Sporting event in sacred Tboli Lake Holon sparks backlash over cultural, environmental concerns
GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 29 October) – A viral video showing athletes swimming across Lake Holon, a site sacred to the Tboli Indigenous people, has sparked backlash and questions over whether organizers secured the required environmental clearance.
The clip, posted on October 27, a day after the event, by travel vlogger Angkol Jun Adventure, shows participants diving into the mist-covered lake despite the rain as spectators cheer with loud music playing.
The post, captioned “Witness the first ever Aquathlon held in Lake Holon,” has since drawn more than 892,000 views, 8,600 reactions, 758 comments, and 1,800 shares as of Tuesday evening.
The event, called the Holonman Aquathlon 2025, was held on October 26, starting at the Lake Holon campsite and finishing at the Salacafe Receiving Area. It combined open-water swimming and trail running and was joined by 22 participants.
Lake Holon is part of the Mount Melibingoy Protected Landscape in South Cotabato, managed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) through the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB).
Permit questioned
Many online users expressed dismay over the choice of venue, saying Lake Holon should remain a quiet, protected space rather than a sporting site. Some asked who authorized the activity, while others called on authorities to uphold the area’s protected status.
Sharing the video, Cirilo Aguadera Lagnason Jr., a Protected Area Superintendent with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), said the event lacked a required PAMB clearance – a violation under protected area rules.
“The fact remains that a PAMB clearance was not secured prior to its conduct, a basic requirement for any activity inside the Protected Area. This already constitutes a violation,” Lagnason wrote in an October 28 Facebook post.
He also questioned whether the local government was “compromising the brand of a pristine and peaceful Lake Holon by allowing such activities,” warning that this might mark “the beginning of a noisier and more commercialized Lake Holon experience.”
Lagnason said DENR personnel had previously reminded the organizers about the need to secure a PAMB clearance as early as July.
“This is frustrating. The people deserve clarification,” he added.
Organizers defend event
As criticism spread online, the Holonman Organizing Team issued a statement Tuesday afternoon, saying the activity was a small-scale dry run aimed at promoting environmental awareness, not commercial gain.
“Our goal was never to disrespect or take advantage of the sacredness of Lake Holon, but to help raise awareness about protecting it in its natural, pristine state,” the team wrote on Facebook, adding that the event was not commercial and observed a strict “Leave No Trace” policy.
Holonman organizers said they coordinated with local stakeholders and ensured that no one received payments or prizes for joining.
Their statement, however, drew further criticism online. Many netizens questioned the team’s claim that the aquathlon was merely a “small dry run,” interpreting it as a sign that more sporting events might be planned in the sacred lake.
Commenting on the organizers’ post, Ben Cris, who first visited the area in 2011, said conservation used to be strictly observed – from seasonal climbing schedules to limits on noise and movement near the lake.
“Before, everyone was strict about conservation – even cutting a branch or being too loud was prohibited. You could drink and swim in the lake, but people did so with respect,” he recalled.
He added that while he supports outdoor sports, events like an aquathlon “will not help conserve [Lake Holon’s] sacredness.”
Expert warns of ecological impact
In an online interview with MindaNews, marine biologist and Tboli local Jenny Mae Cojugacion Saul said the aquathlon could disturb Lake Holon’s fragile ecosystem and disrespect its sacred value to the Tboli people.
She explained that movement and noise from swimming can stress fish and other aquatic life, while runoff from personal products like soap or toothpaste can alter the lake’s water quality.
“For a pristine and sacred lake like Holon, even small changes matter. This place is not just part of nature – it’s part of our identity as Tboli people,” she said.
Saul added that the organizers and the local government should have first secured a PAMB clearance and conducted an environmental assessment before the event.
She stressed that Lake Holon “has always been a sanctuary of peace and spirituality” and should not be turned into a sporting venue.
Participant: ‘Don’t blame athletes’
One participant, Esther Danao, said competitors joined under the belief that organizers had completed all requirements.
“We joined with the trust that the organizers had obtained approval from the local authorities,” Danao wrote in a comment on Lagnason’s post, who earlier questioned the event’s lack of clearance.
Danao said the group cleaned up their area before leaving and even picked up trash left by other campers. She also noted that the campsite had already been noisy and crowded the night before the race.
“The noise and crowding have already become a norm long before the race even happened,” she said, adding that most of those campers were guests and not participants.
Awaiting LGU response
As of Tuesday evening, the Municipal Government of T’boli had yet to release an official statement. MindaNews has reached out for comment.
The controversy has reignited calls for stricter oversight of tourism and recreational activities at Lake Holon, which only reopened in March after a two-month ecological rest to recover from heavy tourist activity. (MindaNews / Guia A. Rebollido)
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