“Taal Lake: A Love(d) Story”

The story I’m about to tell is a story about love, more specifically, about a changing love.
But whether, this story is a happy or sad one? Only you can tell. The story started just like any
other day; the sky was clear. The birds were chirping. And she was happy and beautiful. She
runs clear, passing by hundreds of lives, giving them what they need, without asking for
something in return. Her once upon a time, seems to be eons ago but in reality, it’s just been
decades.
Time changed. Poison runs through her veins, sucking her life until there is nothing left.
The lives that she had given are now the ones who have been taking hers. She’s dying. The
Taal Lake is dying. The once ethereal beauty of the lake became a chaos of waste and
garbage. What once has been a beautiful destruction, is now the one being destroyed.
The year, 2010, a massive fish kill just happened. And the lives of the small fishermen
were severely affected.
“The water quality is slowly deteriorating because of the waste coming from the livestock
farms around the lake.” Ann Hazel Javier, the Executive Director of Pusod Inc., said when
asked about the state of the waters of Taal Lake.
The lake changed tremendously. Maribel Orense, a member of the Kilusan ng maliliit na
mangingisda in Taal, said that what once has been Moss floating around the lake became tons
of garbage coming from the residential houses in the vicinity of Taal.
The tides have turned. With a dying hand, she reached her hand towards to those who
can help her. And they came, like knights on their horses on the way to save the princess from
the dragon. Different organizations join forces to save Taal, from the abuse and neglect that the
lake has been subjected to for decades.
One of the organizations who helped is Pusod Incorporated, an organization in
collaboration with California Academy of Sciences, which seeks to address the environmental
issues here in the country.
They began to take measures to conserve and improve the state of the lake. Together
with Globe, one of the biggest telecommunication companies here in the Philippines, they
created a program to promote ecotourism in Taal, as well as, promote awareness to the locals
on what they needed to protect, the lake’s ecosystem.
“Lakes takes time to respond to conservation measures.” Atty. Ipat Luna, an executive
trustee of Pusod Inc., said regarding the actions being made to bring back the beauty and life of
the Taal Lake. Despite this, Ipat still believe that being positive and optimistic will in turn help
create positive changes in the lake and the community.
Love changes a lot of things, it builds, it destroys. This story is about a love that has
been forgotten and found again. The people of Taal Lake are starting to remember the love they
have for their home. This story may have been over but the work isn’t. Times are changing and
she is now, beginning to heal.
We have a long way to go to bring back Once upon a time again, back when she was
happy and beautiful. With hope and kindness, this love story may end as a happy one.