Laguna de Bay was back in the limelight shortly after Tropical Storm “Ondoy” dumped a month and a half’s supply of rainwater in just six hours. The renewed interest on Laguna de Bay – came about because its waters had reportedly risen to historic heights at the height of Ondoy – a development which caused massive flooding in the lakeshore towns of Laguna, Rizal, and Metro Manila.

The interest in Laguna de Bay has not subsided to this date because the floodwaters in several of the lakeshore areas also have not. There are quarters who believe that it will take some time before these floodwaters finally recede to pre-Ondoy levels. I am glad that the interest on Laguna de Bay is enjoying a resurgence because this can lead to a thorough re-examination of policies, programs, and priorities that can only benefit the regions around this once-beautiful lake.

It may interest our readers to know that Laguna de Bay is the largest lake in the country and the third largest freshwater lake in the whole of Southeast Asia.

There are recent developments that could augur well for the future of the Lake and the lakeshore areas.

Recently, the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) disclosed that it has some P200 million earmarked for the construction of a building in Quezon City that will house its offices.

At a meeting where the presence of these significant financial resources were bared, I expressed the view that it will be wise for the LLDA to set aside the plan to construct a new office building and use the P200 plus million instead for the urgent and priority needs of the Lake and the communities of people around it.

It is bordering on the immoral and scandalous for a government agency directly in charge of the Laguna de Bay to build a new building while the lake and the lakeshore towns languish in calamitous situation.

According to these positive views, the amount can be used to clean up the Lake, or for the rehabilitation of the communities worst hit by the inundation cause by the unprecedented rise of the Lake’s water levels.

The LLDA must welcome these recommendations. The P200 plus million can definitely go a long way in the bid to save the Lake and the damaged areas along its vast shores.

For starters, it can use the funds for the massive clean up of rivers that flow into the Lake and for the rehabilitation of the areas around the Lake.

To use the P200 plus million for a new LLDA building now would be tantamount to insensitivity to the aspiration of many who are praying that the government would allocate resources to restore the lost beauty of Laguna de Bay.

As we mentioned in past columns, the Lake is not just historical; to many Rizaleños, the Lake is almost magical, mystical even.

A friend once pointed out to me that Laguna de Bay once seemed to have a special effect on those who live in the areas around it.

“Did you notice that great and gifted Filipinos who grew up along the Lake had a different perspective of their country and themselves?” my friend said. I asked him what the unique “perspective” was, and this was his answer:

“These great and gifted Filipinos dreamed and saw things in giant proportions.” I asked my friend to explain his theory. He answered, “Just look at the Botong Francisco works.”

“Why is it that the characters in Botong’s murals are big and muscular?” he observed.

“And what about the music of Maestro Lucio San Pedro; did you notice that his music evokes grandeur and magnificence?” he pointed out. Francisco and San Pedro, of course, were born and grew up in the Rizal town of Angono, a town along Laguna de Bay.

“And what about Ka Erdy Manalo; did you notice that his vision of the Church of Christ was expressed in giant structures that will become landmarks not just in the Philippines but in many parts of the world?” he added.

The late Ka Erdy was born in the lakeshore town of Taguig when it was still part of Rizal.

“And what about Filipinos like Jovito Salonga of Pasig, General Vicente Lim and Lt. Geronimo Aclan of Calamba; didn’t they see the Filipino as someone big and who can stand up to any other nationality?” my friend continued.

“And then, of course, you have the Rizal brothers, Jose and Paciano, both heroes who grew up in the lakeshore town of Calamba,” he added with an “I rest my case” tone.

Given the amount of evidence presented by my friend, I had to agree – there must be something to Laguna de Bay that gave these Filipinos a different perspective of quality of their person and what their race is capable.

What did Rizal, Francisco, San Pedro, Manalo, Salonga, and others who share their greatness see in the Lake during those many moonlit skies spent along its shores during their growing-up years?

I wish I knew so I can encourage today’s young generation o look for it.

But maybe it is safe to presume that the sweet scent of the Lake’s erstwhile clean waters combined with the nocturnal beauty of those moonlit skies. Maybe, the waves of the Lake provided them with the musical background with which to dream and dream big.

Maybe, if the Lake regains its grandeur, cleanness, and beauty, the lakeshore towns can raise more young Filipinos to follow in the footsteps of these great Filipinos.

The aspiration, indeed, is worth more than a new P200 plus million building for the LLDA.