WHEN Kevin Costner filmed the 1990’s movie Waterworld, he could have been inspired by the bucolic province of Negros Oriental in Central Visayas.
Not that it faces inundation due to melting of the glaciers brought about by global warming as portrayed in the movie, rather, it is a virtual waterworld because its main tourist magnets are different bodies of water spread out along its long coastline that stretches some 300 kilometers.
Comprising the eastern half of Negros Island, the province boasts of a lush underwater world, placid lakes, powdery beaches and sandbars, majestic waterfalls and rushing rivers.
Topping its bevy of bodies of water is the mountaintop Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Natural Park in Sibulan town, which transports you to another place in time with its serene environment. The deafening silence is only broken occasionally by bird sounds and laughter of visitors paddling the boats on the still water.
With an elevation of more than 800 meters above sea level, the lakes were formed by decades of rain and stream deposits that filled up the volcanic craters. They were declared a protected area in 2000 by virtue of Presidential Proclamation 414 to maintain its ecological balance.
Balinsasayao, the bigger lake, has an area of 76 hectares and maximum depth of 90 meters, while the smaller 30-hectare Lake Danao is about 58 meters deep.
The park boasts of a rich biodiversity with some 180 flora species, including Medinilla magnifica, Almaciga, Red Lauan, tanguile and giant ferns; and 209 fauna species, including the flame templed-babbler, Tarictic Hornbill, the Negros Bleeding Heart, Sayaosayao, Balicassiao and Philippine Tube-Nosed Fruit bat.
In the uplands of Siaton town lies another placid lake—Balanan—which was born by a crack in the mountains caused by an earthquake in 1925. Decades later, provincial officials decided to convert it into a lake resort, complete with swimming pools, treehouses, watersports equipment, zipline and tourist recreational facilities.
With the abundance of fowl nesting on the vegetation, both lake parks have been identified as a bird-watching haven in this part of the Visayas.
A body of water that has achieved an iconic status of sorts is the Bais Bay, which is situated between Negros and southwestern Cebu. It is the playground of dolphins and, occasionally, sperm whales, which frolic off Bais City and neighboring towns.
A few miles south is the White Sandbar in Manjuyod town, which takes pride in its powdery sand and crystalline water. During low tide, the sandbar is a sprawling beachfront where sun worshippers can walk on a vast expanse of fine sand. This twin attraction propelled the province into an ecotourism sensation in the late-1990s.
Another globally-known water resource is the island village of Apo, a marine sanctuary and top dive spot for decades now, thanks for the preservation efforts of Silliman University’s Marine Laboratory. With seven dive sites, its coral wall is a sight to behold which can be easily reached through shore entry.
The more popular sites are the Cathedral and Coconut Point, which have a remarkable population of sea snakes, kraits and sea turtles.
Due to Apo’s strategic location, scuba enthusiasts and beach bums from Siquijor, Bohol and Cebu swing by the island to bask in its lush underwater world, which is one of the best in the world.
In the mainland, Dauin coast offers very good muck diving, while closer to Dumaguete City is a newly validated site just off the shores of Barangay Banilad.
Tucked in upland Valencia is the 50-meter Casaroro Falls, whose tall drop and voluminous water empties into the rivers and tributaries, which, in turn, feed spring pool resorts. The abundance of freshwater all-year-round makes this resort town the de facto “summer capital” of the province.
A different kind of tourist attraction is the Dumaguete Septage, a successful showcase of a locally funded waste-water management system. Located in an interior barangay, the septage-treatment plant is nonmechanized and relies on sunlight, time and microorganisms and plants to stabilize and convert liquid contaminants into soil conditioner and water for irrigation.
Now on its ninth year, this joint project of the city government and the Dumaguete City Water District is becoming an attraction in itself with its clean and green plant which resembles a tree-lined river resort park.
With its waterworld, it is no wonder that Negros Oriental was chosen to be the showcase of water-resource management by hosting the recent Water Conference, which brought together stakeholders from the local governments, the business sector, academe, civil-society groups and community organizations.
A joint undertaking of the provincial government of Negros Oriental, the Integrated Water Resource Management Council (IWRMC) and Water Excellence Philippines (WEP), the summit also aims to establish the province as a center for excellence on water-resource management and ecotourism which other local governments can replicate.
Held at the Silliman University (SU), the one-day confab featured talks from local and foreign experts on water security, headed by National Scientist and former SU president Dr. Angel Alcala. The event also drew the best practices and formulated resolutions and plans of action on water conservation.
The only one of its kind in the country, Negros IWMRC was formed in 2008 as a multisectoral policy advisory body dedicated to protect, rehabilitate and sustainably develop the shared water and terrestrial resources through the establishment of an institutional framework.
Gov. Ruel Degamo, working with various institutions headed by SU and WEP, is finalizing the implementing rules and regulations of the IWRMC to make it the primary proponent of the water-sustainability campaign. The 114-year-old Protestant-run school is a United States Agency for International Development-designated Center for Excellence in Coastal Resource Management.
Meanwhile, WEP is a non-governmental institution composed of environment and economic advocates who work to promote inclusive growth through efforts centered on sustainability of water resources, ecotourism and other allied fields.
Negros Oriental, with its wondrous waterworld and splendid conservation scheme, can expect not just the usual water-oriented tourist, but also visitors who bring good tidings on how to make its water resources sustainable for the generations to come.
Image credits: Bernard L. Supetran