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Development of a Small Lake: Ecotourism Enterprise for Pandin Lake, San Pablo City, Philippines

This is the author's original manuscript of an article published in Lakes & Reservoirs: Research & Management (2016), vol. 21, no. 4, pp. 284-292 (Wiley-Blackwell Publishing)

Bing Baltazar C. Brillo

UP Scientist and Associate Professor

Institute for Governance and Rural Development,

College of Public Affairs and Development

University of the Philippines Los Ban͂os

email address: bbbrillo@yahoo.com / bcbrillo@up.edu.ph

Abstract

This study looks into the development of a small lake in the Philippines, particularly the unconventional evolution of the ecotourism enterprise in Pandin Lake and the accompanying issues. The article contends that the ecotourism development in Pandin Lake is mainly as an endogenous initiative, and that the intervention of the administrative agencies is critical in addressing the contemporary issues. It proceeds to discuss the following: firstly, reasons for studying small lakes in the Philippines; secondly, Pandin Lake and its administration; thirdly, the ecotourism enterprise evolution and issues in the small lake; and lastly, the conclusion. Moreover, the study also addresses the extant gap in Philippine lake literature, specifically the scarcity of scholarly works on development-oriented studies (as the field is dominated by limnology and aquaculture studies) and on small lakes (as the field is heavily concentrated on big-lake studies).

Keywords  

Ecotourism, Development, Lake, Pandin Lake, Philippines, San Pablo City, Small Lake

Introduction

Developing small lakes in the Philippines is important since the water resources are all over the country and many are surrounded by poor communities. In the context of development defined as progress or growth that is shared and sustainable (Global Monitoring Report 2015), small lake development in essence is about— improving the conditions of the local people (making development inclusive) and ensuring the conservation of the natural resource (making development sustainable). Under this backdrop, small lakes in the country have been utilised primarily for aquaculture. In the last three decades, tilapia fish cage farming has become so extensive that it had become an integral feature of many small lakes in the country. Aquaculture had helped many small lake communities over the years by providing livelihood and other work opportunities. However, these benefits have often offset by the detrimental effects to the inland water resource of the over expansion of aquaculture. Contrastingly, the growth of aquaculture in the country has been limited by the cost of business (e.g., increasing price of commercial feeds), natural calamities (e.g., typhoons and fishkills), and law, particularly the Philippine Fisheries Code or Republic Act [RA] 8550 which imposes the 10-percent-area-limit rule for aquastructures.

With these limitations and inherent problem associated with the aquaculture-based development, recently, ecotourism had become a serious alternative for developing small lakes. Ecotourism-oriented development offers more potential for work opportunities, growth and expansion and multiplier effect, and least harmful effect to the water resource. The tourism-oriented development strategy has been duly recognised by the Philippine Government with the enactment of the Tourism Act or RA 9593 in 2009. Among the many small lakes in the country, the ecotourism development in Pandin Lake is contemporarily often mentioned in conventional and social media. In particular, Pandin Lake’s ecotourism enterprise has been featured and recommended in newspapers and many internet blogs. Despite this, Pandin Lake and its ecotourism development is largely unknown in scholarly literature. So far, the few significant scholarly works found on Pandin Lake are water quality assessment and aquaculture studies (e.g., Laguna Lake Development Authority [LLDA] 2005, LLDA 2008, Zafaralla 2010) and the two unpublished (student) reports (see Abao E. et al. 2010 and Atiqah B. J. et al. 2012). This paucity of studies is consistent with the established lacuna in Philippine lake literature; specifically, the scarcity of small lake studies despite their abundance in the country, as the overwhelming majority are studies on major lakes (Brillo 2015a; see also Guerrero 2001, Guerrero 2005), and the dearth of development-oriented studies (as the overwhelming majority are limnological and aquaculture studies) (see Brillo 2015b, Brillo 2015c, Brillo 2016a, Brillo 2016b, Brillo 2016c). Evidently, these suggest the need for a formal study on the ecotourism development in Pandin Lake to supplement the lack of information on the small lake and to ameliorate the literature deficit. Thus, this article explores the ecotourism development in Pandin Lake. Specifically, it looks into the unconventional evolution of the ecotourism enterprise in Pandin Lake and the accompanying issues. On the whole, the study contends that the ecotourism development in Pandin Lake is largely as an endogenous endeavour, and that the intercession of the administrative agencies is crucial in addressing the contemporary issues. As a caveat, a small lake in the study is defined as inland body of water that is permanent in nature (not intermittent) with a surface area of at least one hectare but not more than 200 hectares (see Brillo 2015a). Moreover, the concept of ecotourism development is loosely defined in the study as a tourism-oriented undertaking in the small lake designed to improve the lives of the locals while conscious of the conservation of the inland water resource.

Reasons for Studying Small Lakes in the Philippines

The situation of many lakes in the country remains ecologically threatened. The First National Congress on Philippine Lakes held in 2003 and the Second National Congress on Philippine Lakes held in 2011 acknowledged that many lakes in the country, despite incremental improvements, remain at risk of environmental degradation (Cuvin-Aralan et al. 2005, LakeCon2011 2011). Under this forewarning, lake studies in the Philippines have slowly been growing over the years. However, the scholarly works are mostly on limnology and aquaculture studies and major lake studies; specifically, Laguna de Bay (93,000 ha), Taal Lake (23, 420 ha), Naujan Lake (8,125 ha), Lanao Lake (34,000 ha), Mainit Lake (17,340 ha), Buluan Lake (6,134 ha), Buhi Lake (1,707 ha) and Bato Lake (2,810 ha) (e.g., Pantastico and Baldia 1981, Petersen and Carlos 1984, Santiago 1988, Manalili and Guerrero 1995, Fellizar 1995, Platon 2001, Guerrero 2001, Araullo 2001, Mercene-Mutia 2001, Zafaralla 2001, Siringan and Jaraula 2005, Roa et al. 2005, Guerrero 2005).

A recent survey of lake studies in the Philippines revealed that: (1) 77 percent of the scholarly works are 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 (Brillo 2015a). This trend shows that the existing literature on Philippine lakes is deficient on social science studies, like development-oriented studies, and small lake studies. Development-oriented studies and small lake studies must progress to ameliorate the literature imbalance. Development-oriented research complement limnology and aquaculture studies since development issues are intertwined with them and cannot be addressed separately. Small lakes research must simultaneously advance with big lake studies to expand the knowledge base on Philippine lakes and have a better picture of their condition. Parallel progress among them would mean better understanding of the problems and better insights in offering solutions.

Despite the small lakes overwhelming numbers in the Philippines little is known or written about them. The Philippine Council for Aquaculture and Marine Research and Development (PCAMRD) has listed 72 known lakes in the country only not including small lakes (see Guerrero 2001). The World Lake Database of the International Lake Environment Committee Foundation (ILEC) has registered only the 5 major Philippine lakes (no small lakes). The LakeNet Global Lake Database and Wikipedia’s list of Philippine lakes have recorded only 42 and 94 lakes, respectively, in which a substantial number of small lakes are unaccounted for. Worse, the Philippine Lakes Network (PlaNet), which was conceived in LakeCon2003 to comprehensively supply data on Philippine lakes, still has to takeoff and account for small lakes.

Small lakes are least studied since they are commonly considered to have minimal economic significance (compared to big lakes) which translates to peripheral attention from government agencies, private-funding institutions and scholars. To some small lakes in the country, geographical remoteness is another contributing factor why little attention is given on them. In general, there are five key reasons why it is urgent to study small lakes: (a) the shorter time span on irreversibility of ecological degradation; (b) the necessity of information needed to save them; (c) the connection to other natural resources; (d) the crucial role in improving lake communities; and (e) the need to document the water resource for posterity. The first reason is that the inherently physical feature of small lakes is innately more fragile and vulnerable to environmental deterioration (compared to big lakes). Their small size naturally equates to reduced absorptive capacity in neutralising contaminants and shorter time for any ecological damage to be irreversible. The second reason is that critical information is needed to improve the condition of small lakes. Accumulating adequate knowledge is a prerequisite to properly manage and conserve the inland water resource. The third reason is that many small lakes are critical components of the system of other natural resources, such as river system, large lake system or ground water system. In resolving issues and problems of the other systems entails knowing vital information about small lakes. The fourth reason is that many small lakes are situated near impoverished local communities. The small lakes can served as catalyst in improving these communities. The fifth reason is that small lakes are abundant in the country and many are undocumented. The existence of small lakes must be recorded particularly since some of them are endangered of drying out (e.g., Manlalayes Lake of Dolores Quezon) (Brillo 2015b, Brillo 2015c, Brillo 2016a, Brillo 2016b).

Pandin Lake and Its Administration

Pandin Lake is a small lake located in Barangay Santo Angel, San Pablo City. It is considered the twin lake of Yambo Lake and one of the city’s seven crater lakes [Sampaloc (104 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). It is about 8 kilometres from the city proper and accessible through an entry passageway via Barangay Santo Angel Road. Like the other crater lakes, Pandin Lake is oval shaped and considered a catchment area of Mount San Cristobal. The small lake is widely believed to be volcanic in origin, formed through a phreatic eruption when shallow lava from Mount San Cristobal flowed into groundwater causing an explosion that resulted in a crater-like depression (LLDA 2008). The small lake’s water sources come from rainfall, surface runoff and surrounding natural springs, and it discharges through seepage, evaporation and outflow to Palakpakin Lake via a Prinsa creek, the only outlet. 

      

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

In 1973, the Laguna Lake Development Authority’s (LLDA) introduced tilapia cage culture in Laguna de Bay through the Municipality of Cardona, Rizal (Delmendo 1974, Radan 1977, MNR 1982, Lazaga and Roa 1985). Eventually, this practice spread to the seven crater lakes via the private sector, starting with Bunot Lake in 1975 (Guerrero 1979). Unlike in the other crater lakes where tilapia cage farming expanded extensively, aquaculture in Pandin Lake was limited. The divergence is largely due to the water makeup of Pandin Lake being oligotropic (i.e., poor in nutrients, low in organic matter and high in dissolved oxygen level in deeper parts); its phytoplankton counts are considerably low compared to the rest of the crater lakes. This prolongs the culture period of fish stocks and requires more feeding to grow fish, which, in turn, makes fish farming more costly (LLDA 2005). Another factor to limited expansion of aquaculture is the conscious efforts of the lake inhabitants, particularly members of the Samahan ng Kababaihang Mangingisda at Bangkera sa Lawa ng Pandin (SKMBLP), to abide by the 10-percent-limit rule for aquastructures prescribed by the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998 or RA 8550. In 2005, the LLDA reported that only 3 percent of Pandin Lake is occupied by fish cages, and in 2013, the Provincial Government of Laguna reported that there are only 14 registered fish pen operators in the small lake (see LLDA 2005, Provincial Government of Laguna 2013). The marginal proliferation of aquaculture in Pandin Lake has allowed it to dodge the many problems associated with over expansion of fish cages common to the seven crater lakes (e.g., water pollution and illegal settlements). 

The administration of Pandin Lake is managed by two key government agencies (i.e., the LLDA and the City Government of San Pablo) and a multitude of overlapping laws. The mandate of the LLDA comes from The Laguna Lake Development Authority Act of 1966 or RA 4850 (as amended by Presidential Decree 813, October 1975), which is the main law in the administration of Laguna de Bay (the largest lake in the country) and its watershed area (which 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 RA 4850, section 1 and section 4). The Laguna de Bay region includes the Provinces of Rizal and Laguna; the Cities of San Pablo, Tanauan and Tagaytay; the Towns of 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 Quezon, Manila, Pasay, Caloocan, Marikina, Pasig, Taguig, Muntinlupa, and Pateros in Metro Manila. Specifically, the LLDA has the primary responsibility to promote the development of the Laguna de Bay region (see Figure 2), while ensuring environmental management and control, preservation of the quality of life and ecological systems, and the prevention of undue ecological disturbance, deterioration and pollution (LLDA 2005).

Figure 2: The Seven Crater Lakes of San Pablo City and Laguna de Bay 

(Google Maps 2015b)

The LLDA’s authority was strengthened by Executive Order no. 927, issued by President F. Marcos in December 1983, which gave the LLDA the exclusive water rights over the lakes in the Laguna de Bay region. In the arrangement, the LLDA’s principal concern is Laguna de Bay while its jurisdiction over the seven crater lakes (including Pandin Lake) is incidental, the seven crater lakes being a 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 are concentrated on Laguna de Bay, while the small lakes within its region (the seven crater lakes and Tadlac Lake) usually receive peripheral consideration. Recently, the LLDA is making a “pivot” to the small lakes particularly when its Board of Directors approved Board Resolution No. 464 on 02 April 2014 which established the Framework for the Formulation of Development and Management Plan for the Seven Crater Lakes (LLDA 2014).

 The mandate of the City Government comes from The Local Government Code of 1991or RA 7160, which gives the local government unit the authority over Pandin Lake, since it is municipal water. Since RA 4850 confers the administration of Pandin Lake to the LLDA while RA 7160 bestows the City Government the territorial jurisdiction, this implies “coordinative-supplementary” arrangement between the two government agencies. This arrangement was formalised in a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed by the LLDA and the City Government of Laguna in 1997. The LLDA is responsible for overall management, provides the comprehensive development framework, and has approval authority on plans and projects submitted by the City Government. The City Government develops plans and projects to execute the LLDA’s strategy, legislates the necessary ordinances, and enforces LLDA’s regulations through the police force and the barangay units. This tactical role gives the City Government leverage over the LLDA’s supposedly higher authority,  as enforcement of the latter’s regulatory actions on the seven crater lakes are almost always dependent on the former’s cooperation and assistance. Problems arise when the City Government is reluctant to enforce LLDA’s directives (e.g., demolition of illegal settlers in Bunot Lake) or when the LLDA procrastinates on deciding about projects submitted by the City Government (e.g, the zoning plan for Sampaloc Lake).

In the administration of the seven crater lakes, the LLDA and the City government use the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (FARMC). The FARMC is the principal organisation mandated by law, specifically the Philippine Fisheries Code, to assist government agencies in the management, utilisation and preservation of the water resources throughout the country. Although designated by law as a partner in the management of water resources, in practice, the organisation functions more as a consultative and/or notification (to inform) body of the administrative agencies. The FARMCs are established from the national level to cities and municipalities and formed locally by fisherfolk organisations/cooperatives and NGOs in the locality with the assistance of the government agencies. In the Laguna de Bay region, FARMCs’ formation and supervision, which by the Philippine Fisheries Code is under the Department of Agriculture, was devolved to the LLDA in recognition of its exclusive jurisdiction. The Philippine Fisheries Code also mandates that the FARMC be multi-sectoral in its composition (see section 75) and guarantees the organisation’s funding (see section 79). In Pandin Lake, however, the membership of FARMC lacks diversity, as its organisation is mainly led by and consists of fisherfolks and lake residents, specifically members of the SKMBLP. FARMC also lacks funding; its leaders have often complained that the funds provided are inadequate to effectively sustain and carry out the responsibilities of the organisation.

Outside the Philippine Fisheries Code, the two other laws that have direct bearing on the management and development of Pandin Lake are the Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004 or RA 9275 and the Tourism Act of 2009 or RA 9593. In principle, the Philippine Fisheries Code and the two other laws complement and supplement each other. On the ground, however, they can be a source of divergence since each statute pushes distinct agendas over the utilisation of the water resource. In particular, the Philippine Clean Water Act underscores the preservation of the water resource; the Tourism Act promotes ecotourism for socio-economic development; and the Philippine Fisheries Code primarily advances the interest of the fisherfolks and the fishing industry. All together, the proponents of each law compete and negotiate over the utilisation of the lake. In turn, the plans, programs and projects in Pandin Lake will have to be drawn within the range of these laws and the interlocking interests they represent.

The Ecotourism Development and Issues in Pandin Lake

Ecotourism in Pandin Lake evolved mainly as an endogenous initiative. This local initiative was precipitated by three factors: (a) the lack of development-related actions from its two administrative agencies— the LLDA and the City Government; (b) the small lake’s water is poor for aquaculture; and (c) the lake communities’ exposure to the movement to save Sampaloc Lake in the early 2000s. In the first factor, the LLDA and the City Government’s inaction towards Pandin Lake (and the other crater lakes) was influenced by the agencies’ prioritisation of Sampaloc Lake’s development, Sampaloc Lake being the premier lake and long held trademark of San Pablo City. The thinking here is that Sampaloc Lake would serve as the model for the development of the other crater lakes (see San Pablo City Tourism Council 2008). In the second factor, Pandin Lake is less suitable to aquaculture since tilapia tends to grow slowly in it compared to the other small lakes of San Pablo City. This attribute has constrained the expansion of tilapia cage farming in the small lake, and  has provided more incentive and less resistance among the locals to pursue ecotourism. In the third factor, the movement to save Sampaloc Lake inculcated among the locals the consequences of neglecting to protect the water resource and the potential benefits that will accrue once actions are taken to protect the lake. This understanding motivated them to also take actions to safeguard Pandin Lake.

The initial break came in the early 2000s when individuals affiliated with the Fundacion Kalikasan, a local environmentalist group interested in preserving Pandin Lake, approached the lake residents. In their discussions, the locals, particularly the wives of fishermen, appealed for help to create livelihood opportunities. In response, the Fundacion Kalikasan initiated training activities, such as gardening and soap making, intended to earn the residents extra income. The rationale here is that by introducing alternative sources of livelihood, the residents will refrain from over exploiting the lake. However, except for establishing the link between the locals and the Fundacion Kalikasan, the initiative had limited success. The principal reason is that the locals, especially the men, were distrustful of the assistance provided by the Fundacion Kalikasan, after suffering from politicians’ and affluent people’s broken promises of help in the past. The locals were also suspicious of the Fundacion Kalikasan’s motives since its members come from wealthy families. This distrust was evident when many locals (mostly men) did not support the training activities and did not sign the memorandum of agreement between the Fundacion Kalikasan and the lake residents. 

In 2003, the link between the locals and the Fundacion Kalikasan was re-established. A group of mostly women residents of Pandin Lake took the initiative and got in touch with the Fundacion Kalikasan, seeking the latter’s help in starting their project— the Pandin Lake Tour. The Fundacion Kalikasan advised them on how to organise and manage an enterprise, helped to secure initial capitalisation, and promoted the project. From the modest beginnings of offering a lake tour, a raft ride and native foods, the Pandin Lake Tour project gradually transformed into a full-fledged enterprise, as local and foreign tourists kept coming over the years (see Figure 3). In 2005, buoyed by the success of their project, the locals decided to formally organise by establishing the SKMBLP to directly manage the ecotourism enterprise. A distinct feature of Pandin Lake’s ecotourism is the prominent role of women through out its evolution. Past to present, the women have taken active involvement in the conceptualisation of the Pandin Lake Tour project, in the management of SKMBLP, in the operations of the enterprise, and have long been taking leadership role in the small lake.

Figure 3: The Facade of Ecotourism in Pandin Lake

The key issues in Pandin Lake are the formulation of a management and development plan (MDP) and the sustainability of the ecotourism enterprise, particularly developing the small lake into a full-fledged tourist destination and addressing the right of way issue. These issues are evidently way beyond the capacity of SKMBLP to tackle alone. Dealing with them would necessitate the intercession of the administrative agencies— the LLDA and the City Government of San Pablo— as these usually require use of authority and significant resources.

The MDP has been a regular agenda in the many public forums on the seven crater lakes since the early 2000s. An MDP is basic to the proper administration and conservation of Pandin Lake. It provides direction for actions by identifying the areas and strategies for developing the water resource. It also gives guidance to programs and precipitates initiatives in the small lake. Under this premise, the LLDA instigated the formulation of MDP for Pandin Lake following its Board Resolution No. 464 in early 2014. The LLDA, the City Government and the SKMBLP were able to complete the MDP by the end of 2014. With this major accomplishment, the next challenged in Pandin Lake is the full implementation of the MDP, particularly dealing with financial aspects and time table of the plan.

Transforming Pandin Lake’s ecotourism enterprise into a full-fledged tourist hub means investing in the essential facilities and infrastructures. These are imperative if the ecotourism success in the small lake is to be sustained and magnified. Some of the basic needs are: (a) a developed entry road linking the small lake to the highway; (b) a secured parking space for visitors and tourists; (c) a peripheral trail around the lake and connected to Yambo Lake, its twin lake; (d) a convention hall that can accommodate big events/activities and lodging places for overnight stay; and (e) secured supply of electricity and potable water in the area. Since these require huge capital outlay (well above SKMBLP’s financial capacity), the assistance of the LLDA and the City Government is indispensable in sourcing and procuring them.

The right of way issue came about when a private individual was able to acquire most of the land leading to and around Pandin Lake. About a third of the surrounding areas of the small lake has been purchased by the individual, including the traditional main entry point which divide his property as it runs across his land (see Figure 4). Naturally, the owner is having second thoughts on continuously allowing access to the small lake via his property. The access is essential to the ecotourism enterprise since the entry point is the connecting path to the highway and the customary passageway of tourists and visitors to Pandin Lake. Expectedly, SKMBLP wanted a guaranteed access to Pandin Lake via the traditional entry point; however, this could not be obtained since the group lacks leverage over the land owner. Under this circumstance, the LLDA and the City Government intervened— negotiated with the owner and was able to secure a provisional guarantee on public access in the customary entryway. In the long term, the right of way issue should not be left to the land owner’s discretion alone but must be legally fortified, a task demanding the direct involvement of the administrative agencies.

Figure 4: The Main Entry to Pandin Lake

Conclusion 

Broadly, this study registered Pandin Lake on the docket of scholarly literature and advanced the development-oriented studies on small lakes in the country. Specifically, the article explored the nitty-gritty of the unconventional evolution of the ecotourism enterprise in Pandin Lake and the accompanying issues. On the whole, it illustrated that the ecotourism development in Pandin Lake is mainly as an endogenous initiative as the administrative agencies were nowhere in the picture early on in its conceptualisation. But going forward, it also resonated the necessity for the intervention of the administrative agencies— the LLDA and the City Government, particularly in addressing the issues which are beyond the SKMBLP to handle alone. The administrative intercession is critical in sustaining the success of the ecotourism enterprise. Presently, the success of the ecotourism enterprise in Pandin Lake is well-recognised by the media, the administrative agencies and the public. As testament, Pandin Lake is regarded as the best managed among the seven crater lakes, and has become a premier tourist destination of San Pablo City, rivalling Sampaloc Lake. Sharing the “story” of the ecotourism development in Pandin Lake is an excellent stimulus in precipitating and influencing the sustainable development of many other small lakes in the country.  

Indicatively, the ecotourism development in Pandin Lake suggests a feasible alternative for sustainably developing a small lake in the country. Ecotourism development offers immense potential for expansion and multiplier effects, including supplementing (not replacing) the limited aquaculture exiting in the small lake which, all in all, redounds to the improvement of the local community. The ecotourism development prospect is amplified considering the contemporary statutory restriction imposed by the Philippine Fisheries Code on the expansion of aquastructures and the problems associated with the over expansion of aquaculture. Ecotourism development in Pandin Lake also offers a viable arrangement for the conservation of the water resource. It generates incentives for the SKMBLP to be vigilant in ensuring the preservation of Pandin Lake since the continuity of the ecotourism enterprise is dependent on maintaining the good condition of the small lake. This development praxis is consequential since small lakes are abundant in the country in which many are populated by impoverished communities. Moreover, the ecotourism development in Pandin Lake embodies the empowerment of the locals, particularly the women who played an essential role in the ecotourism enterprise’s conceptualisation and formation to its current management and operations. The experience exemplifies that women can be drivers in the development of a water resource.

Acknowledgement

Many thanks to the following organisations and agencies: Samahan ng Kababaihang Mangingisda at Bangkera sa Lawa ng Pandin (SKMBLP) / Municipal Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management (MFARMC) of the Seven Crater Lakes / Fundacion Kalikasan / Friends of the Seven Lakes Foundation (FSLF) / Seven Crater Lakes and Watershed Management Council (SCLWMC) / Consultants of the Seven Lakes Tourism Master Development Plan / Tourism Council of San Pablo City / Environment and Natural Resource Office of San Pablo City / Office of the City Mayor of San Pablo / Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) / Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA)

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Development Issues of a Small Transboundary Lake: Yambo Lake of San Pablo City, Nagcarlan and Rizal, Laguna, Philippines

This is the author's original manuscript of an article published in The Social Sciences (2016), vol. 11, no. 23, pp. 5693-5702 

Bing Baltazar C. Brillo

Associate Professor

Institute for Governance and Rural Development,

College of Public Affairs and Development

University of the Philippines Los Ban͂os

Email address: bbbrillo@yahoo.com / bcbrillo@up.edu.ph

Abstract

Premised on the lack of development studies on lakes (as the field is dominated by limnology and aquaculture studies), the scarcity of small-lake studies (as the field is heavily concentrated on big-lake studies), and the absence of operationalized description of small lakes (as there is no existing definition of small lakes in the country), this article assesses the intricacies of the administration and development of Yambo Lake, a small transboundary lake. The study shows that despite existing favorable conditions, development is progressing slowly in Yambo Lake— aquaculture has significantly declined and organized tourism is only just evolving. It contends that the administrative agencies (i.e. the Laguna Lake Development Authority, the City Government of San Pablo, the Local Governments of Nagcarlan and Rizal, Laguna) must now accelerate their collaboration to have a zoning-development plan (as it is crucial for the proper and efficient management of the lake) and institutionalized ecotourism (as it is critical to expand livelihood opportunities of the locals and enhance their community).

Keywords

Development, Philippines, Lake, Small Lake, Transboundary Lake and Yambo Lake 

Introduction 

Yambo Lake is one of the seven crater lakes of San Pablo City (namely, Sampaloc [106 ha], Bunot [30.5 ha], Palakpakin [47.98 ha], Pandin [24 ha], Yambo [30.5 ha], Mohicap [22.89 ha] and Calibato [43 ha] [see Figure 1]). This small lake is a transboundary lake since it is shared by three municipalities: Nagcarlan, Rizal, and San Pablo City. Among the seven crater lakes, Yambo Lake is considered the most well-preserved lake, as it is least ecologically threatened. As a natural resource, the lake has promising attributes for development, such as clean water, natural scenic beauty, few fish pens/cages, virtually no informal settlements, accessible by vehicle, and has a local organization that looks after its protection. Yet, these favorable features have not hastened the flow of development into Yambo Lake. Except for the construction of a road leading to the lake and the limitation on fish farms, there have been few initiatives introduced over the years to develop the lake’s potentials. Currently, the lake’s aquaculture and tourism industries are dwindling and underutilized, respectively. Development studies are also lacking in the lake. The progress is slow despite Yambo Lake’s administrative agencies’ recent attempt to create an overall development plan for the lake and the unprecedented success in ecotourism of its nearby twin lake— Pandin Lake.

Given the above premises, this article examines the intricacies of the administration and development of Yambo Lake. In particular, the study contends that the lake’s administrative agencies— the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA), the City Government of San Pablo, the Local Government of Nagcarlan, and the Local Government of Rizal must accelerate the crafting of a zoning-development plan and must help to institutionalize ecotourism. The former is crucial in the management and conservation of the lake and the latter is indispensable in developing the community and expanding work opportunities for the locals. The article proceeds to discuss the following: firstly, a review of literature on Philippine lake studies, development studies and small lakes; secondly, the present situation in Yambo Lake; thirdly, its administrative dynamics; and lastly, the key development issues in the lake. In its totality, the article addresses the existing scholarly gap in Philippine lake studies. Specifically, (1) the scarcity of development studies on small lakes in the country— by documenting and exploring the development trajectory of Yambo Lake; and (2) the absence of existing operationalized description of small lakes in literature— by defining small lakes as lakes with a surface area of only 200 hectares or less (see Brillo 2015a).

      

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

Philippine Lakes, Development Studies and Small Lakes

Over the years, lakes have served human needs in various ways; from the basics like as drinking water and source of food and transportation, to more complex uses, such as fish farming, agricultural irrigation, flood control and hydroelectric power. The importance of the water resource is underscored by the fact that over 90 percent of the liquid freshwater on the earth’s surface is contained on lakes (Shiklomanov 1993, International Lake Environment Committee [ILEC] 2007, Nakamura and Rast 2011 and 2012). Lakes are also crucial to the preservation of the global biodiversity and ecosystem since they are a habitat for a variety of flora and fauna and are critical in natural processes such as climate mediation and nutrient cycling. Conversely, human activities, such as food production, increasing population, settlement, urbanization and industrialization, have degraded the water resource. Presently, many lakes around the world suffer from 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). For instance, the Global Environment Facility-Lake Basin Management Initiative’s (GEF-LBMI) study of 28 major lakes around the world from 2003 to 2005 concluded that the condition of many lakes is not improving (ILEC 2007, World Lake Conference 2009 and 2011).   

The situation is similar in the Philippines since the condition of many lakes in the country remains threatened. The First National Congress on Philippine Lakes held in 2003 conceded that many lakes in the country are suffering from environmental degradation (Cuvin-Aralan et al. 2005). The Second National Congress on Philippine Lakes held in 2011 acknowledged that despite incremental improvements, many lakes in the country remain susceptible to ecological decline (LakeCon2011 2011). Under this backdrop, the literature on Philippine lake studies has been gradually increasing through the years. However, the overwhelming majority of the literature is studies from the natural sciences and on big lakes (Brillo 2015a). A recent survey of Philippine lake studies revealed that: (1) 77 percent of the scholarly materials are 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 (Brillo 2015a). The natural science studies are mainly about limnology and aquaculture, and the big lake studies are overwhelmingly concentrated on the largest lakes in the country (e.g. Laguna de Bay, Taal Lake, Lanao Lake and Buhi Lake). On the whole, this suggests that the literature in Philippine lake studies is scarce on two areas: (1) social science studies, especially development studies (as well as governance, socioeconomic and cultural studies); and (2) small lake studies, specifically lakes with a surface area of 200 hectare or less.

To address the gap in literature, development studies (and the other fields in the social sciences) and small lake studies must progress to match the advances in the natural sciences and big lake studies. The number of development studies (and the rest of the social sciences) must increase to complement limnology and aquaculture studies. Since biophysical-environmental problems and socio-economic-governance problems are intertwined and cannot be effectively addressed in isolation, more development studies will result in a better understanding of the multitude of issues confronting lakes, in turn leading to better solutions to such issues. Meanwhile, small lakes studies must make significant gains to expand the knowledge base on Philippine lakes and to document their existence, as small lakes are extensive all over the country yet little is known or written about them (Brillo 2015a, Brillo 2015b, Brillo 2015c). Small lakes are least studied since they are usually deemed to have minimal economic value which translates to tangential interest from government agencies, private-funding institutions and scholars (Brillo 2015b, Brillo 2015c). 

It is important to study small lakes because of the following: (1) the shorter time line on irreversibility of any ecological degradation; (2) the necessity of information needed for salvaging them; (3) their link to other natural resources; and (4) the need to document the natural resource for posterity (Brillo 2015b, Brillo 2015c). The first refers to the inherent physical feature of small lakes being naturally more fragile and vulnerable to environmental deterioration. Other things being equal (and compared to big lakes), their small size equates to less absorptive capacity in neutralizing pollutants and shorter time to reach the point of any ecological damage being irreversible. The second refers to the need for critical information needed to improve the condition of small lakes. Reliable and substantive knowledge is the starting point in the long process of properly managing and protecting the water resource. The third refers to the ecological connection since many small lakes are integral components of the system of other natural resources, particularly river system and big lakes’ watershed. Consequently, addressing the problems of other systems would require knowing essential information about small lakes. The fourth refers to the need to record the existence of small lakes in the country. In time, lakes eventually become extinct, usually through loss of its water, infilling by sediments and other materials or succession (Choiński and Ptak 2009, Downing 2010, Lane 2015); but small lakes usually “die” at a much faster rate than big lakes. 

Development studies on small lakes in the Philippines are important since the many lakes in the country are usually are surrounded by impoverished communities. In the context of development defined as progress or growth that is inclusive and sustainable (Global Monitoring Report, 2015), developing small lakes, in essence, is about improving the living conditions of small lake inhabitants (so as to help make development inclusive, extending to local areas), and ensuring the conservation of the water resource (so as to make development sustainable in the long term). Anchored on this premise, this study directly addresses the identified lacuna in Philippine lake studies by assessing the development in a small lake located in San Pablo City— Yambo Lake. Consistent with the gap in the literature, scholarly works on Yambo Lake are scarce (Brillo 2015a, see also Guerrero 2001) and the only published materials found on the lake are the water quality assessments of the LLDA (see LLDA 2005 and LLDA 2008). 

The Present Situation of Yambo Lake 

Yambo Lake is a small transboundary lake situated in Barangay Sulsugin, Nagcarlan, Barangay Antipolo, Rizal and Barangay San Lorenzo, San Pablo City. Around two thirds of the lake’s area is within the jurisdiction of San Pablo City (as Yambo Lake is considered one of the seven crater lakes of the City), and the remaining area in the northeast side of the lake is shared by Nagcarlan and Rizal towns. Nagcarlan covers only a small portion of Yambo Lake, but its location is strategic since the only road leading to the lake and the area with most residents are within its territory. Yambo Lake is accessible via Barangay Yukos-Palayan-Sulsugin road which runs from Nagcarlan town proper to the northwest tip of the lake and via Barangay Sto Angel in San Pablo which has a foot trail from Pandin Lake, its twin lake. By road, the lake is around 23 kilometres from city plaza of San Pablo (via Werner Schetelig avenue and Rizal-Nagcarlan road) to the main entrance of the lake in Barangay Sulsugin, Nagcarlan. 

As natural resource, Yambo Lake is circular shaped and considered a catchment area of Mount San Cristobal, a feature shared with all the seven crater lakes. The lake is widely believed to be volcanic in origin, which was formed through a phreatic eruption when shallow lava from Mount San Cristobal reached groundwater causing an explosion that resulted in a crater-like depression (LLDA 2008). Yambo Lake has a surface area of 30.5 hectares, an elevation of around 160 meters and an average water depth of 38 meters (LLDA 2005, LLDA 2008). The lake discharges water through seepage and evaporation, and its water sources are rainfall, surface runoff, and inflow from “Kali-e” Creek which emanates from Mount Mabilog. Among the seven crater lakes, Yambo Lake is distinct since it is the only one without a water outlet and inflowing natural springs around it. One consequence of this is that the size (i.e. surface water area) of Yambo Lake varies significantly during summer (when it shrinks) and rainy season (when it expands), compared to the other crater lakes.

In the past, Yambo Lake was principally utilized for aquaculture, particularly tilapia farming via floating pens/cages. In the seven crater lakes, aquaculture was first introduced in Bunot Lake in 1976 after the successful introduction of tilapia pen/cage farming in Laguna de Bay by the LLDA in 1974 (Radan 1977, Ministry of Natural Resources 1982). In time, tilapia pen/cage farming spread to Yambo Lake and the other crater lakes, becoming an integral feature of the lakes. Tilapia pen/cage farming extensively expanded in the lake over the years, and reached its peak in the 1990s; even breaching the 10 percent allowable area allocation for aquastructure operation in the lake pursuant to the Fisheries Code of the Philippines (see Republic Act [RA] 8550, section 51). This condition has led to the lake’s water quality degradation, fish kills, and an excessive proliferation of hyacinths, as there was a time when they covered almost the entire lake. 

At present, the number of fish pens/cages has considerably dwindled in Yambo Lake (see Figure 2). Since the 2000s many fish farm operators have discontinued operations which, over the years, have resulted in the substantial reduction of fish pens/cages in the lake. This decline is attributable to two factors: (1) the lake’s water quality being oligotrophic— low nutrient supplies, high dissolved oxygen level and containing little organic matter (LLDA 2008)— which translates to slower fish growth; and (2) the high cost of feeds which makes fish farming too costly to sustain and risky to continue operating as its profitability is no longer certain. In 2012, the Provincial Government of Laguna reported that Yambo Lake has only 3 registered fish pen/cage operators (see Provincial Government of Laguna 2013). At the moment, the number of fish pens/cages existing in the lake is only about a dozen which makes it within the 10 percent threshold of the Fisheries Code and the lowest number among the seven crater lakes.

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

Yambo Lake is not burdened with over-expansion of aquaculture and existence of informal settlers. Compared to the other crater lakes, the man-made structures along the banks of Yambo Lake are currently nominal. This favorable condition has freed the lake from problems associated with significant presence of informal settlers, particularly pollution from domestic wastes and discharges. Thus, Yambo Lake has been regarded as the most well- preserved lake among the seven crater lakes. This distinction is evident in the water quality evaluation on Yambo Lake. In the 2002-2005 report of the LLDA, the agency concluded that the lake has the best water quality among the seven crater lakes. In the 2006-2008 report of the LLDA, Yambo Lake consistently registered good results : (a) it conformed to the pH criterion; (b) it passed the dissolve oxygen criterion; (c) it complied with the biochemical oxygen demand criterion; (d) it conformed to the ammonia criterion; (e) it passed the phosphate concentration criterion; (f) it registered the lowest reading for total dissolved solids levels; and (g) it conformed to the total coliform and fecal coliform counts. Summing up, Yambo Lake has the finest water quality in terms of the physico-chemical and bacteriological parameters among the seven crater lakes.

The Administration of Yambo Lake

The administration and development of Yambo Lake involves a multitude of overlapping-correlated major laws (i.e. the Laguna Lake Development Authority Act of 1966 or RA 4850; the Local Government Code of 1991 or RA 7160; the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998 or RA 8550; and the Tourism Act of 2009 or RA 9593) and four key government agencies (i.e. the LLDA, the City Government of San Pablo, the Local Government of Rizal, and Local Government of Nagcarlan). 

The authority of the LLDA comes from RA 4850 (as amended by Presidential Decree 813, October 1975), which is the principal law in the administration of Laguna de Bay (the country’s largest lake) and its watershed area (which includes the seven crater lakes of San Pablo City) (see Figure 3). RA 4850 created the LLDA and mandated it as the main agency in supervising and managing the water bodies in the Laguna de Bay region (see RA 4850, section 1 and section 4). In particular, the LLDA has the primary responsibility to promote the development of the Laguna de Bay region, while providing for environmental management and control, preservation of the quality of life and ecological systems, and the prevention of undue ecological disturbance, deterioration and pollution (LLDA 2005). The LLDA’s mandate was strengthened by Executive Order no. 927 issued by then President F. Marcos in December 1983 which gave the agency the exclusive water rights over the lakes in the Laguna de Bay region. This reinforces the arrangement that Laguna de Bay is the principal concern of the LLDA while its jurisdiction over the seven crater lakes is incidental, being components of the watershed of the Laguna de Bay region. On the ground, however, this setup usually translates to Laguna de Bay monopolizing the attention and limited resources of the LLDA while the seven crater lakes take only peripheral consideration. This reality is discernable in the LLDA’s annual reports from 2009-2013 which never featured or allotted a section for the seven crater lakes (see LLDA 2009, LLDA 2010, LLDA 2011, LLDA 2012 and LLDA 2013).

 

Figure 3: The Seven Crater Lakes of San Pablo City and Laguna de Bay (Google Maps 2015)

The mandate of the City Government of San Pablo, the Local Government of Nagcarlan, and the Local Government of Rizal comes from RA 7160, which gives them the authority over Yambo Lake being municipal water. Since RA 4850 confers the administration of Yambo Lake to the LLDA while RA 7160 bestows the local government units the territorial jurisdiction, this implies “coordinative-supplementary” setup between the government agencies. On one hand, the LLDA lays down the comprehensive development framework and approve/disapprove the plans and projects submitted to it by the local government units; and on the other hand, the local government units initiate programs and legislate ordinances to support the overall development strategy of the LLDA. This administrative arrangement was formalized in a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed by the LLDA and the three local government units in 1997.

On regulations, the LLDA takes the supervising role and the local government units take the execution responsibilities. The local government units principally enforce the regulations on the lake since it controls the local police and the barangay units. In the seven crater lakes, this role was demonstrated when the City Government of San Pablo carried out the demolition of illegal structures in Sampaloc Lake in the early 2000s. This capacity gives the local government units some leverage over the ”higher” authority of the LLDA, as the latter’s regulatory actions on the seven crater lakes are almost always dependent on the formers’ support and assistance. In practice, the administrative arrangement’s downside is when the LLDA procrastinates in deciding on plans or projects submitted by the local government units (e.g. zoning-development plan proposals on Sampaloc Lake); and when the local government units oppose or become reluctant in enforcing the directives of the LLDA (e.g. demolition of illegal fish pens/cages and structures in Bunot Lake).

In administering Yambo Lake, the LLDA and the local government units make use of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (FARMC). The FARMC is a principal organization mandated by RA 8550 to assist government agencies in the management, development, utilization and conservation of the water resources throughout the country. The FARMCs are established from the national level to municipalities and formed locally by fisherfolk organizations/cooperatives and NGOs in the locality with the assistance of the government agencies. In the Laguna de Bay region, FARMCs’ formation, sustenance and supervision, which by the Philippine Fisheries Code is under the Department of Agriculture, was devolved to the LLDA in recognition of its exclusive jurisdiction. The Philippine Fisheries Code also mandates that the FARMC be multi-representative in its composition and guarantees the organization’s funding. However, the experience in seven crater lakes shows that local FARMC lacks diversity, as the organization is mainly led by and composed of fisherfolk residents. The FARMC also lacks funding, as its leaders have often complained that the funds allocated to them are inadequate to effectively and sustainably carry out the responsibilities of the organization. In Yambo Lake, the local FARMC of Nagcarlan (i.e. Samahan ng Maliliit Mangingisda ng Lawa ng Yambo [SMMLY], translates to Organization of Small Time Fishermen of Yambo Lake) is assisted by the local Bantay Lawa (or Guardians of the Lake). Bantay Lawa is a community-based, volunteer organization that works with the administrative agencies, especially in providing security and patrolling the lake. In the seven crater lakes, the Bantay Lawa volunteers receive an allowance from the Provincial Government and their membership usually overlaps with the local FARMC. So far, the local FARMC and Bantay Lawa have adequately managed Yambo Lake (as it is the most well-kept lake among the seven crater lakes), and plays the leading role in the on-going process of organizing and developing the lake for tourism.

Beyond RA 4850, RA 7160 and RA 8550, the other major law that has direct bearing on the development of Yambo Lake is RA 9593.The law recognizes tourism as an engine of the national economy, specifically in promoting socio-economic development in the country. Accordingly, tourism has been emphasised as a key economic driver by the local government units. In the seven crater lakes, ecotourism has been identified by the administrative agencies and the stakeholders as a promising development strategy (e.g. San Pablo City 2014, San Pablo City 2015). In general, ecotourism is underscored in small lakes since they are typically surrounded by impoverished communities and the potential of aquaculture is constrained by the 10-percent-rule on fish pens/cages (which limits their expansion) and the possible detrimental effects on the water resource (especially the long term effect of commercial fish feeds). In Yambo Lake, the expansion of aquaculture is further constrained by the oligotrophic water of the lake which usually slows fish growth. Combined, these attributes make ecotourism as the most viable alternative for developing Yambo Lake. In principle, the administrative agencies, from the LLDA to City Government of San Pablo, the Local Government of Nagcarlan, and the Local Government of Rizal, all agree to develop ecotourism in Yambo Lake; in spite of this, ecotourism development is still very much wanting in the small lake at present.

All in all, these laws— the Laguna Lake Development Authority Act, the Local Government Code, the Philippine Fisheries Code, and the Tourism Act— are interlinked and supplementary to each other, particularly in dealing with the management, development and conservation of the water resource. Conversely, these laws are also a source of discord since each statute advances distinct agenda over the utilization of the lake; as the advocates and constituents of each law compete and negotiate over how the water resource is to be apportioned (e.g. the perennial tourism versus aquaculture conflict on the seven crater lakes). Consequently, the initiatives, plans and programs in Yambo Lake and the other crater lakes will have to be framed within the scope that these laws and the intertwined interests they represent.

Development Issues in Yambo Lake

Among the seven crater lakes, Yambo Lake is in the best position for development. The lake has the least number of fish pens/cages, has virtually no problem with informal settlers and illegal structures along its banks, has the best water quality, and (except for Sampaloc Lake) the only one with a concrete road leading directly to it. On top of these, Yambo Lake’s beautiful scenery rivals any other small lakes in the country. Yet, development efforts have not come into the lake for a long time. No sustained development programs or actions have been instituted in Yambo Lake by its administrative agencies. The LLDA’s involvement in the lake is mainly confined to its routine tasks of conducting water quality monitoring and steering the cleaning of the lake (through the local FARMC and Bantay Lawa), and the Local Government of Nagcarlan’s main accomplishment is the construction and cementing of the barangay road going to the lake. The City Government of San Pablo and the Local Government of Rizal have minimal involvement in Yambo Lake, as the former is focused on developing Sampaloc Lake and the latter is preoccupied with developing Tayak Hill. 

In the past, the LLDA’s actions on the seven crater lakes have been hampered by inadequate personnel, as the agency’s resources are primarily directed to Laguna de Bay, its principal concern. For instance, usually a single individual is assigned by the agency for surveillance and monitoring of the seven crater lakes which only conducts quarterly visits/inspections in a year on each lake. The LLDA also underwent frequent turnover of leadership which resulted in changing priorities (as the agency had four different General Managers from 2005 to 2013). For instance, in Tadlac Lake, the LLDA was not able to complete the formulation of its zoning-development in 2001 mainly due to the change in leadership which, in turn, shifted the priority of the agency (Santos-Borja 2008). On the part of local government units, their lack of actions in the seven crater lakes has often been blamed on insufficient funds due to budgetary difficulties. For instance, in Sampaloc Lake, the City Government of San Pablo was not able to complete the relocation-housing program in the 2000s due to financial constraints (Brillo 2015e).

The lack of a zoning-development plan is a key development issue in Yambo Lake. Early on, the need for zoning-development plan for each of the seven crater lakes has been consistently acknowledged by the administrative agencies (e.g. LLDA 2005, LLDA 2008, San Pablo City 2014). A zoning-development plan is basic since it is necessary for the management, utilization and conservation of a lake. The plan is the first step in the administration and development of the lake since it serves as the overall framework for initiatives, projects and programs as well as precipitates succeeding actions in the lake. In the seven crater lakes, the zoning-development plan would ensure that their development is strategically coordinated and supplementary to each other, particularly taking notice of the distinct feature and similarities/ differences of each lake. The plan is also essential in guaranteeing that no crater lake is developmentally left behind, especially considering that all of them are equally ecologically threatened (Global Nature Fund 2014). Moreover, the crafting of a zoning-development plan also is empowering (since the process gives locals a forum to influence and engage administrative agencies) and entails minimal pecuniary cost (since developing it mainly requires time and effort rather than funds).

After completing Pandin Lake’szoning-development plan, the LLDA has taken the preliminary actions to develop one for Yambo Lake. The LLDA and the local government units have convened workshops to help lake residents, the local FARMC and other stakeholders in crafting a zoning-development plan for the lake. The administrative agencies’ long-awaited move to instigate the formulation of a zoning-development plan is encouraging, and hopefully is carried through unlike previous development actions that stalled after initiation (e.g. the formulation of a zoning-development plan in Tadlak Lake and relocation-housing program in Sampaloc Lake). A key factor working for Yambo Lake is that (like in Pandin Lake and unlike in the other crater lakes) it has substantially fewer problems (such as excessive presence of aquaculture, illegal fish farms and informal settlers in other crater lakes) which can hinder and/or complicate the formulation process of a zoning-development plan. Incidentally, the move to have a zoning-development plan also has compelled the administrative agencies (i.e. the LLDA, the City Government of San Pablo, the Local Government of Nagcarlan and the Local Government of Rizal) to come together in a single endeavour— to discuss and share their vision and strategy— which is indispensable for bringing progress to a transboundary lake.

The other principal development issue in Yambo Lake is the promotion and institutionalization of its tourism. Traditionally, Yambo Lake has been utilized for recreation and tourism, as the lake is suitable for picnics and swimming because of its clean water and natural scenery. This utilization was enhanced with the completion of the road construction in Barangay Sulsugin, Nagcarlan in 2002 which improved access to the lake and opened it up for tourism development. The potential of the lake for tourism, specifically ecotourism development, has been considered by the LLDA, the Local Government of Nagcarlan and the City Government of San Pablo City in the past. Ecotourism in Yambo Lake (and the other crater lakes) was underscored when the success of ecotourism in Pandin Lake (its twin lake) became well-recognized. The story of Pandin Lake showed how ecotourism benefits the locality, particularly in creating alternative source of livelihood for the lake inhabitants (see Brillo 2015d). Both Pandin Lake and Yambo Lake are superb tourist destinations and are proximate to each other, separated only by a ridge. Yet, in terms of tourist arrivals and generated earnings/employments, Pandin Lake considerably outpaces Yambo Lake and the other crater lakes (including Sampaloc Lake [the premier lake in San Pablo City] and the other tourist destinations in the city) (San Pablo City 2015). So far, ecotourism in Yambo Lake is in its nascent stage, as the local tourism is just starting to fully evolve and organize. The tourism operation in the lake is currently being handled by the members of the local FARMC (i.e. SMMLY) and Bantay Lawa which perform the basic organizational functions and services (e.g. providing information/security and recording tourist arrivals). 

The most efficient way to accelerate tourism development in Yambo Lake is by tapping directly into the ecotourism success of Pandin Lake. This strategy can be done by institutionalizing the link between Yambo Lake and Pandin Lake, particularly by establishing a well-developed passageway that connects the two lakes to enhance tourist accessibility and flow from the latter to the former. At present, the main entry points of the two lakes (as Pandin Lake is in Barangay Sto Angel, San Pablo City and Yambo Lake is in Barangay Sulsugin, Nagcarlan) are at the opposite ends of each other (which substantially lengthens the distance and time in traveling to both lakes), and the current foot trail that traverses the ridge separating them is undeveloped (i.e. poorly maintained, lacks directional signs, and runs through privately-owned lands). In instituting the link, the Local Government of Nagcarlan and the City Government of San Pablo, together with their respective local FARMCs, need to cooperate and work together. Firstly, a complementary tourism program must be developed by both local government units and the two local FARMCs to institutionalize the linkage. Secondly, on the part of San Pablo City: (a) the City Government must agree to access and help procure the right of way from private land owners since most of the land where the trail passes (going to Yambo Lake on Nagcarlan’s side) is situated within its jurisdiction; and (b) the local FARMC of Pandin Lake needs to agree to “share” its tourists by encouraging them to visit the nearby Yambo Lake. Thirdly, on the part of Nagcarlan, the Local Government (as the de facto lead local government unit in Yambo Lake) and its local FARMC must take serious efforts in: (a) promoting and marketing Yambo Lake, especially in social and mass media; (b) providing the basic infrastructure facilities for tourism (e.g. directional signs, stopover sites/areas and restrooms); (c) improving the organizational capability of the locals in operating an ecotourism enterprise (such as organizing lake tour, rafting trips, and safety measures); and (d) developing a tourism package that integrates Yambo Lake with the other tourist destinations in their locality, such as Bunga Falls, Underground Cemetery and Mount Mabilog. 

Conclusion

Yambo Lake, one of the seven crater lakes of San Pablo City, is a small transboundary lake, as it’s area is less than 200 hectares and is situated in two other localities— Rizal and Nagcarlan, Laguna. Being a small lake, Yambo Lake is little studied, especially on its development aspect. Being a transboundary lake, management and development of Yambo Lake is more intricate since, in principle, the three local government units and its principal administrative agency— the LLDA— must collaborate. This situation is compounded since the administration of the lake is governed by four interlocking major laws (i.e. RA 4850, RA 7160, RA 8550 and RA 9593) which represent distinct interests. Despite these handicaps, Yambo Lake enjoys favorable conditions for development, as it is the most well-preserved among the seven crater lakes. The lake has the finest water quality, an enticing natural scenery, and does not suffer from problems associated with over expansion of fish pens/cages and presence of informal settlers and illegal structures. The lake also has an existing and operating local organization (i.e. SMMLY-Bantay Lawa) and is accessible, as a paved road leads to its entrance. Despite all these, development is progressing slowly in Yambo Lake— aquaculture has significantly declined over the years and organized tourism is only just emerging. With these, the administrative agencies must now accelerate the move to have a zoning-development plan (as it is basic for the proper and efficient management of the lake) and to promote and develop ecotourism (as it is essential to increase livelihood opportunities for the locals and to enhance their community).

In closing, this article directly addressed the identified gap in literature by conducting an assessment on the development trajectory of a small lake in the country. In particular, the study documented and examined the administration and development issues in Yambo Lake. Overall, the work pressed forward two key aspects in the study of Philippine lakes. One, development studies (including governance, socio-economic, history and cultural studies) on lakes in the country must progress to augment the advances in limnology and aquaculture studies. Two, small lakes studies in the country are imperative because they are numerous and are surrounded by mostly impoverished communities. The two aspects are intertwined and indispensable, particularly in improving the living conditions of small-lake inhabitants and ensuring better management and conservation of the natural resource. In ending, this study makes a small contribution to the literature on Philippine lakes— since there are still lots of small lakes in the country that need to be documented and examined, it serves as baseline information for other studies on Yambo Lake, in particular, and on small lakes, in general.

Acknowledgement

This paper benefited from conversations with the following individuals: Evelyn Sotoya, Municipal Councilor, Nagcarlan / Rexon Arevalo, Municipal Councilor, Nagcarlan / Isabelo Monserrat, FARMC, Yambo Lake and Bantay Lawa / Maxima Monserrat, FARMC, Yambo Lake and Bantay Lawa /  Gregorio Javier, FARMC, Yambo Lake and Bantay Lawa / Mercedita Manalo, FARMC, Yambo Lake and Bantay Lawa / Mary Jane Buensalida FARMC, Yambo Lake and Bantay Lawa / Vic Anyayahan, FARMC, San Pablo City (SPC) / Fernando 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 / Emiliana Casbadillo, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) / Diego Reyes, Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) / Florita Moredo, LLDA / Juan Estoy, LLDA.

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