Once again, the mesmerizing and picturesque scenery of Lake Lanao, the oldest lake in the Philippines, took center stage during the spearheading of the Tour de Lake.
This event, organized by the Provincial Government of Lanao del Sur, aimed to bolster tourism in the area and attracted the participation of 200 registered bikers.
The Tour de Lake not only promotes physical wellness; it also provides participants to personally see the true grandeur of Lake Lanao.
With a history spanning about 2 million years, and encompassing a river basin covering at least 27 municipalities, Lake Lanao continues to inspire awe among those who are lucky enough to visit it.
Tour de Lake Head Organizer Anizam Lucman said Lake Lanao offers a unique biking experience due to its scenic beauty, challenging terrain, cool climate, low traffic, and cultural experience.
Its location at a higher elevation provides a pleasant and peaceful environment for bikers, especially during the hot summer months. The region's low traffic volume also ensures a safer and more peaceful environment for riders.
Experiencing Lake Lanao on a ride
Lucman shared that this was not their first time holding such an activity. Last year, the event was also conducted to highlight the essence of sports, particularly cycling's booming tourism, especially after the historic warfare in this city in 2017.
In the current year, he stated that they made sure to do the same event in time for the month-long celebration of the 64th Araw ng Lanao del Sur.
He detailed that there were four categories offered for participants aged 24-35, 35-44, 44-50, and 50 years old and above. All of them were bound to go around Lake Lanao, pedaling for 115 kilometers.
Awards were given to the top ten finishers, while freebies and food were handed over to those who participated until the end.
The organizer assured that everything went smoothly, with all their stations prepared and disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) personnel ready to respond to any untoward incidents.
With the successful conclusion of the event, Lucman conveyed his happiness and expressed gratitude to everyone who joined.
"Nagpapasalamat ang probinsya sa nag-participate kasi kung wala sila, walang Tour de Lake event. Salamat talaga," he said.
(The province is thankful to everyone who participated because, without them, there would be no Tour de Lake event. Thank you so much)
Lucman was likewise optimistic that with their activity, they would be able to give a boost to their province’s tourism.
"Actually, itong cycling, isa ito sa mga paraan para bumalik ang dating sigla ng mga taga-Marawi and Lanao del Sur (Actually, this cycling will be one of the ways that the former joy of those in Marawi City and Lanao del Sur will be restored)," he said.
Riders of Tour de Lake
Mayor Suharto Dimaporo of Binidayan town joined the activity, and as a cyclist who has been cycling for a long time and also has experience cycling in other places, he is elated that the provincial government is having this type of activity now.
"Mga 7 years na [akong cyclist]. Marami na rin akong experience. Syempre, magiging masaya ito kasi puro Maranao mga kasama nating cyclist ngayon, so magandang experience ito," he said.
(I have been a cyclist for about 7 years. I also have a lot of experience. Of course, it will be fun because our fellow cyclists are all Maranao, so it's a good experience)
Ali Alonto from Ditsaan-Ramain town, one of the bikers, also shared his Tour de Lake experience, saying, "I am excited because bikers from different municipalities participated in this event. Ang pinakaimportante kaya ako sumali (the most important reason why I joined) is to exercise and to have friends from different municipalities as well.
Jamalodin Hadjisohair from Binidayan town was also excited and happy to be able to participate again in the Tour de Lake. As he landed fourth place during the first tour, held last year, he shared that he was not expecting to be one of the placers for this year's tour, especially since he had not trained for the past few months.
He also hopes that through this activity, other citizens will be encouraged to participate in the coming years, as this is not just fun and exciting but also a good exercise for the body. (CRG/JND/PIA-10/Lanao del Sur)
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