Chasing waterfalls

The tranquility of the picturesque Lake Sebu can make one oblivious to the source of its still waters: the rapturous rapids from seven cliffs collectively called “the thunder of the seven falls.”

Stand below any of the briskly falling river of water and you will be in a light cloud of fine refreshing mist, and ironically peaceful noise. Strangely, you will be both joyous and meditative, but then, you cannot ignore its power.

One day in the company of these falls was all it took for us to understand why Lake Sebu was voted as one of the top 10 Philippine Gems. Voting was made through an online survey where the Philippine Gems website garnered 30 million hits. When PwC Philippines launched the project two years back, our intent was to broadcast domestically and to the world that they would never run out of places to visit in our country. And that on this aspect of natural assets in our country, our Asian neighbors pale in comparison. We said then during our launch that if individuals come, the economy would follow, and hopefully, inclusive growth as well. By unofficial accounts, since being recognized as one of the top 10 Philippine Gems, tourist arrivals in Lake Sebu have increased threefold. So did the revenue of tourist guides, resorts, and weavers and makers of native wear, bags, articles and brass accessories.

Even with increased tourist visits, we still see critical challenges that need to be hurdled to allow Lake Sebu to reach its full potential. Not the least of which is the misunderstanding about it being situated in Mindanao. Lake Sebu is in South Cotabato, at least four hours’ drive away from North Cotabato. They say people in North Cotabato, a jurisdiction aspiring to be governed separately through the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), became so used to hearing gunfire every now and then that they developed an ear for it,as if it’s some kind of music. It has become a necessary background that makes their day more exciting (talk about the Filipino who tries to look for something positive in anything). No gunshots can be heard in South Cotabato, no insurgencies — and it is one of those territories in the south, like nearby General Santos City, which does not wish and would not join territories that may be governed separately under the proposed BBL. This is the first and most important hurdle of Lake Sebu that has the surname “Cotabato”. The real story must be told to educate people that the locality is as peaceful and calm as its jewel of a lake.

One would also notice the lack of foreign tourists in Lake Sebu — they could possibly be recipients of negative travel advisories from their governments. But I think the bigger factor is that the municipality has a toned-down nightlife. In the resort where you may stay, you can have drink in a table with friends while enjoying the natural air conditioning of the sweet breeze, but there are no bars in the municipality of Lake Sebu. It is deliberate, and you may say even old-fashioned, but this is the way they preserve values, especially among their women.

There is actually a viable alternative to bars the municipality can consider: a center for cultural shows that serves dinner and drinks. This is something a few of our Asian neighbors have, and in those Asian countries, dinner at these cultural centers is something tourists look forward to.

The construction of one such cultural center is perfect for the municipality. We know they have the talent. We have been treated to a mobile cultural performance brought to the resort we were billeted in. The artists are college students wearing impressive and artistically woven t’nalak. The dance is interpretative, verbal explanations precede each scene, and the distinctive sounds and look of the native local instruments like the bamboo harmonica-like kubing, the banduria-looking hegelung and the set of gongs called agungs, will definitely blow you away.

If a cultural center is constructed, it is also the right venue for a museum that can feature the indigenous community of the T’boli and how they live, and the intricate products woven by the “dream weavers.”

They thrive on agriculture and tilapia farming there, but they still need more local investments in conference venues, hotels, resorts and restaurants if they are to become a more successful tourist destination. A useful mentality can be espoused that modernization is not at odds with preservation, but any modernization that can harm the perimeters of the natural assets (including photo bombers) are counterproductive and will erode the value of the local gems over time.

For tourists today, it will not be difficult to overlook improvements still needed in the place to make it a better tourist destination. One only needs to step up to the challenge of the highest zipline in Southeast Asia and potentially, the longest zipline in the country – 1.3 km. long – when combining the two lines. At 600 feet above forest ground, above mountains, and above all famous falls, it is less than a couple of minutes of “flying” that seem to last much longer. They say to have courage, you need to fake it. For one who is scared of rides, like me, I certainly needed to fake it.

Ziplining lying facedown at that altitude simulates the feeling of flying on your own. An ounce of fear and tons of exhilaration is what you would feel cruising on air, while viewing from that perspective the tree tops, mountains, and the majestic falls complemented by rainbows created by the sunlight that hits the continuous spray of mist around the falls. Rare, I would say, are those moments that you are directly above these God-created colored spectacles or prisms.

“Don’t go chasing waterfalls” is a phrase which means you are not really sure what is on the other side, or stick with what you know because that is what is safe. What we have learned though is the prerequisite to progress is to have an ambition. For any person, community or a municipality that has ambition, what is required is for them to go out of their safe haven, and while preserving core traditions, do some things out of the usual to be the beneficiary of opportunities. Perhaps the answer is echoed everyday by the sound of nature, by the sound of the thunder of the seven falls, that seem to command all its people: “Do not be afraid, go chase waterfalls.”

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Alexander B. Cabrera is the chairman and senior partner of Isla Lipana & Co./PwC Philippines. He also chairs the tax committee of the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP). Email your comments and questions to [email protected]. This content is for general information purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for consultation with professional advisors.