San Francisco eyed as Cebu's next tourism hub

CEBU, Philippines - Eyed as the next tourism hub in Cebu, the municipality of San Francisco in Camotes Islands has started its preparations to boost the tourism industry of the town.

With the famous Lake Danao, white sand beaches, Soli-Soli Festival and unique native products, San Francisco has foreseen that with continuous efforts, the town will be known to tourists all over the world.

San Francisco Mayor Alfredo Arquillano said that to prepare for an imminent progress, they have first focused their activities in preservation and beautification of their natural heritage through improving and maintaining the cleanliness of the town.

By inciting awareness among the residents, they strictly enforced the Solid Waste Management through the conduct of water treatment, waste segregation and banning of activities that would destroy the environment like burning of solid wastes.

“Aside from our beautiful natural spots, we are proud that it is peaceful here, we have no pollution and no traffic,” Arquillano said.

Head of Tourism Council and Vice-Mayor Allan Arquillano said that San Francisco’s solid waste management starts in the household level.

The municipality has a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), which makes them part of the less than one percent compliant local government units that have established an MRF, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

DENR mandated that all LGUs must have an MRF under Republic Act 9003 or Ecological Solid Waste Management. Compliance rate in Central Visayas pegged at less than one percent which makes San Francisco one of the pioneer and model municipalities.

Alfredo said that there are no infrastructures yet in the town because they made an ordinance first to protect their nature. Once they could already manage, they will open themselves to infra-developments, he added.

With their ordinance on nature preservation, they are strictly protecting Lake Danao which is the largest and the only natural lake in Cebu. It is a 700-hectare freshwater that used to be a crocodile habitat until all were hunted down.

The lake paved the way for the growth of “soli-soli,” a lake grass that has given residents nearby a source of income. Local residents use the grass to weave mats. It is also where the Soli-Soli festival was named after.

Soli-Soli festival is characterized by choreographed dances displayed in dazzling colors and intricate steps that imitate the harvesting and weaving of soli-soli.

Beaches, on the other hand, are also properly maintained by regulating their commercialization. The coastal barangays of San Francisco built marine sanctuaries for sustainability of fish catch.

In San Francisco, investors have expressed interest in developing a portion of the town into an airport to improve the town’s accessibility.

Alfredo said that they are just waiting for the memorandum of agreement to be signed by the province allowing Mactan Cebu International Airport to develop the area. — Jessica Ann R. Pareja/WAB (THE FREEMAN)