MARAWI CITY — The Committee on Rules of the Bangsamoro Parliament held a public consultation today, March 8, on a bill that seeks to create an agency that will develop and preserve Lake Lanao.

Parliament Bill No. 32 or the Ranao Development Authority Act aims to establish an independent regulatory body called Ranao Development Authority.

Under the proposed measure, RDA will be the primary government agency responsible for coordinating, planning, managing, and implementing the development programs and resource utilization of inland waters covered by the Ranao region.

As defined in Ranao Development Authority Act, the Ranao region encompasses Lake Lanao, its shoreland, and all other lakes located within Lanao del Sur, including its cities, towns, and municipalities.

According to Member of the Parliament Atty. Maisarah Latiph, principal author of the proposed bill, it is important to create an agency tasked with the primary responsibility of preserving, developing, and properly utilizing the lake to guarantee the maximum, and sustainable benefits redound to the Meranaos and the Bangsamoro community.

MP Ziaur Rahman Adiong also emphasized the need to preserve Lake Lanao, one of the world’s ancient lakes.

“Lake Lanao supplies two-thirds of the energy in the entire island of Mindanao,” added MP Latiph as she highlighted the importance of the lake in providing electricity to Mindanao.

Among the powers and functions of the RDA include the conduct of a comprehensive survey of the physical, natural resources, potentialities, and projected ecological risks of Lake Lanao; undertake various research and studies on fisheries and aquatic, waste and water quality, sedimentation, and any natural resources management of Lake Lanao; issue necessary permit or license, collect fees for the use of lake waters; establish the lake water elevation system, among others.

A comprehensive master plan that details how the lake will be managed, conserved, developed, and utilized will also be crafted.

In the proposed bill, if the Agus Hydropower Complex is privatized, the Bangsamoro government will have preferential right to acquire hydroelectric power plants within its territorial jurisdiction.

“I hope this bill will be enacted immediately so we can help together in preserving and utilizing it,” said Engr. Mangurun Bautil, plant manager of Agus 1 and 2 of the National Power Corporation.

BTA Bill No. 32 is one of the ten key legislative measures that the BTA will prioritize this year. (LTAIS- Public Information, Publication, and Media Relations Division)