Water at Tumalog Falls drops to ankle level

CEBU, Philippines — The low water level of Tumalog Falls in Oslob town, southern Cebu is “normal” and not a result of establishments using up water supply, a town official said.

Oslob Tourism Officer Elizabeth Benologa said the falls is not in danger of drying up, saying the lack of water is expected during the dry season.

“There's really not a lot of water during summer. What was normally hip-deep water becomes ankle-deep,” she said.

A photo of Tumalog Falls with less curtain of water is currently making rounds on social media. It was uploaded by Michelle Moreno, a tourist from Bulacan, on Facebook on March 4.

Moreno’s post was shared over 400 times and garnered over 600 reactions as of 7 p.m. Tuesday. She visited Tumalog Falls last February 20.

“Due to a lot of resorts being built and higher number of people now living in Barangay Luka, Oslob, Southern Cebu, the water consumption went up as well,” Moreno’s post read.

“As a solution they took water from the same source of water going to Tumalog Waterfalls and now there's no more curtain of water going down to it, only trickles. It's sad this has to happen and nature has to suffer. Its beauty diminishing along with time,” it added.

Benologa clarified that resorts do not directly get water from the falls, and that establishments work closely with the municipality when it comes to distribution of water supply.

"Ang mga resorts nag-agad sa advice sa municipality. Wala'y nanghakot og water supply," she said.

Joselito Costas, Cebu provincial tourism officer, said low water level can be a cause for concern as it may affect the livelihood of locals, including habalhabal (motorcycle-for-hire) drivers, tour guides and vendors, among others.

But it can also be taken as a sign that ecotourism sites need rest, he said.

"More tourists mean more water consumption and with the rising demand of water plus natural phenomenon of El Niño, water supply would likely to decrease,” he said. — Christele Isabela B. Basco, USC Intern KBQ (FREEMAN)