Lake Sebu (municipality)
Municipality in South Cotabato, Philippines
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lake Sebu, officially the Municipality of Lake Sebu (Tboli: Benwu Sbù,[5] /sbuʔ/; Hiligaynon: Banwa sang Sëbu /səˈbuʔ/; Tagalog: Bayan ng Sëbu), is a municipality in the province of South Cotabato, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 81,221 people.[6]
Lake Sebu
Sbù | |
|---|---|
| Municipality of Lake Sebu | |
The eponymous Lake Sebu | |
.png) Flag  Seal | |
Nicknames:
| |
 Map of South Cotabato with Lake Sebu (municipality) highlighted | |
 Interactive map of Lake Sebu | |
.svg)  Lake Sebu Location within the Philippines | |
| Coordinates: 6°13′34″N 124°42′44″E | |
| Country | Philippines |
| Region | Soccsksargen |
| Province | South Cotabato |
| District | 2nd district |
| Barangays | 19 (see Barangays) |
| Government | |
| • Type | Sangguniang Bayan |
| • Mayor | Remie M. Unggol |
| • Vice Mayor | Liezel T. Isuga |
| • Representative | Peter B. Miguel |
| • Municipal Council | Members |
| • Electorate | 50,183 voters (2025) |
| Area | |
• Total | 702.00 km2 (271.04 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 781 m (2,562 ft) |
| Highest elevation | 1,570 m (5,150 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 364 m (1,194 ft) |
| Population (2024 census)[3] | |
• Total | 84,252 |
| • Density | 120.02/km2 (310.84/sq mi) |
| • Households | 18,969 |
| Economy | |
| • Income class | 1st municipal income class |
| • Poverty incidence | 42.12 |
| • Revenue | ₱ 483 million (2022) |
| • Assets | ₱ 817.6 million (2022) |
| • Expenditure | ₱ 468.8 million (2022) |
| • Liabilities | ₱ 817.6 million (2022) |
| Service provider | |
| • Electricity | South Cotabato 1 Electric Cooperative (SOCOTECO 1) |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (PST) |
| ZIP code | 9506 |
| PSGC | |
| IDD : area code | +63 (0)83 |
| Native languages | Tboli Hiligaynon Cebuano Blaan Tagalog Maguindanaon |
| Website | lakesebuscot |
Lonely Planet described Lake Sebu as a place located in a "bowl of forests and mountains". The 42,450-hectare landscape consisting the domains of the Allah Valley is recognized by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a cultural landscape in Mindanao.[7]
Geography
The placid lake of Lake Sebu can be found in Allah Valley near the municipality of Surallah, South Cotabato. Surrounded by rolling hills and mountains covered with thick rain forest, the lake has an area of 361.124 hectares (892.36 acres), with an elevation of approximately 1,000 metres (3,300 ft).
Barangays
.png)
Lake Sebu is politically subdivided into 19 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios.
- Bacdulong
- Denlag
- Halilan
- Hanoon
- Klubi
- Lake Lahit
- Lake Seloton
- Lamcade
- Lamdalag
- Lamfugon
- Lamlahak
- Lower Maculan
- Luhib
- Ned
- Poblacion
- Takunel
- Talisay
- Tasiman
- Upper Maculan
Climate
| Climate data for Lake Sebu, South Cotabato | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 27 (81) |
27 (81) |
27 (81) |
27 (81) |
26 (79) |
25 (77) |
25 (77) |
25 (77) |
26 (79) |
26 (79) |
26 (79) |
26 (79) |
26 (79) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 19 (66) |
19 (66) |
20 (68) |
20 (68) |
21 (70) |
21 (70) |
20 (68) |
20 (68) |
20 (68) |
21 (70) |
20 (68) |
20 (68) |
20 (68) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 146 (5.7) |
121 (4.8) |
164 (6.5) |
212 (8.3) |
347 (13.7) |
397 (15.6) |
364 (14.3) |
366 (14.4) |
302 (11.9) |
308 (12.1) |
280 (11.0) |
192 (7.6) |
3,199 (125.9) |
| Average rainy days | 16.7 | 15.5 | 19.4 | 22.7 | 29.0 | 28.9 | 27.9 | 27.5 | 26.5 | 28.1 | 27.2 | 22.6 | 292 |
| Source: Meteoblue[8] | |||||||||||||
Demographics
The lake's shores and the surrounding rainforest are home to the Indigenous Tbolis, Tirurays,[14] Ubos, and Manobos. One of the major tribes, the Tbolis are known for their weaving skills and brassware production as well as fishing skills. The rest of the population are made of Maguindanaons, Ilonggos, Cebuanos, Bicolanos, and Ilocanos.
Economy
Poverty incidence of Lake Sebu
66.89
65.31
55.10
52.83
63.47
64.00
49.30
42.12
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]
The local economy is largely driven by aquaculture, particularly the cultivation of Tilapia in large floating fish cages on the lake. More than half of the surrounding land is used for agriculture. The Philippine government has also been promoting ecotourism in the area. The completion of a concrete road significantly reduced travel time from four hours to less than 30 minutes, thereby improving trade and commerce.
Wildlife
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.
Environmental conservation
The Philippine government proclaimed a 924.5 square kilometres (357.0 sq mi) area as a protected landscape. On the south-eastern watershed of the lake, a bamboo plantation was established.
