Cebu sets Holy Week edition of Suroy-Suroy

CEBU, Philippines —  The Cebu provincial government has announced the schedule for the Suroy-Suroy tour packages offered to tourists from different parts of the country who want to visit Cebu during the pre-Holy Week and Holy Week.

The Capitol said that a four-day, three-night stay is being offered in different accommodation facilities in northern and southern Cebu, including the islands of Bantayan and Malapascua.

Tourist have the choice when to visit Cebu from these dates -- March 22 to March 25, March 29 to April 1, April 5 to April 8, and April 12 to 15, 2021.

According to Sugbo News, Capitol's news arm, there are three categories for the package rates, which cover accommodation rates for rooms good for two persons, airfare, transportation from airport to destinations, tour operator, tour guide, travel essentials kit, and lunch meals.

The package rates vary depending on the accommodation tourists intend to avail of.

A special lane at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport will be put up for arriving tourists who booked for the Suroy-Suroy Sugbo tour packages.

Tourists within Cebu island need not pay for the plane ticket in the tour package. Their pick- up point will be at the Capitol grounds.

The launch of the Pre-Holy Week and Holy Week Suroy-Suroy Sugbo tour packages is on March 16.

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia will lead the activity, together with the Department of Tourism-7, Department of Trade and Industry-7, Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA), GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation (GMCAC), airline companies Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air, and Air Asia, hotel and resort owners, and tour operators.

The tour packages were conceptualized in a bid to boost the ailing tourism industry in the province, which was badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Unsa may akong tinguha? We are trying to give as much opportunity as possible to as many resorts because I know you are all suffering. If I could only alleviate that suffering perfectly… but I cannot. I hope that for the majority of you, we can, at least, help,” Garcia said during her meeting with the tourism stakeholders on March 11.

Garcia earlier issued an executive order that laid down guidelines for tourists from other provinces who want to visit Cebu with eased restrictions.

Cebu province has dropped the RT-PCR test requirement for tourist. What is only needed is a medical certificate issued by a reputable doctor seven days prior to the travel date and proof of the pre-booked reservation at the hotel or resort they will be staying in Cebu province.

The visitor must also pass the symptoms checking at the point of departure and point of arrival. — JMD (FREEMAN)