# Lake Sebu (municipality)

Lake Sebu, officially the Municipality of Lake Sebu (Tboli: Benwu Sbù, /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.
Lake Sebu is a serene municipality nestled in a "bowl of forests and mountains" within the Allah Valley Protected Landscape in South Cotabato, Philippines. Spanning an area of 89,138 hectares, it serves as both an ecological sanctuary and a cultural treasure. The area is recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a vital cultural landscape, embodying the rich heritage of the T'boli, Ubo, and other indigenous groups. Known for its three scenic lakes—Lake Sebu, Lake Seloton, and Lake Lahit—the municipality is a major ecotourism destination. It features lush forests, diverse flora and fauna, and breathtaking waterfalls, including the famed Seven Falls. Beyond its natural beauty, Lake Sebu is a center of indigenous artistry, from T'nalak weaving to vibrant cultural traditions, making it a unique convergence of biodiversity and heritage in Mindanao.

## 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

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 ||||||||||||||

## Demographics

The lake's shores and the surrounding rainforest are home to the Indigenous Tbolis, Tirurays, 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
* 10
* 20
* 30
* 40
* 50
* 60
* 70
* 2006 55.10
* 2009 52.83
* 2012 63.47
* 2015 64.00
* 2018 49.30
* 2021 42.12
* Source: Philippine Statistics Authority
The economy is based on aquaculture of Tilapia grown in large fish cages floating in the lake. More than one half of the land around the lake is cultivated for agriculture. The Philippine government is also trying to promote ecotourism in the area. The finishing of a concrete road cut the travel time from 4 hours to less than 30 minutes greatly 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.