Lake Balinsasayao is one of three crater lakes rising 1000 ft above sea level located within the Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Natural Park, an 8,016.05 ha protected area covering the municipalities of Valencia, Sibulan, and San Jose in the province of Negros Oriental, Philippines.

Etymology

The name of Lake Balinsasayao is the Spanish transcription of Cebuano balinsasayaw meaning "swiftlet." The name of its "twin", Lake Danao, is derived from Cebuano danaw meaning "lake."

History

Lake Balinsasayao, Lake Danao, and Kabalin-an pond are part of Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Natural Park, a protected area totaling 8016 ha created on 21 November 2000 by virtue of Proclamation No. 414 signed by former President Joseph Estrada. It lies within the municipalities of Valencia, Sibulan, and San Jose in the province of Negros Oriental.

Geography

The lakes are situated northwest of a narrow mountain ridge, in a caldera formed by four mountains: Mount Mahungot to the south, Mount Kalbasan to the north, Mount Balinsasayao to the east and Guintabon Dome to the west. A normal fault separates Lakes Balinsasayao and Danao while and another fault, the Amlan, is about 1,400 m west of Danao. Four geologic faults also intersect the southern edge of Lake Danao, whose water level is lower than that of Balinsasayao.

Flora and fauna

As a protected natural park home to an expansive ecosystem and biodiversity, Balinsasayao Twin Lakes National Park is one of the major tourist attractions in Negros Oriental. The lake has a rich fish fauna and the surrounding dipterocarp forests are rich in bird life. However, invasive fish species such as tilapia, common carp, mudfish, shrimp, mosquito fish and milkfish have been introduced in the lake.

Tourism

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) through the Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) manages tourist activities in the natural park. The bureau allows, sightseeing, mountain trekking, camping, birdwatching, paddle boating in Lake Balinsasayao. The natural park has a concrete view deck, umbrella cottages, a restaurant, a souvenir shop, restrooms, and a visitor center.

Conservation

Conserving the natural park's flora and fauna is a continuing struggle as surrounding forests are exploited for timber and charcoal production. The uncontrolled cutting of timber by slash-and-burn farmers or kaingineros is reducing the inflow of water to the lakes and causing a fall in water levels. Also, since the lakes are situated near Energy Development Corporation (EDC)'s Southern Negros Geothermal Field in Valencia, the forest surrounding the lakes are under threat from constant geothermal drilling. A co-management plan for geothermal preservation has been drafted by the DENR-PENRO, EDC, and the local governments of Valencia and Sibulan.