Lake Sebu ( Tboli: ''Lanaw Sbù'', ; Hiligaynon: ''Linaw sg Sëbu'', ; Filipino: ''Lawa ng Sëbu'') is a natural

lake A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...

located in the

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the ...

of Lake Sebu,

South Cotabato South Cotabato ( hil, Bagatnan Cotabato; ceb, Habagatang Cotabato; Maguindanaon: ''Pagabagatan Kutawatu'', Jawi: ڤاڬابڬتن كوتاواتو; tl, Timog Cotabato), officially the Province of South Cotabato, is a province in the Philippine ...

within the Alah Valley region. The Philippine government has recognized it as one of the country's most important

watershed Watershed is a hydrological term, which has been adopted in other fields in a more or less figurative sense. It may refer to: Hydrology * Drainage divide, the line that separates neighbouring drainage basins * Drainage basin, called a "watershe ...

s. Lake Sebu is one of the many bodies of water supplying important

irrigation Irrigation (also referred to as watering) is the practice of applying controlled amounts of water to land to help grow crops, landscape plants, and lawns. Irrigation has been a key aspect of agriculture for over 5,000 years and has been devel ...

to the provinces of

Sultan Kudarat Sultan Kudarat, officially the Province of Sultan Kudarat ( hil, Kapuoran sang Sultan Kudarat; Maguindanaon: ''Dairat nu Sultan Kudarat'', Jawi: دايرت نو سلطان كودرت; ceb, Lalawigan sa Sultan Kudarat; tl, Lalawigan ng Sul ...

and

. The villages around the lake have been turned into an independent municipality called '' Lake Sebu'' after being a former village of

Surallah Surallah, officially the Municipality of Surallah ( Hiligaynon: ''Banwa sang Surallah''; mdh, Inged nu Surallah, Jawi: ايڠايد نو سور الله), is a 1st class municipality in the province of South Cotabato, Philippines. According to t ...

Ancestral domain

The T'boli and Ubo tribes have been the traditional dwellers of the lake. The

Department of Environment and Natural Resources The Department of Environment and Natural Resources ( fil, Kagawaran ng Kapaligiran at Likas na Yaman, DENR or KKLY) is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for governing and supervising the exploration, developmen ...

has 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.

Tourism

The Department of Tourism and the local government unit of Lake Sebu has promoted the lake as one of the prime

eco-tourism Ecotourism is a form of tourism involving responsible travel (using sustainable transport) to natural areas, conserving the environment, and improving the well-being of the local people. Its purpose may be to educate the traveler, to provide fun ...

destinations in the municipality. The Mindanao Development Authority is closely coordinating with the DOT in the development and enhancement of Lake Sebu, as it is also identified as one of the priority sites under the BIMP-EAGA Tourism cluster.

Gallery

Image:Lake Sebu (from Punta Isla).JPG, Lake Sebu, as seen from Punta Isla Image:Lake Sebu.JPG, The lake is one of the most important watershed areas in the Philippines Image: The_picturesque_view_of_Lake_Sebu..JPG, Another view of the lake in South Cotabato. Boating at Lake Sebu.jpg, Traditional '' owong''

dugout canoes A dugout canoe or simply dugout is a boat made from a hollowed tree. Other names for this type of boat are logboat and monoxylon. ''Monoxylon'' (''μονόξυλον'') (pl: ''monoxyla'') is Greek – ''mono-'' (single) + '' ξύλον xylon'' (t ...

in Lake Sebu File:Lake Sebu's indigenous performing band.jpg, Indigenous people thriving near Lake Sebu

References

External links

*
LakeSebu.com

Lake Sebu Guide
Sebu Landforms of South Cotabato {{Philippines-geo-stub