MACARTHUR, Leyte – The mayor of this town disclosed that they are planning to make Lake Bito into an eco-tourism destination as families living along its banks have been transferred to safer areas.
According to Mayor Rene Leria, with the lake now free from wastes and harm due to the presence of the families, Bito has slowly regained its natural beauty.
“When residents were still living along Lake Bito, a laboratory test conducted on its water showed that there was a high presence of coliform bacteria. But now that the residents were relocated, it goes back to normal level,” Leria said.
Surrounded by a mountain and rice fields, Lake Bito is a picturesque 115 hectares freshwater lake that is located about 5 kilometers away from the town proper of MacArthur.
The lake used to cover more than 200 hectares but due to siltation, its area was reduced to just 115 hectares.
The lake is also one of sites in the province that is often visited by migratory birds.
“But we still need to carefully plan this. Our town has not enough budget for this project but we are eager to develop Lake Bito into an eco-tourism destination to boost livelihood of locals resident in Villa Imelda,” Mayor Leria said.
The lake is a major source of livelihood among its residents that operates tilapia fish pens, while others are collecting fresh water shellfish they sell in their village and its neighboring area. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
