Lake Danao (Cebu)
Encyclopedia
Lake Danao is a freshwater
lake
located in the northern part of Pacijan Island
(also known as Pajican Island), one of the Camotes Islands
in the province of Cebu, Philippines. With an area of 680 ha. (1,680 ac.), the figure-eight-shaped body of water, is the not only the largest lake in the province but also in the Visayan
Region of the country.
The lake is surrounded by six barangay
s and the poblacion
of San Francisco
, Cebu.
with the rainfall more or less evenly distributed throughout the year (Type IV)
.
and coconuts
are cultivated in the surrounding areas of the lake. Several rare orchids and a variety of herbs of medicinal value also grow along the shore of the lake.
Most of the original vegetation has disappeared, and even the small islet
in the lake has been planted with coconuts. The only remaining area of aquatic vegetation is on the east side of the lake, where the water is shallow and there is a dense growth of submerged vegetation.
Soli-Soli is a type of grass that grow abundantly along the banks of the lake and one of the source of livelihood on the island. These grasses are harvested, dried and woven into different kinds of handicrafts such as bags, mats, hats and other decorative materials and then sold to the local and mainland market outlets. A festival is held annually celebrating the plant. See, Attractions.
, and most of the local residents are dependent on this resource for their subsistence.
The rich fish fauna
includes Tilapia
, Common Carp
(Cyprinus carpio), Milkfish
(Chanos chanos), Gobies
(Glossogobius giuris) and Catfishes
(Clarias sp.). A wide variety of waterfowl
occur including Little Grebes (Tachybaptus ruficollis), Intermediate Egret
s, (Egretta intermedia), Purple Heron
s (Ardea purpurea) and Wandering Whistling Duck
(Dendrocygna arcuata). The Estuarine Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) formerly inhabits the lake. From the Groombridge report (1982), the population was still healthy in 1978, but according to other reports, the last individual was killed in 1971. Monitor lizards (Varanus) can still be seen occasionally on its shore.
celebrated in Lake Danao Park every 3rd Sunday of March, coinciding with the town fiesta
honoring Saint Joseph
, the town's patron saint
. Extending throughout the island, the much-anticipated event is an occupational festival injected with religious sentiments of thanksgiving and devotion
shown through flamboyant colors, abundant food and fervent choreographed dancing.
and cycling
trail
encircles the entire perimeter
of the lake.
Freshwater
Fresh water is naturally occurring water on the Earth's surface in ice sheets, ice caps, glaciers, bogs, ponds, lakes, rivers and streams, and underground as groundwater in aquifers and underground streams. Fresh water is generally characterized by having low concentrations of dissolved salts and...
lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
located in the northern part of Pacijan Island
Pacijan Island
Pacijan Island is one of the islands of the province of Cebu, in the Philippines. Also known as Pajican Island, it is one of the four islands in the Camotes island group of Cebu - along with Poro Island, Ponson Island, and Tulang Island...
(also known as Pajican Island), one of the Camotes Islands
Camotes Islands
The Camotes Islands are a group of islands that form part of the province of Cebu, in the Philippines. The island group is located east of Cebu Island, southwest of Leyte Island, and north of Bohol Island....
in the province of Cebu, Philippines. With an area of 680 ha. (1,680 ac.), the figure-eight-shaped body of water, is the not only the largest lake in the province but also in the Visayan
Visayas
The Visayas or Visayan Islands and locally known as Kabisay-an gid, is one of the three principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, along with Mindanao and Luzon. It consists of several islands, primarily surrounding the Visayan Sea, although the Visayas are considered the northeast...
Region of the country.
The lake is surrounded by six barangay
Barangay
A barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward...
s and the poblacion
Poblacion
A Poblacion or Población, literally "town" or "Population" in Spanish, is the name commonly used for the central barangay or barangays of a Philippine city or municipality. Common features of the poblacion include a town plaza, church, market, school and town hall. It is sometimes shortened to...
of San Francisco
San Francisco, Cebu
San Francisco is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Cebu, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 44,588 people....
, Cebu.
Climate
Humid tropical climateClimate
Climate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long periods...
with the rainfall more or less evenly distributed throughout the year (Type IV)
Climate of the Philippines
The Climate of the Philippines is either tropical rainforest, tropical savanna or tropical monsoon, or humid subtropical characterized by relatively high temperature, oppressive humidity and plenty of rainfall. There are two seasons in the country, the wet season and the dry season, based upon...
.
Flora
CornCorn
Corn is the name used in the United States, Canada, and Australia for the grain maize.In much of the English-speaking world, the term "corn" is a generic term for cereal crops, such as* Barley* Oats* Wheat* Rye- Places :...
and coconuts
COcOnuts
COcOnuts is the second album released by Jane, comprising Animal Collective member Panda Bear, and Scott Mou. It was originally self-released on CD-R's, but later became the first album released by Psych-o-path Records in 2005. The Psych-o-path version was remastered by Rusty Santos and Edik Kleyner....
are cultivated in the surrounding areas of the lake. Several rare orchids and a variety of herbs of medicinal value also grow along the shore of the lake.
Most of the original vegetation has disappeared, and even the small islet
Islet
An islet is a very small island.- Types :As suggested by its origin as islette, an Old French diminutive of "isle", use of the term implies small size, but little attention is given to drawing an upper limit on its applicability....
in the lake has been planted with coconuts. The only remaining area of aquatic vegetation is on the east side of the lake, where the water is shallow and there is a dense growth of submerged vegetation.
Soli-Soli is a type of grass that grow abundantly along the banks of the lake and one of the source of livelihood on the island. These grasses are harvested, dried and woven into different kinds of handicrafts such as bags, mats, hats and other decorative materials and then sold to the local and mainland market outlets. A festival is held annually celebrating the plant. See, Attractions.
Fauna
The lake supports a very rich fisheryFishery
Generally, a fishery is an entity engaged in raising or harvesting fish which is determined by some authority to be a fishery. According to the FAO, a fishery is typically defined in terms of the "people involved, species or type of fish, area of water or seabed, method of fishing, class of boats,...
, and most of the local residents are dependent on this resource for their subsistence.
The rich fish fauna
Fauna
Fauna or faunæ is all of the animal life of any particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is flora.Zoologists and paleontologists use fauna to refer to a typical collection of animals found in a specific time or place, e.g. the "Sonoran Desert fauna" or the "Burgess shale fauna"...
includes Tilapia
Tilapia
Tilapia , is the common name for nearly a hundred species of cichlid fish from the tilapiine cichlid tribe. Tilapia inhabit a variety of fresh water habitats, including shallow streams, ponds, rivers and lakes. Historically, they have been of major importance in artisan fishing in Africa and the...
, Common Carp
Common carp
The Common carp is a widespread freshwater fish of eutrophic waters in lakes and large rivers in Europe and Asia. The wild populations are considered vulnerable to extinction, but the species has also been domesticated and introduced into environments worldwide, and is often considered an invasive...
(Cyprinus carpio), Milkfish
Milkfish
The milkfish is the sole living species in the family Chanidae. - Description and biology :...
(Chanos chanos), Gobies
Glossogobius giuris
Glossogobius giuris is a goby of the Gobiidae family, available in the Bay of Bengal. It is said to be the largest of the Gobiinae species.- Appearance, Size and Colouration :...
(Glossogobius giuris) and Catfishes
Clarias
Clarias is a genus of catfishes of the family Clariidae, the airbreathing catfishes. The name is derived from the Greek chlaros, which means lively, in reference to the ability of the fish to live for a long time out of water....
(Clarias sp.). A wide variety of waterfowl
Waterfowl
Waterfowl are certain wildfowl of the order Anseriformes, especially members of the family Anatidae, which includes ducks, geese, and swans....
occur including Little Grebes (Tachybaptus ruficollis), Intermediate Egret
Intermediate Egret
The Intermediate Egret, Median Egret, or Yellow-billed Egret is a medium-sized heron. It is a resident breeder from east Africa across tropical southern Asia to Australia. It often nests in colonies with other herons, usually on platforms of sticks in trees or shrubs...
s, (Egretta intermedia), Purple Heron
Purple Heron
The Purple Heron is a wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, breeding in Africa, central and southern Europe, and southern and eastern Asia. The European populations are migratory, wintering in tropical Africa; the more northerly Asian populations also migrate further south within Asia...
s (Ardea purpurea) and Wandering Whistling Duck
Wandering Whistling Duck
The Wandering Whistling Duck is a species of whistling duck. They inhabit tropical and subtropical Australia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Islands . There are three subspecies associated with this bird. D. arcuata arcuata , D. arcuata australis , and D...
(Dendrocygna arcuata). The Estuarine Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) formerly inhabits the lake. From the Groombridge report (1982), the population was still healthy in 1978, but according to other reports, the last individual was killed in 1971. Monitor lizards (Varanus) can still be seen occasionally on its shore.
Lake Danao Park
Located in Sitio Patabog, in Brgy. Union, the municipal lake park is the place to go for fishing and boating, with spacious area for picnicking. Boats are available for rental in the park or launched from the wharf of the park.Soli-Soli Festival
Soli-Soli Festival is an annual festivalFestival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
celebrated in Lake Danao Park every 3rd Sunday of March, coinciding with the town fiesta
Fiesta patronal
The Fiestas patronales are yearly celebrations held in countries influenced by Spanish culture.A fiesta patronal is usually dedicated to a saint or virgin, who is the patron of whichever city holds the fiesta. Usually, town members adorn the town streets with colorful decorations and other things...
honoring Saint Joseph
Saint Joseph
Saint Joseph is a figure in the Gospels, the husband of the Virgin Mary and the earthly father of Jesus Christ ....
, the town's patron saint
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
. Extending throughout the island, the much-anticipated event is an occupational festival injected with religious sentiments of thanksgiving and devotion
Devotion
Devotion, devotional, or devotee may refer to:Religion:* devotional song* Devotional literature* Anglican devotions* Catholic devotions**Devotional medal* Bible study — called "devotion" or "devotional" by some Christian denominations...
shown through flamboyant colors, abundant food and fervent choreographed dancing.
Islets
The small island of Pajican has two interior islands of its own - Snake and Crocodile. The islets can be reached by boats or as part of the scenic lake cruise from Lake Danao Park.Hiking
A 11-mile (18 Km) hikingHiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
and cycling
Cycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
trail
Trail
A trail is a path with a rough beaten or dirt/stone surface used for travel. Trails may be for use only by walkers and in some places are the main access route to remote settlements...
encircles the entire perimeter
Perimeter
A perimeter is a path that surrounds an area. The word comes from the Greek peri and meter . The term may be used either for the path or its length - it can be thought of as the length of the outline of a shape. The perimeter of a circular area is called circumference.- Practical uses :Calculating...
of the lake.
External links
- Map of San Francisco town with Lake Danao from Cebu Daily Mirror.
- Images of Lake Danao Park from My Cebu Photo Blog.