ZIP-A-DEE-DO-DAH: Taking an Ethereal Ride to Freedom

Butch Ledesma Ferrer

Like a taxiing aircraft it hums in low-decibel whizz as it darts above you, from one end to another in a jiffy. Like the Christopher Reeve – Margot Kidder movie, one is wont to ask: Is it a plane? Or is it a bird? The answers will definitely be a No! But if the question continues if it is Superman, you get a ready answer – “No, silly! It is not Superman, but yes, it is a man, or a woman, or a child, flying on a zip line! As Superman flies over New York skylines in a zap, the zip rider flies over tall tree canopies of an unexplored forest, over the second... then third.... then fourth.... and fifth Dongon Falls - all in 40 seconds max for the first ride and 26 seconds for the second ride. If Superman saves the world in the heroic fantasy, the zip rider owns it in exhilarating reality! If Superman flies only in theatres around the world, a zip rider does that only here in South Cotabato, in the enchanting Municipality of Lake Sebu.

Lake Sebu Seven Falls Eco-tourism Development Project started in 2008 when the Provincial Government realized its potentials as an eco-tourism adventure destination. With a unique site blessed with seven waterfalls, the vision of the Dongon family-owned property being South Cotabato’s pilot tourist destination for sight-seeing became bigger as adventure came into the picture. Driven by the gut feel that the waterfalls could be most appreciated from the sky, looking down, a plan to establish two zip lines, 740 meters long (first ride, breezing through falls No. 2 to No. 5) and 420 meters long (second ride, from falls No. 5 back to falls No. 2 parking area), crossing through these natural wonders was hatched. Construction of a trek trail, entrance gates, comfort rooms and gazebo took shape and the highest zip lines in Asia took form. Soon the zip lines became the talk of the town, hugging headlines as adventure destination on TV such as ABS-CBN’s Sports Unlimited, GMA’s promotional trailers and offered as ultimate adventure experience by travel agencies.

Operation started on November 2009 with the Provincial Environment Management Office at the helm. Zip line fee is 250 per head, exclusive of the entrance fees to the Seven Falls. In a month’s time, the Province recorded 140, 455 tourist arrivals, 645 zip riders earning P141, 100.00 gross receipts in December. With its growing popularity, year 2010 raked in 2.8M gross receipts with 205, 984 tourist arrivals and 11, 464 riders. On October 8, 2010, the management of this adventure facility was turned over from PEMO to the Arts, Culture, Tourism and Sports Promotions Office which had a better hand in promoting and handling tourist influx in South Cotabato. This year, in just five months (Jan-May) of operation, the facility earned 1.7M with 23, 219 registered tourist arrivals and 6, 778 zip riders. Due to the growing maintenance requirements, zip line riding fee is increased at P300 per head effective July 1, 2011.

What’s in a zip line anyway? One would ask. You can never tell what’s in it until you gather all the guts in you and take a ride to freedom. It is one exhilarating ride of a life time soaring like a bird conquering space and speed. At first there are the jitters. Just thinking about the height and the morbid thoughts of so many "what-ifs" may stall you from taking the chance to zip. Guts are all it takes. With the overwhelming feeling of unease due to excitement or nervousness, you are tempted to back track. But listening to zip riders who survived the height with all that euphoric comments, you just couldn’t do enough but close your eyes and feel the excitement as two people strap you to the harness, checking all connections and start with a radio message to the landing station with your estimated weight. And with a push, off you go to a ride of endless possibilities – the feeling of being airborne, the sense of being free, the rare chance of zipping through the most beautiful scenery, the privilege of seeing vivid rainbows over the falls and the victorious moments of surviving the ride – best enjoyed with eyes wide-open as you negotiate the height and speed because just below lurk the most beautiful gifts God had created, all in its raging glory. Fear dissolves the very moment you set your eyes below, mesmerism and amazement take over – and that may yet take you to a decision of coming back because two rides are just not enough.....again and again, singing “zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-dey, wonderful feeling, wonderful day!”