LAKE SEBU

Lake Sebu is a natural lake located in the municipality of Lake Sebu, South Cotabato and within the Alah Valley region. The Philippine government has recognized it as one of the country's most important watersheds. Lake Sebu is one of the many bodies of water supplying important irrigation to the provinces of Sultan Kudarat and South Cotabato.
The villages around the lake have been turned into an independent municipality called Lake Sebu after being a former village of Surallah.

The T'boli and Ubo tribes have been the traditional dwellers of the lake. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources have recognized, through Department Administrative Order (DAO) No. 2, Series of 1993, the claim of these tribes that the lake and its surroundings are under their ancestral domain.

The Department of Tourism and the local government unit of Lake Sebu has promoted the lake as one of the prime eco-tourism destinations in the municipality.

The economy is based on aquaculture of Tilapia grown in large fish cages floating in the lake. More than one half of the land around the lake is cultivated for agriculture. The Philippine government is also trying to promote ecotourism in the area. The finishing of a concrete road cut the travel time from 4 hours to less than 30 minutes greatly improving trade and commerce.

The lake's shores and the surrounding rainforest are home to the indigenous T'bolis, Tirurays, Ubos and Manobos. One of the major tribes, the T'bolis are known for their weaving skills and brassware production as well as fishing skills. The rest of the population are made of Ilonggos, Bicolanos and Ilocanos.

Wild boars and Philippine Deer which are considered endangered live around the lake. The lake and the surrounding rainforest are natural habitat to egrets, kingfishers, swallows, herons, Philippine cockatoos and kites.