KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato (PIA) – Lake Sebu, home to the famed Seven Falls Zipline, sets its eyes on a cable car transport system, an added adventure facility for visitors and tourists.
Jennifer Tupas, tourism officer of the Municipality of Lake Sebu, said during the investment forum in Manila of the 2024 Treasures of SOX Travel and Trade Expo that the local government is seeking investors for the proposed P185 million cable car project.
He said that the proposed cable car system could boost the municipality’s image as the Summer Capital of South-Central Mindanao and one of the most visited tourism destinations in the SOCCSKSARGEN Region.
“In SOCCSKSARGEN, Lake Sebu is only second to Glan, Sarangani in tourist arrivals. In South Cotabato, we are the most visited tourism destination,” he said.
As planned, the cable car system spans 2.9 kilometers across the municipality’s Lake Sebu, from the main station in Sitio Lemsufo to Angel station on Isla Tobowow, the third stop on Isla Tebenwu, and the final stop in Gono Lemobung, a popular tourist destination known for its tourism lodge.
Gono Lemobung will also serve as the turning point for the cable car system.
Lake Sebu is divided into three sub-lakes: Lake Sebu, Lake Lahit, and Lake Seloton.
Based on the design, the cable car tourist transport system will have about 20 gondolas that can carry eight people each.
According to Tupas, a prospective investor needs to invest P180 million for the construction of the ropeway system, land acquisition, machinery, and equipment for transportation, as well as the construction and restoration of Gono Lemobung, a tourism lodge.
For its part, the LGU commits to spend P5 million for site development and fencing, among other expenditure items.
In his presentation, Tupas noted, based on the Department of Tourism’s 2024 first quarter data, that local tourist arrivals in SOCCSKSARGEN had peaked at 1,361,831.
Further, he said that the facility can potentially earn P299.6 million, assuming that many people would use the cable car for a fee of P200 per person, and pay P20 each for the entrance.
As an eco-tourism site, Lake Sebu is well-known for several offerings, including a ride at the Seven Falls Zipline, with an elevation of over 180 meters from the ground, is the highest in Southeast Asia; a 45-minute to an hour cruise around the lake; a taste of tilapia-based cuisine; and pictorial at the lotus garden.
In 2023, the Seven Falls Zipline earned more than P7.2 million, based on data from the Provincial Treasurer’s Office. This year, records show it has already collected P4.2 million in revenues.
Aside from being an eco-tourism site, Lake Sebu is famous as a cultural tourism hub where visitors can witness authentic traditional practices such as T’nalak weaving, brass-making, T’boli dances, and songs, among others.
“Apart from being an eco-tourism site, we also claim to be the Home of Living Treasures,” Tupas said.
In the entire Philippines, Lake Sebu takes pride in having the greatest number of National Living Treasures awardees, under the category of Gawad Manlilikha ng Bayan.
Lake Sebu is home to Manalikha ng Bayan Lang Dulay for T’boli textile weaving, Bundos Bansil Fara for T’boli brass-casting, Rosie Godwino Sula for T’boli chanting, and Barbara Kibed Ofong for T’boli textile weaving.
Meanwhile, during the municipality’s Helubong Festival in May, National Museum of the Philippines director Jeremy Barnes announced that they would establish a national museum in Lake Sebu. (DED – PIA Region 12)
