Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano has once again defended the Laguna Lakeshore development, highlighting the transformation of the lake section under Taguig City’s jurisdiction while pointing to its unrealized potential.
During a social media livestream, Cayetano framed the city’s infrastructure push along the lakefront as an effort in natural resource stewardship.
“Nung congressman pa ako ng 1998, naging passion ko na po kung paano pagandahin ang Laguna Lake. Nagkaroon lang po siyempre ako ng opportunity sa side ng Taguig dahil nga ito ang aking home city… Napakarami po kasing gamit ng lake,” Cayetano said during two August 27 broadcasts along the Taguig Lakeshore.
“Ang pagiging sa gobyerno, ang pagiging public servant — hindi po kami ang may-ari ng resources… Kami po ay stewards, tagapamahala lang. Lahat ng tao kahit na wala sa gobyerno, meron po tayong obligasyon maging good stewards,” he added.
Cayetano noted that local projects along the shore act as practical measures to protect the body of water from erosion, pollution, and informal settlements, while preserving public access.
“Nung ginawa y’ung C6 or road dike, basically, pinoprotect po y’ung lakeshore. And part of its protection is not only na huwag mag-erode, (but para) hindi bahayan ng informal centers kasi kung mabahayan yung dumi, dito mapupunta sa lawa. The other thing is to make it for public use,” the senator explained.
He also dismissed claims of land-grabbing, stating that the city government reserved the area for public use to prevent private commercial takeover along the water.
“May allegations na may kinakamkam kami. Hindi ko lang alam kung pag sinabing kami, kung kaming mga Cayetano, kung ako, o kami ng ibang leaders… Doon sa bandang gitna, marami na pong private (land) kasi may 1,100 hectares ng lupa na nasa labas ng road dike. Meron po doon na private property, merong gobyerno,” Cayetano noted.
“Pero ito lahat po, precisely ni-reserve at ginawan ng paraan ng local government na maging public para hindi kamkamin. So baliktad sa allegation na kinakamkam. Titingnan niyo po y’ung history. Maraming kumakamkam po ng lupa dito. Pero ang history po ng Cayetano ay tumutulong na maging good stewards para sa gobyerno,” he stressed.
The lawmaker’s statements came after Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson publicized on Saturday, August 29, what he described as new details regarding unlawful reclamation in Taguig.
Lacson claimed to have uncovered four parcels of illegally reclaimed land with questionable titles, alongside four additional unplotted lots in the Land Registration Authority’s digital records.
Lacson stated that sharing the preliminary findings publicly was meant to address counterclaims that his previous remarks were unfounded.
“Since Senator Cayetano keeps publicly asking for evidence, I’ll give it to him, in the spirit of public interest,” Lacson said.
In a subsequent livestream, Cayetano rejected Lacson’s claims, describing the former police chief as a “Marites” and a “Senator-Judge Troll.”
“That senator-judge has been trolling me almost every day. It’s all just gossip, or, as they say, inconclusive, argumentative, and hearsay,” Cayetano remarked.
“So, if Senator Lacson—our senator-judge-troll—wishes to inspect the developments at the lake, he is most welcome,” he added.