Saturday, May 05, 2007 Lake Sebu firms up tourism potentials
KORONADAL CITY -- Scenic Lake Sebu in South Cotabato, arguably the "Summer Capital" of Central Mindanao, is fixing its services and improving its tourism spots to satisfy finicky clients.
Resort and restaurant owners of the province's main tourism destination recently deployed at least 28 workers to a training course on bar tending and waiting in this city.
Graziel Doronila, Green Valley College Foundation’ head for hotel and restaurant management department, said the two-day training was intended "to enhance the workers' capacity and improve productivity thereby promote quality service for local and foreign tourists in Lake Sebu."
The training covers competencies required for food and beverage service attendants, including bar tenders such as table service, table and bar set-up, and preparation of wine recipes, she said.
The training was conducted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in South Cotabato under the auspices of the Lake Sebu Eco-tourism Development Project.
Geronimo L. Sequito, provincial environment and natural resources officer, urged the participants to continually improve their craft in order to attract more local and foreign tourists into their establishments because of their efficient and pleasant service delivery.
Besides the training, the town's natural tourism spots are being developed in a way that tourists would not have difficulty accessing them, as in the case of the seven waterfalls in the area.
Lake Sebu's tourism development focus is being supported by the New Zealand Agency for International Development through a financial assistance of around P16 million.
Aside from its lakes and waterfalls, the town is rich in cultural heritage, churning out the world-famous T'nalak clothe woven by Tiboli women.
Lake Sebu Mayor Basilio Salif said New Zealand's assistance is a big help for them to promote the locality in the foreign and domestic tourism circuit.
He noted the development of ecotourism sites in his town will ultimately further spur the locality's economy after the project's completion since more tourists would be coming in to see the improved spots.
The mayor said the fund would cover development works until 2008. Of the seven ecotourism sites that have been proposed in Mindanao for development, only Lake Sebu was funded by the New Zealand government.
Among the ecotourism sites being developed in Lake Sebu are the Traankini spring in barangay Lamhalak, the Seven Falls along Lenon River and the town’s various lakes like Sebu, Lahit and Seloton.
Musa Saruang, Southwestern Mindanao technical director of the Protected Areas, Wildlife, Coastal Zone and Management Service (PAWCZMS), said Lake Sebu was chosen as an ecotourism project site during the National Ecotourism Forum in May 2004 held in Rembrandt hotel in Quezon City attended by top DENR and Department of Tourism officials.
