DENR, PAMB, LGU and AVLADA push Lake Sebu as Ecotourism Site

 BY; RIC CLET

(Koronadal City, March 10, 2012) --The Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) of the Allah Valley Protected Landscape (AVPL) together with heads of concerned local government units(LGUs), national government agencies, the academe and key officials of  the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) recently affirmed their unstinted support to push the conservation, protection and development efforts of Lake Sebu, being considered as a potential eco-tourism municipality in South Cotabato Province.

In a meeting conducted last March 9 by the PAMB-AVPL, South Cotabato Provincial Governor Arthur Y. Pinggoy Jr. bared  that protecting the environment by balancing economics, ecology and ecotourism are among the top priorities of his province. “We have to push through sustainable development practices particularly our AVPL which includes Lake Sebu as eco-tourism site. No to killing the Lake”, Gov. Pingoy exclaimed.

South Cotabato is a beneficiary of the Canadian International Development Agency or CIDA-funded Local Government Support Program to develop the Ecotourism Highway which includes (North) Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat  and Sarangani.

In his message during the meeting, DENR Regional Executive Director Alfredo Pascual averred that DENR has full support to promote ecotourism and to uplift sustainably people’s living condition in Lake Sebu.

Themeeting also discussed  the upgrading and concreting of Access Road going to 7 Falls Ecotourism Development Project of the Province which eventually could bolster the local ecotourism activities.

Protected area Superintendent (PASu) Leonisa Alfaro of AVPL stressed that in order for the project to be implemented, proper clearance must be secured from the PAMB. The project must have no negative impact to the environment, PASu Alfaro said.

Moreover, Environmental Mgt. Bureau (EMB) representative Engr. Wilson Trajico also stressed that no road improvement could be constructed unless allowed by PAMB and without the required Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) under the Philippine Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) System.

Other matters discussed in the forum was the occurrence lately of fish kill in the Lake. Invited resource person, Dr. Jaime A. Namocatcat revealed that the primary factor for the Lake Sebu fishkill was due to depleted oxygen levels at lower layers. Among the recommendations were proper fish cage zonation andunderstanding of environmental accountability among fish cage operators, resort owners and households.

The Municipality of Lake Sebu  derived its name from Lake Sebu which forms the three adjacent lakes together with Lahit, Seloton. Lake Sebu rests in the Southern Tiruray Highlands at an altitude of almost 300meters (984ft). The watershed of Lake Sebu is recognized as one of the most important watershed areas in the Philippines anda proclaimed protected landscape. (CGValdez/Mcalungsod- Locsin/DENR XII).