As I rested my head on the window of the van, half-tired from a lack of sleep, I caught a glimpse of the scenic Lake Sebu. Although my view was slightly distorted by a smudgy glass, it didn't matter, as the scene of a thick forest snaking around a tranquil body of water was hard to ignore. Soon, my weary body started to jolt with pure anticipation. The thought finally rested and crested solidly in my head: I was finally in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato.
7 Waterfalls at Lake Sebu
The Song of Cotabato
Since I started taking traveling seriously in 2007, I hadn't imagined myself exploring Mindanao this soon. I grew up listening to the legendary folk band "Asin," and their song "Cotabato" remains one of my favorite songs of all time. It speaks of historic conflicts, religious differences, and serves as a profound shout-out for action to attain lasting peace in the region.
"Ako’y isinilang sa isang bayan ng Cotabato
Kasing gulo ng tao, kasing gulo ng mundo
Dahil di magkasundo sa relihiyon at prinsipyo, nagkagulo"
It also didn't help at all when the media continuously painted a deadly, grim image of Mindanao as a whole. It's true that there are still parts in Mindanao—just like in every place in the world—where peace remains elusive. BUT mostly, the reality on the ground is the exact opposite.
Chasing the 7 Waterfalls
We went to the jump-off point where one can chase the famous 7 waterfalls streaming fresh water down into three distinct lakes. Lake Sebu is the largest of them all, encompassing three hundred fifty-four hectares, while Lake Selotin measures forty-eight hectares, and Lake Lahit completes the trio with twenty-four hectares.
We rode the zipline in tandem and flew over the deep river gorge where Waterfall No. 2 rapidly flows along, and the scene was unlike anything I had ever witnessed before. There was a total of two zipline runs: the first measuring closely to eight hundred meters, and the second measuring about half of that. However, the second zipline took us soaring directly over the cascading third waterfall, known locally as "Hikong Belebed" or the zigzag falls. Suspended from the zipline high above, I was able to catch a truly magnificent aerial sight of the plunge.
The T'boli Heritage
Lake Sebu is a thriving cultural community where many members of the indigenous T'boli tribe have been residing for countless generations, dating back to the pre-Islamic era and the Spanish conquests in the 15th century. Both historical movements failed to fully convert or conquer the T'boli, allowing them to live in peace, largely unaffected by religious conflicts.
Today, they continue to flourish and live simply through the abundant supplies of agricultural and fishing products. Their immense contributions to the community, backed by a solid pro-environment, culture-driven, and ecological balance campaign by the Provincial Government, have successfully elevated Lake Sebu into one of the premier eco-tourism destinations in Mindanao.
Listening right now as I write this to Asin's "Cotabato," I am feeling a distinct swell of pride that a song like that could reach out and endear itself to so many. There are places you simply need to reach and experience firsthand in order to see the whole picture, rather than relying solely on old songs, alarming press reports, and TV coverage of bandits brandishing their hostages while armed to the teeth.
A New Perspective on Mindanao
I held a prevailing, cautious notion of Mindanao—especially the areas that include General Santos, Sarangani, and South Cotabato—when I first stepped inside the Cebu Pacific plane bound for General Santos last week. But in the span of just a few days, I left and flew back to Manila with a totally transformed impression of the region.
While peace may still be elusive in some isolated parts of Cotabato, the great thing is that it is not nearly as rampant as portrayed, and the people of South Cotabato are gearing up for an incredibly exciting, prosperous future. I wanted to be a part of that exciting tomorrow. I will definitely go back to South Cotabato, Sarangani, and General Santos City on a whim. Give me the time, and I'll pack my backpack again.
And as these waterfalls continue to flow mightily along the river banks and into the three lakes of Lake Sebu, the promise of South Cotabato—just waiting to embrace people from all over—never ceases. It remains still, just as it quickly silenced my fears and caressed my skin, not like needle pricks, but by the soft, angelic hands of a long-lost lover.
If these falls could talk, they would probably be yelling, "Pack your backpack and come to this part of the world," right about now.
