Jun 22

By Rotchelle M. Padua

In a world, where everybody is in constant motion, every tick of the clock requires dynamism; every breath is designed to attend to a pressing matter at hand and every action tips the scale between failure and success, is there still a place that would cater to the simple joys in life?

Down in South Cotabato is the place you have been yearning for. Carefully molded by God’s magnificent hands, embellished by nature’s lavish grace, manicured by the people’s nature-loving souls and bettered by time’s healing and renewing supremacy is a sanctuary of splendor and solitude juxtaposed excitement, adventure and thrill. A superb combination found only in Lake Sebu.

Lake Sebu is a cache of nature’s finest creations. With a land area of 89, 138 hectares , Lake Sebu is South Cotabato’s biggest municipality. With a temperature that ranges from 20-37.5 degrees Celsius, it surely is a vacation target for many people. Who wouldn’t be proud when you have three lakes; (Lake Sebu, Lake Lahit and Lake Seloton) The Seven Falls, Traankini Falls, Isla Grande and Teyega Island,Talili Mt. Range, Tasaday Caves, Sta. Cruz Mission and resorts that sweep tourists of their feet and make them want to visit again and again? Surely, Lake Sebu has all the right to be put on the tourism pedestal of South Cotabato.

Lake Sebu offers two opposing yet highly sought after yearnings of the human soul: tranquility and adventure. The former is no doubt a trademark of Lake Sebu as it has long been acclaimed for its soothing, unquestionably cool weather, its culturally-inclined people willing to share a portion of themselves to their visitors and the enticing sound of the falls as it cascades its way to the river. The latter would first seem to many as an obscured, blurry, almost non-existent feature of Lake Sebu but lo and behold, as the altitude increases as one ascends the way to the Seven Falls so does the adventure heightens to a breath-taking level as one sets foot on the rigging area of Seven Falls’ now famous zipline.

Oct 30

More seekers for overseas employment may come from Eastern Samar as the Sangguniang Panlalawigan here is set to offer a better alternative—the “Abroad Now Pay Later” Plan.

Sangguniang Panlalawigan Member Enerio Sabulao who is the principal author of a Board Resolution, understands the plight of poor individuals who aspire for employment abroad but whose financial needs are hardly resolved out of the family’s resources.

Thus, now pending at the SP Eastern Samar, is a Resolution which among others provides a Five Hundred Thousand Peso Allocation (P500,000) exclusively for the utilization of OFW hopefuls.

This was learned from Sabulao during the Employment Congress held at the Capitol recently. The Official added that the amount can be applied for by any person who seeks employment abroad but does not have money for placement fees. He mentioned that the applicant will just have to submit a Co-Maker who has the capacity to pay back the amount loaned by the OFW, in case the borrower fails to pay back the amount he spent in the processing of his documents.

Sabulao himself takes pride for the recently conceived employment plan of the province which is also the first in the Region. However, with the forthcoming elections, he hopes the resolution will be supported by the next set of board members.

The Resolution, Sabulao said is answer to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s vision for 10-million jobs creation until 2010 that is being given focused by the Eastern Samar government with the cooperation of line agencies like DOLE, POEA and TESDA.