Two LP mayors note benefits of Suroy-Suroy

CEBU, Philippines - At least two opposition mayors in western Cebu have admitted that their municipalities have benefitted from the Suroy-Suroy Sugbo tourism caravan.

Pinamungajan Mayor Geraldine Yapha said that because of the Suroy-Suroy, which was initiated by Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, people who seldom visit the Midwest now know more about the town.

One of the places tourists have started to frequent is the Hidden Valley in Barangay Lamac. Aside from this, Yapha said the town is also home to caves that can be developed as tourism destinations.

Yapha said the town started making its presence felt in the tourism industry when it created its Pamuhuan Festival in response to Garcia’s call for the town to create its own festival. 

Meanwhile, Tuburan Mayor Democrito Diamante who is on his first year as local chief executive said he is also supporting the Suroy-Suroy.

It was the third time that the caravan explored the Midwest municipalities over the weekend, but Diamante said it was the first time for him to lead in hosting more than 200 guests. He said

Diamante is hoping that Garcia’s visit to Tuburan over the weekend may be the first of many visits in the future.

Tuburan takes pride of far-off mountain barangays. The famous Molobolo spring has been a favorite tourist destination while the Marmol Cliff has always held visitors in awe with its smooth wall and spring beneath, which never dries up even in long droughts.

The Tuburan government has initiated a Tourism Master Plan which is geared towards the development of the municipality’s nature endowments, landmarks, facilities, and amenities in order to boost its tourism industry.

The two-day Midwest trail visited the towns of Balamban, Asturias, Tuburan, Tabuelan, Aloguinsan, Pinamungajan and ended with participants of the Suroy-Suroy witnessing the Hinulawan Festival in Toledo City last night.

Yapha and Diamante both belong to the Liberal Party.

The sentiments of the two mayors run contrary to the campaign of LP gubernatorial candidate Hilario Davide III who said in 2010 that he would abolish the Suroy-Suroy if he would win as governor. He eventually lost to Garcia.

Davide had said that he remained unconvinced by the Suroy-Suroy, saying that the use of public funds to maintain the caravan has not been justified by a “productive impact” on Cebuanos. — (FREEMAN)