the lacuna in Philippine lake studies, the paucity of research under the social science perspective (being dominated by the natural science perspective) and on small lakes (being highly concentrated on the largest lakes in the country).

Keywords

Philippine Lakes, Lake Development, Small Lake, San Pablo City and Bunot Lake

Introduction                               

            San Pablo City has seven crater lakes, namely, Sampaloc (106 ha), Bunot (30.5 ha), Calibato (43 ha), Mohicap (22.89 ha), Palakpakin (47.98 ha), Pandin (24 ha) and Yambo (30.5 ha) (see Figure 1). Among these lakes, Bunot Lake is the second closest to the urban center and, together with Sampaloc Lake (i.e. the premier lake that is located within the city proper), is part of the two-lake group of the Seven Crater Lake Micro-watersheds (Tetra Tech 2008). Presently, there are no significant development initiatives happening in Bunot Lake. There is also no definitive timetable from the two key administrative agencies— the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) and the City Government of San Pablo— on when and how the development actions in the lake would come about. This situation is surprising, since just a kilometer away from Bunot Lake, Sampaloc Lake has been the focus of the LLDA and the City Government. Most of these agencies’ development efforts were given to Sampaloc Lake, such as the formulation of the Tourism Master Development Plan and the Zoning-Development Plan (see Brillo 2015a). The administrative preference for Sampaloc Lake is expected since it is primus inter pares among the seven crater lakes and the promotional symbol of San Pablo City. What is perplexing is the non-occurrence of actions in Bunot Lake since one would logically expect the development initiatives in Sampaloc Lake to somehow flow into Bunot Lake.

Mohicap Lake

Palakpakin Lake

Yambo Lake

Pandin Lake

Bunot Lake

Calibato Lake

Sampaloc Lake

Figure 1: Bunot Lake and the Other Crater Lakes of San Pablo City (Google Maps 2015)

There is no question that the condition of Bunot Lake has significantly declined over the years. Bunot Lake has earned the appalling distinction of being the most polluted and the most congested among the seven crater lakes. This situation has been acknowledged by the stakeholders, including the LLDA (see LLDA 2008 and LLDA 2005). The plight of Bunot Lake somehow gives credence to the contested assertion of the Global Nature Fund (GNF) in declaring the seven crater lakes of San Pablo City as one of the “Threatened Lakes of the Year 2014” (The Philippine Star 2014). Under this context, one would reasonably assume that the conservation and development of Bunot Lake would be elevated in the agenda of the LLDA and the City Government. However, this has not materialized since the administrative agencies have since moved their focus to Pandin Lake (see Brillo 2015b) instead of Bunot Lake.

In view of this situation, the study explores and assesses the current developmental issues in Bunot Lake. The paper contends that Bunot Lake, due to its dire condition, should be prioritized by the administrative agencies. In particular, the LLDA and the City Government must modify their model-template approach (of focusing their efforts exclusively on Sampaloc Lake and Pandin Lake) and must take the fundamental step of crafting a zoning-development plan for the lake. The zoning-development plan is of utmost importance in laying the ground work for all future actions, initiatives and programs for Bunot Lake. The study is also designed to address the existing scholarly gap by conducting a social-science-based research on a small lake in the country, since Philippine lake studies have been overwhelming dominated by natural-science-based research and big-lake research (see Brillo 2015c). Moreover, this research is part of a long-term project of documenting and conducting development studies on small lakes in the country.

Philippine Lake Studies, Small Lakes and Bunot Lake

Lakes are integral to human survival and development since over 90 percent of the liquid freshwater on the planet’s surface is found on lakes (Shiklomanov 1993; ILEC 2007; Nakamura and Rast 2011 and 2012). From the dawn of civilizations to the present-day modern societies, the water resource has  served man’s needs, from basic uses, such as drinking water, source of food and transportation, to more sophisticated uses, such as agricultural irrigation, fish farming, flood control and hydroelectric power. Natural or artificial (i.e. reservoir) lakes are also essential in the preservation of the earth’s biodiversity and ecosystem. The natural resource serves as habitats for a variety of flora and fauna, and plays a critical role in natural processes, such as climate mitigation and nutrient cycling.

Despite the undeniable importance of lakes, human activities such as food production, increasing population, settlement, urbanization and industrialization have brought unprecedented degradation on them. At present, lakes around the world continue to face problems, such as eutrophication, acidification, toxic contamination, water-level changes, salinization, siltation, overfishing and exotic species/weed infestation (Kira 1997; World Lake Vision Committee 2003; ILEC 2005). This reality has been empirically confirmed in the Global Environment Facility-Lake Basin Management Initiative’s (GEF-LBMI) study of 28 major lakes around the world from 2003 to 2005, where the project underscored that, overall, the problems affecting lakes are not improving (ILEC 2007; see also discussions in the World Lake Conference 2009 and 2011). This global trend is reflected in the Philippines since many lakes in the country are also suffering from ecological decline. The situation was recognized in the First National Congress on Philippine Lakes held on 2003, when the body admitted that lakes in the country are at risk of degradation (Cuvin-Aralan et al. 2005); and in the Second National Congress on Philippine Lakes held on 2011, when the body echoed a similar sentiment— that despite incremental improvements, the condition of lakes in the country remains threatened (LakeCon2011 2011).

            Through the years, lake studies in the Philippines have been gradually increasing. Most studies, however, come from the natural sciences and are heavily concentrated on big lakes (Brillo 2015c). A recent survey on Philippine lake studies (conducted using the online database of the three leading universities in the country) showed that: (1) 77 percent of the scholarly outputs can be classified under the natural sciences and only 23 percent under the social sciences; and (2) 80 percent of the scholarly materials are studies on big lakes and only 8.7 percent on small lakes (11 percent were excluded since there is no data or the data on the lake’s size is deemed unreliable) (see Brillo 2015c). The studies under the natural sciences are spearheaded by limnology and aquaculture research, and the studies on big lakes are concentrated on the largest lakes in the country (e.g. Laguna de Bay, Taal Lake, Lanao Lake and Buhi Lake). The finding reveals the trend in Philippine lake studies, specifically the paucity of scholarly outputs on two fronts: (1) research under the social sciences (e.g. development, governance and cultural studies); and (2) research on small lakes (i.e. lakes with an area of only 200 hectares or less).

In addressing the scholarly deficit, it is imperative that there must be significant progress in social-science-based studies and small-lake studies. On social-science-based studies, both the natural sciences and the social sciences should concurrently advance in order to substantially improve lake conditions, as they complement and supplement the each other. A single perspective alone is inadequate since environmental and management issues are intertwined and cannot be effectively addressed in isolation. So far, the natural sciences have already made decent progress in Philippine lake studies, and thus, it is now time for the social sciences to make substantive gains. In this way a more integrative knowledge building can be achieved, which means better understanding and solutions to the many problems confronting lakes in the country today.

On small-lake studies, it is essential that existence of small lakes and the issues facing them be documented. Although small lakes comprise the bulk of existing lakes in the country, little is known or written about them. Small lakes are least studied since they are considered to have minimal economic significance (relative to big lakes) which translates to peripheral attention from government agencies, private-funding institutions and scholars. Another contributing factor is the geographical remoteness of many small lakes in the country which entails more resources and efforts in studying them. In general, there are five key reasons why it is urgent to study small lakes: (1) the shorter time span on irreversibility in terms of ecological degradation; (2) the necessity of information for salvaging them; (3) the connection to other natural resources; (4) their crucial role in improving lake communities; and (5) the need to document the natural resource for posterity. The first reason is about the inherent characteristics of small lakes being more fragile and vulnerable to environmental deterioration compared to big lakes. Their small size naturally equates to reduced absorptive capacity in neutralizing pollutants and shorter time in reaching the point where the impairment becomes irreversible. The second reason is about the need for critical information in improving the plight of small lakes. It is crucial that significant knowledge be gained since this would serve as the starting point in the long process of properly managing and conserving the natural resource. The third reason is that many small lakes are significant components of the system of other natural resources, such as river system and watershed or basin of big lakes. Thus, solving the issues and problems of other systems also require knowing vital information about small lakes. The fourth reason is that small lakes are abundant in the country and are critical in improving the living conditions of lake residents and their local communities. This is imperative since many communities around small lakes are impoverished. The fifth reason is about recording small lakes for the future generations. Since it is a truism that all lakes will eventually die, small lakes become extinct at a much faster rate than big lakes. A small lake may disappear through loss of its water, infilling by sediments and other materials or succession (Choiński and Ptak 2009, Downing 2010, Lane 2015). Some small lakes in the country may be lost in just a few decades, like Manlalayes Lake (the twin lake of Gunao/Gunaw Lake in Dolores, Quezon) which dried out a few years ago before anyone was able to document its existence (Brillo 2015c).

            Taking cue from the discussion, this study directly addresses the identified gap in literature by making a social-science-based research on a small lake in San Pablo City— Bunot Lake. Consistent with the findings on the literature, the scholarly outputs on Bunot Lake is very limited (Brillo 2015c; see also Guerrero 2001 and LakeCon2011 2011), as the few existing materials are studies in limnology (e.g. LLDA 2005 and LLDA 2008) and aquaculture (e.g. Radan 1977; Guerrero 1979; Aragon et al. 1985a; Aragon et al. 1985b; Yater et al. 1985).

The Status of Bunot Lake

Bunot Lake is located in Barangay Concepcion, San Pablo City. The lake is about a kilometer away from Sampaloc Lake and 2.2 km from the city proper. There are two roads adjacent to Bunot Lake: on the northwest part, is Werner Schetelig Avenue (a national highway); and on the southern part, is Sabang Road (a secondary road). As a water resource, Bunot Lake has a surface area of 30.5 hectares, a maximum depth of 23 meters and an elevation of more or less 110 meters (LLDA 2005; LLDA 2008). Similar with all the seven crater lakes, Bunot Lake is circular shaped and considered a catchment area of Mount San Cristobal. The lake is also widely believed to be volcanic in origin, which was formed through a phreatic eruption when shallow lava from Mount San Cristobal made contact with groundwater causing an explosion that resulted in a crater-like depression (LLDA 2008). The water sources of the Bunot Lake are rainfall, surface runoff and surrounding/underwater springs. The lake discharges water through seepage, evaporation and outflow to Sabang Creek, which eventually connects to the Banedero River.

As a natural resource, Bunot Lake is principally exploited for aquaculture, particularly commercial tilapia production via floating cages (see Figure 2). In San Pablo City, aquaculture was first introduced in Bunot Lake in 1976 after the successful introduction of tilapia cage farming in Laguna de Bay by the LLDA in 1974. Eventually, tilapia cage farming spread to the other crater lakes, specifically Sampaloc Lake, Palakpakin Lake, Calibato Lake and Muhicap Lake (Radan 1977; MNR 1982). Since the makeup of Bunot Lake is suitable for aquaculture, floating cage farming through the years has expanded extensively, becoming an integral feature to the lake. In 2006, the LLDA has reported that there are 183 fish pens/cages operators in the lake. The fish pens/cages occupy around 30.6 percent of Bunot Lake, which is an area beyond the 10 percent threshold set by The Fisheries Code of the Philippines (see Republic Act [RA] 8550, section 51). In 2012, the Provincial Government of Laguna reported that there are 75 registered fish pen/cage operators in Sampaloc Lake (see Provincial Government of Laguna 2013). The actual figure is higher since the report did not include the illegal operators in the lake. The excessive number of fishery structures on the lake continues at present (this can easily be verified via an ocular inspection of Bunot Lake or through the use of Google Earth or Maps). The oversaturation of fish farming has resulted in the proliferation of illegal settlements along the shore of Bunot Lake. Around 2/3 of the shoreline of the lake is currently occupied by illegal structures, making Bunot Lake the most congested among the seven crater lakes.

Figure 2: Satellite Photo of the Fish Pens and Cages in Bunot Lake (Google Maps 2015)

A direct consequence of the oversaturation in Bunot Lake is pollution. Domestic wastes and fish farm discharge have significantly contributed to the deterioration of the water quality of the lake. The problem is exacerbated since Bunot Lake lacks a drainage system, and the many homes around the lake lack the necessary sewage system. The worsening condition of Bunot Lake has been shown in the water quality analyses conducted by the LLDA from 2006-2008. The LLDA (2008) reported the following on Bunot Lake (vis-à-vis the other crater lakes): (1) for dissolved oxygen (DO) criterion, it failed in 2007 and 2008 (see Figure 3); (2) for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) criterion, it consistently failed and posted the highest reading (see Figure 4); (3) for ammonia criterion, it consistently failed and registered the highest reading (see Figure 5); (4) for phosphate concentration, it consistently failed and posted the highest concentration (see Figure 6); (5) for turbidity, it consistently posted the highest reading (see Figure 7); (6) for chlorophyll-a level, it consistently posted highest reading (see Figure 8); and (7) for fecal coliform level, it registered extreme reading in 2006 (see Figure 9).

Figure 3: Dissolved Oxygen Level of the Seven Crater Lakes (LLDA 2008)

Figure 4: Biochemical Oxygen Demand Levels of the Seven Crater Lakes (LLDA 2008)

Figure 5: Ammonia Levels of the Seven Crater Lakes (LLDA 2008)

Figure 6: Phosphate Levels of the Seven Crater Lakes (LLDA 2008)

Figure 7: Turbidity Levels of the Seven Crater Lakes (LLDA 2008)

Figure 8: Chlorophyll-a Levels of the Seven Crater Lakes (LLDA 2008)

Figure 9: Fecal Coliform Counts of the Seven Crater Lakes (LLDA 2008)

These analyses are based on the Class C classification of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on fresh surface water (see DENR Administrative Order no. 34 series of 1990, section 68 paragraph A). Class C means that lake waters can be used as: (1) fishery water, (2) recreational water [class 2] and (2) industrial water supply [class 1]). Overall, the findings reveal that Bunot Lake is the most polluted among the seven crater lakes.

A direct consequence of the pollution in Bunot Lake is eutrophication; or the depletion of oxygen level in the water, due to accumulatedi dissolved nutrients and organic matter (such as from household sewerage or artificial feeds), which encourage the disproportionate growth of oxygen-depleting plants. The undue nutrient inputs in Bunot Lake (as well as the rest of the seven crater lakes) have been associated with algal blooms and proliferation of hyacinths which usually result in slow tilapia growth, emission of foul smell and recurring fish kills (such as the one that occurred in the lake in1990s to 2000s).

The Administration of Bunot Lake

The administration of Bunot Lake involves a multitude of overlapping laws and two key government agencies— the LLDA and the City Government of San Pablo. The mandate of the LLDA comes from The Laguna Lake Development Authority Act of 1966 [as amended by Presidential Decree 813, October 1975] (RA 4850), which is the foremost law in the administration of Laguna de Bay (the largest lake in the country) and its watershed area that includes the seven crater lakes of San Pablo City. RA 4850 created the LLDA and designated it as the main agency in supervising and managing the water bodies in the Laguna de Bay region (see Figure 10). The region includes: the Provinces of Rizal and Laguna; the Cities of San Pablo, Pasay, Caloocan, Quezon, Manila and Tagaytay; the Towns of Tanauan. Sto. Tomas and Malvar in Batangas Province, the Towns of Silang and Carmona in Cavite Province; the Town of Lucban in Quezon Province, and the Cities of Marikina, Pasig, Taguig, Muntinlupa, and Pateros in Metro Manila. This authority was further reinforced by Executive Order no. 927 issued by then President F. Marcos in December 1983 which gave the LLDA the exclusive water rights over the bodies of water in the Laguna de Bay region. In the administrative setup, the principal mandate of the LLDA is Laguna de Bay while its jurisdiction over Bunot Lake (and the rest of the seven crater lakes) is incidental, the seven crater lakes being part of the watershed of the Laguna de Bay region. In practice, the downside of this administrative setup is that the attention and resources of the LLDA (which usually are inadequate as in most government agencies) are concentrated on Laguna de Bay while the seven crater lakes usually receive peripheral consideration.

Bunot Lake

Figure 10: The Seven Crater Lakes of San Pablo City and Laguna de Bay (Google Maps 2015)

The mandate of the City Government of San Pablo comes from The Local Government Code of 1991(RA 7160), which gives the local government unit the authority over Bunot Lake being a municipal water. Since RA 4850 confers the administration of Bunot Lake to the LLDA while RA 7160 bestows the City Government the territorial jurisdiction, this implies coordinative-supplementary arrangement between the two government agencies. The LLDA lays down the comprehensive development framework and approve/disapprove the plans and projects (for the seven crater lakes) submitted to it by the City Government. Conversely, the City Government legislate the necessary ordinances in support of the overall development strategy of the LLDA. This arrangement was formalized in a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the LLDA and the City Government in 1997.

On the regulation side, the LLDA oversees while the City Government executes the regulations of the LLDA since it controls the local police and the barangay units. This role was evident in the demolition of illegal structures in Sampaloc Lake in the early 2000s where the City Government carried out its implementation. This capacity gives the City Government some leverage over the “higher” authority of the LLDA, as the latter’s regulatory actions on the seven crater lakes are almost always anchored on the former’s cooperation and assistance. In practice, the downside of this administrative arrangement is that: on the LLDA’s part, when it procrastinates in approving or rejecting plans or projects submitted by the City Government (e.g. zoning-development plan); and on the City Government’s part, when it becomes reluctant in enforcing the directives of the LLDA (e.g. demolition of illegal settlers).

The other laws that have direct implications on the administration of Bunot Lake are: (1) the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998 (RA 8550); (2) the Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004 (RA 9275); and the Tourism Act of 2009 (RA 9593). In principle, the laws complement and supplement each other, particularly in managing the utilization and conservation of the lake. On the ground, however, the laws are also a source of divergence since each statute emphasizes distinct agendas over use of the lake. Specifically, RA 8550 advances the interest of the fisherfolks and the fishing industry; RA 9275 underscores the preservation of the water resource; and RA 9593 promotes ecotourism for socio-economic development. Accordingly, the plans and programs in Bunot Lake have to be framed under the context of these intertwined and competing interests.

Developmental Issues in Bunot Lake

The central issue in Bunot Lake is the seeming nonexistence of definitive action from the LLDA and the City Government of San Pablo, as the lake lacks tangible development initiatives at present. In the past, the inactions of the government agencies on the seven crater lakes have been mainly attributed to two factors: (1) limited resources and (2) political dynamics. On the part of the LLDA, the agency has often alluded to the lack of manpower since the bulk of it is allocated to Laguna de Bay (its principal concern), and the frequent changes of leadership which usually results in varying priorities (e.g. The LLDA had four different General Managers from 2005 to 2013). For instance, in the case of Tadlac Lake (a small lake in Los Banos, Laguna that is also under LLDA’s administration), the LLDA infused manpower and financial resources to prepare the lake’s zoning-development plan but the project was not completed primarily due to the change in leadership which, in turn, resulted in revised priorities at the agency in 2001— focusing mostly its resources and attention to Laguna de Bay (Santos-Borja 2008). On the part of the City Government, the agency has often cited the insufficient funds and the sensitivity of local politicians to the pleas of lake residents, particularly against drastic actions. For instance, the planned demolition of illegal settlements in Bunot Lake in the mid-2000s did not push through due to the intercession of local politicians, petitioning the City Government to give the illegal settlers more time to prepare.

Broadly, development is contemporarily defined as progress or growth that is inclusive and sustainable (Global Monitoring Report 2015). Following this, lake development is about improving the conditions of lake inhabitants (so as to help make development inclusive and local), and ensuring the conservation of the water resource (so as to make development sustainable in the long term).The absence of development in Bunot Lake is perplexing since the lake has features that are conducive for it. On the positive side, Bunot Lake is very close to the city proper and to Sampaloc Lake, where most of the efforts of the LLDA and the City Government, past to present, are concentrated. The lake is also the pioneering site for the commercial production of tilapia in floating cages among the seven crater lakes. On the negative side, Bunot Lake is adjudged as the most polluted and the most congested, as it has the heaviest concentration of illegal fish pens/cages and settlements among the seven crater lakes. On the whole, these attributes (both the positive and the negative sides) provide strong merit for development actions to come to the lake. Thus, Bunot Lake should be given attention and be elevated to a status parallel to Sampaloc Lake and Pandin Lake on the agenda of the LLDA and the City Government.

The LLDA and the City Government’s focus on Sampaloc Lake, being the central emblem in the tourism campaign of San Pablo City (Brillo 2015a), and on Pandin Lake, being a model for ecotourism development (Brillo 2015b), is understandable. But what is being questioned is the exclusive concentration of efforts on them at the expense (or neglect) of the other crater lakes, especially Bunot Lake which gravely needs administrative intervention. The developmental framework utilized by the LLDA and the City Government is the model-template approach. In this approach, Sampaloc Lake, as primus inter pares, takes precedence, and hence, it will be developed first to serve as the model and template for the development of the other crater lakes. Recently, the model-template approach was modified when the ecotourism success in Pandin Lake became evident. Pandin Lake became a media sensation which, in effect, challenged the “hegemonic” status of Sampaloc Lake in the agenda of the LLDA and the City Government. Consequently, this precipitated an adjustment on the model-template approach, as the LLDA and the City Government expanded their attention to both Sampaloc Lake and Pandin Lake. The modification in approach is evident, particularly in the current activity of the LLDA in crafting a development and management plan for Pandin Lake by December 2014, and the recent move of the City Government in formulating a tourism master plan for Sampaloc Lake (see Brillo 2015a and Brillo2015b) (As a caveat, the actions taken by the LLDA and the City Government are highly commendable, but it is still too early to tell if these would translate in concrete outcomes— that is completed, promulgated and implemented, since there have been precedence where actions on the lakes lose steam before their full completion. A case in point is the zoning-development plan for Sampaloc Lake which is still to materialize but has been on the agenda of both the LLDA and the City Government since the late 1990s).

With the alarming degradation of Bunot Lake, the model-template approach should further be modified. Sampaloc Lake and Pandin Lake are worthy to be prioritized, but Bunot Lake also deserves committed attention from the LLDA and the City Government. Since the bulk of their efforts are currently employed in Sampaloc Lake and in Pandin Lake, the two agencies can concentrate in addressing the most basic issue in Bunot Lake— the formulation of a zoning-development plan. The urgency of a zoning-development plan is well acknowledged (e.g. see recommendations in LLDA 2005 and LLDA 2008) and is long overdue; as it has been on the agenda of forums on the seven crater lakes since the early 2000s. In general, the effort to craft a zoning-development plan entails minimal cost, but its impact is substantive. The plan is crucial in the administration and conservation of the lake since it is the first and foremost step in which everything else follows, so to speak. For instance, in solving the most serious problem in Bunot Lake, that is enforcing the Fisheries Code’s 10 percent rule, or in establishing the Bunot Lake Navigational Lane (see Briones, N. et al. 2012) would entail the necessity of a zoning map which definitively allocates or designates areas for fish pens/cages in the lake. Furthermore, in addressing a long-term problem in Bunot Lake— the demolition of illegal settlements/structures and the relocation of illegal inhabitants— can be prepared and precipitated by a zoning-development plan which provides the blueprint for the management of the lake and the guidance for succeeding development initiatives and programs in the lake. The zoning-development plan facilitates succeeding actions on the lake, and informs them so as to ensure that they are coherent, cohesive and efficient. Moreover, the critical ingredient for a zoning-development plan is commitment from the concerned government agencies; specifically, the determined effort of the LLDA and the City Government to formulate the plan and to cope with the resistance. Resistance is expected since the plan purports changes to the status quo. This reality makes the formulation and implementation of the zoning-development plan difficult. However, it is not insurmountable, especially when the bureaucrats in the LLDA and politicians in the City Government would show resolve.

Another major development deficiency in Bunot Lake (unlike in Sampaloc Lake and in Pandin Lake) is the absence of ecotourism. Although ecotourism development in Bunot Lake, specifically culture-based tourism, has been raised by the City Government in the past, it remains at the proposal stage. Through the years, there have been no significant undertakings made in Bunot Lake to set off tourism development. Ecotourism has good potential in Bunot Lake since the natural resource is picturesque, proximate and accessible. The main issue in initiating ecotourism in Bunot Lake is the sharing of the water resource vis-à-vis the two key competing interests in the utilization of the lake— fishery and ecotourism. Again, this problem can be addressed by a zoning-development plan which demarcates the areas of the lake for fish cages and ecotourism development. Ecotourism in Bunot Lake would resolve (or at least mitigate) the problem of the lack of alternative livelihood for lake residents, an alternative to fish farming and fishing related activities which currently are the common livelihood among the inhabitants (LLDA 2008; Briones 2012). Moreover, developing ecotourism has the advantage of being privately-led, since it can be launched with or without government assistance. As the lesson learned in Pandin Lake, initiating and succeeding in ecotourism are not dependent on government interventions (see Brillo 2015b). The crucial variable is that the residents and organizations (e.g. Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management [FARMC] or Bantay Lawa [Lake Watchdog]) in Bunot Lake take the initiative. They may take the “Pandin Lake route” of seeking help from private individuals and nongovernmental organizations (in the absence of government support). The immediate consequence in taking the initiative is that it creates awareness which would be very helpful in securing the attention of the LLDA and the City Government on Bunot Lake.

Conclusion

From a developmental standpoint, the plight of Bunot Lake is unfortunate. Bunot Lake is strategically located; it is near the urban center and adjacent to Sampaloc Lake, and it is the site where the first commercial production of tilapia in floating cages in San Pablo City was established. Despite these distinctions, the development initiatives from the two key administrative agencies seem to overlook the lake. The current undertakings of the LLDA and the City Government are mainly focused on Sampaloc Lake and Pandin Lake, and have not spread to Bunot Lake. Ironically, the lack of attention on Bunot Lake is under the backdrop that prioritizing its development is easily justifiable; as among the seven crater lakes, Bunot Lake is the most polluted and the most congested. Under these premises, the LLDA and the City Government should now undertake more definitive actions on Bunot Lake. Firstly, this implies that the prevailing model-template approach— which is hierarchical in orientation and heavily biased towards Sampaloc Lake and Pandin Lake— be modified; if Bunot Lake is to be accommodated. Secondly, this implies that the most basic need of Bunot Lake— a zoning-development plan— be provided if future actions on the lake are to be facilitated and encouraged.

In view of the dominance of the natural-science-based research and the heavy concentration on big-lake research, this paper directly addressed the identified gap in literature by conducting a social-science-based research on a small lake in the country. In particular, the study assessed the current situation and development issues in Bunot Lake. The work is grounded on two principles: (1) that social-science-based studies are imperative— to balance and supplement the advances in the natural-science-based studies; and (2) that small lakes are important too— especially in the Philippines where their numbers are overwhelming. To meaningfully improve the condition of lakes in the country, the social sciences must progress alongside the natural sciences. To have a comprehensive perspective on lakes in the country, small lakes must also be accounted for. In closing, this case study is a small contribution in literature since there is still a great number of small lakes in the country that need to be documented and studied under the lenses of the social sciences.

Acknowledgement

This article benefited, one way or another, from conversations with following individuals: Filipe Morilla, Bantay Lawa / Cristina Abrigo, Samahang Mangingisda ng Lawa ng Pandin (SMLP) / Vic Anyayahan, Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management (FARMC), San Pablo City (SPC) / Pando Espallardo, FARMC, SPC / Mandy Marin͂o, Pundasyon ng Kalikasan (Foundation of the Environment) / Roberto Azores, Friends of the Seven Lakes Foundation (FSLF) / Felimar Torrizo, Seven Crater Lakes and Watershed Management Council (SCLWMC) / Lope Calanog, Consultant, Seven Lakes Tourism Master Development Plan / Maria Donalyn Eseo, Tourism Council, SPC / Ramon De Roma, Environment and Natural Resource Office, SPC (ENRO) / Emilio Tirones, Mayor’s Office, SPC /Ms. Emiliana Casbadillo, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) / Adelina Santos-Borja, Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) / Diego Reyes, LLDA / Florita Moredo, LLDA.

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