Magpale: Less expensive staging of 2014 Suroy-Suroy sa Sugbo

CEBU, Philippines - Although a bigger budget has been allocated for this year, the Cebu Provincial Government would minimize expenses for the Suroy-Suroy Sugbo program, which is set on Jan. 22 to 24.

"We will be very cautious sa among mga (in our) expenditures karon (this time). It will be cheaper," Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale said.

The Cebu Provincial Board has actually approved a P5-million allocation for the Suroy-Suroy Sugbo in 2014, which is bigger compared to last year's P3 million.

Of the amount, P2 million is for travelling expenses, P10,000 is identified as subsidy to each of the local government units participating in the program, and advertising and rent expenses is budgeted P600,000.

Other expenses include office equipment and supplies, trainings, fuel, water, vehicle maintenance.

In an audit report for Capitol expenses for 2012, the Commission on Audit (COA) had said that while Suroy-Suroy Sugbo is laudable program promoting Cebu as a prime tourist destination, expenses for it should be reduced.

In response, Magpale, who heads the BP committee on tourism, told COA that they have made changes, particularly on the cutting down of expenses.

She was acting governor when she responded to the audit report, which mentioned a number of "deficiencies" on expenses that have reached P11.46 million in 2012 when the budget allocation was just P10.7 million.

For this year, the Capitol would minimize expenses for food and limiting the number of non-paying guests, whom the vice governor said outnumbered the paying ones last year.

Magpale said she is giving the Suroy-Suroy expenses a tighter watch because of the COA report, which particularly questioned the amount spent for food served to each municipality.

"There were some wines nga gi-charge sa food. So, it (food expenses) came out really expensive," she said.

The number of destinations would also be reduced, although she did not disclose which from last year's list would be dropped. She suggested, though, the inclusion of Mantalongon in Dalaguete town as one of the stops.

Suroy-Suroy was first launched in 2005 by the Balik Cebu Group as part of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry's Cebu Business Month celebration.

It was later adopted as a Provincial tourism project and was institutionalized by the present administration through an ordinance authored by PB Member Arleigh Jay Sitoy.

The ordinance also provides for a trust fund where all revenue collected from the program should be deposited.

Magpale emphasized that Suroy-Suroy Sugbo's purpose is not to raise revenues; rather, it is meant to promote tourism destinations in the different towns and to instill pride of place in the Cebuanos, for them to be aware of the potentials of their respective towns and appreciate their distinct culture and heritage.

During the time of then governor now 3rd district Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia, there were at least four legs of the Suroy-Suroy; but when Magpale took over as acting governor in December 2012 after Garcia was suspended, she opted to have it held only in southern Cebu and in Camotes Island.

For 2014, the Capitol has yet to finalize the list of possible destinations.

As of Friday, it has already booked 85 twin-sharing rooms for the activity, with a maximum of 200 balikbayan participants expected to join. (FREEMAN)