Fisherfolk under the group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA-Pilipinas), together with Save Laguna Lake Movement (SLLM), staged a protest in front of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) during the bidding ceremony of the Laguna Lakeshore Expressway Dike Project (LLEDP) today.
In a statement, PAMALAKAYA said that an estimated 3.9 million fisherfolk and urban poor families would be displaced from their homes and livelihood to pave the way for the project.
The LLEDP is President Aquino’s biggest Public-Private Partnership project to date, amounting to P122.8 billion.
Fisherfolk brought an effigy of President Aquino depicted as the grim reaper riding on a boat. Water lilies were also dumped at the gate of the DPWH.
Three qualified business consortiums have already submitted their bids. These are Team Trident, San Miguel Corporation and Alloy Pavi Hanshin LLEDP Consortium. Team Trident is a group comprised of Ayala Land Inc., SM Prime Holdings Inc., Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. and Megaworld Corporation.
PAMALAKAYA Vice Chairperson Salvador France said in a statement that the Aquino administration is pushing through with the flagship project in exchange for giant business’ funding and political support, despite the ongoing election ban on public infrastructures.
Photos by John Rufinel S. Sagun
