The Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) has taken control of the reclaimed areas occupied by two Taguig City construction firms and which were earlier shut down for dumping waste materials into the lake.

Ordered closed were IPM Construction and Development Corporation and the Level Up Construction.

The closure, according to LLDA General Manager Jaime ‘Joey Medina, was undertaken recently by personnel from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), police, military, city government and LLDA.

DENR Secretary Roy A. Cimatu told reporters that he had his green light for the LLDA to take control of the reclaimed areas occupied by the two firms, which he had warned for disregarding environmental laws.

“Nililinis nga natin ang Laguna Lake, sila naman tinatapunan ng basura. Pupunta ang pollution sa Pasig River at sa Manila Bay,” said Cimatu.

“This is just the beginning as far as the Laguna Lake is concerned,” said Cimatu, adding his marching order to the LLDA is to continue and strengthen its monitoring and enforcement capabilities to put a stop to malpractices that pollute water quality of the lake.

A cease and desist order (CDO) was earlier issued by the LLDA chief as an immediate recourse without the necessity of a prior public hearing against the two construction firms, directing them to stop undertaking further illegal backfilling/reclamation activities and illegal dumping of waste materials/garbage into the shoreland of the lake.