Laguna de Bay one of best lakes

Laguna de Bay in south-eastern Luzon was named one of the world's five best managed lakes by the Living Lakes international network at the recently concluded Third World Water Forum in Japan.

The 90,000-hectare Laguna de Bay shared top honours with Europe's Lake Constance (bordered by Germany, Austria and Switzerland), St. Lucia in South Africa, La Nava in Spain and the Columbia River Wetlands in Canada.

Last August, the Living Lakes network gave Laguna de Bay a similar citation in its seventh conference in Pretoria and Johannesburg.

The government agencies in charge of the management of Laguna de Bay and the four other cited lakes have forged partnerships with private firms for the improvement and management of the lakes, said Unilever, an Anglo-Dutch consumer products conglomerate, which has been sponsoring the network's conference.

Non-government organisations and other groups have been working together for lake conservation, said Unilever chairpersons, Antony Burgmans and Niall Fitzgerald.

The network strives for the sustainable development of lakes and wetlands as well as the preservation of water quality, habitats of rare animals, migratory birds and plants in lake areas.
Network

Laguna de Bay was admitted as a member of the Living Lakes network during a conference at Russia's Lake Baikal in 2001. The network has 23 members.

By 2005, the network said it will have 40 members and 50 associated members. The Germany-based Global Nature Fund established the network in 1998.