Security tightened in Zambales lake as thieves target tourists
SAN ANTONIO, ZAMBALES—Police officers will be deployed to Mapanuepe Lake in nearby San Marcelino town after some tourists complained of losing their personal belongings to thieves, the local government said on Wednesday.
In a statement, Mayor Elmer Soria said he had ordered the local police to investigate the incident, saying this was already “alarming,” considering that the freshwater lake has been the town’s top tourist destination in the last two years.
Tourists often refer to Mapanuepe Lake as the “New Zealand of Zambales” since its surroundings are likened to the vast pastures and lush greenery in New Zealand.
The lake itself is nestled among hills and pine trees in the remote villages of Aglao, Buhawen and Pili, covering a 500-hectare private property.
According to Soria, police officers will help secure the area despite it being not government-owned.
He said he had also sought a dialogue with the local police, barangay officials and the management of the property to address the growing concern about security and avoid a similar incident.
Sold at market
In a report, Maj. Marvin Domacena, San Marcelino police chief, said a group of tourists lost a camera (valued at P150,000) and a wristwatch (worth P500,000) to thieves while camping by the lake.Domacena said the culprit managed to sneak into the victims’ tent around 1:30 a.m. while the group was gathering nearby.
“The following day, we identified the suspect when we found the stolen items being sold at very low prices at the public market in the nearby town of Castillejos,” he said.
But Domacena said the suspect had yet to be arrested as police officers were still trying to determine his whereabouts.
This was the first known report of theft in the area since the lake became popular right after mobility restrictions were eased amid the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022, though some believed there were similar unreported incidents.
“We are reminding campers and tourists to take extra precautions and secure their personal belongings to avoid this incident [from] happening again,” Soria said.
Arrivals
Data from the municipal tourism office showed that 7,138 tourists visited the lake during Holy Week from March 27 to March 31.
On Feb. 9 alone, which was a Chinese New Year holiday, at least 1,508 tourists visited the lake. It was the highest number of tourists ever recorded in the area in a single day.
The freshwater lake was formed following the major eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in 1991.
Pinatubo’s eruption caused lahar to block the flow of the Mapanuepe River that led to the flooding of the Mapanuepe Valley and nearby communities. In a section of the lake, the church steeple is the only visible part of a structure from the old community. INQ
