CEBU, Philippines - The tourist spots in Camotes Islands in northern Cebu did not disappoint local and foreign tourists on day one of the three-day Suroy-Suroy Sugbo, a countryside tour package of the Cebu provincial government.
Camotes got its name from the rootcrop camote (sweet potato), which is abundant on the islands, composed of four municipalities – Poro, San Francisco, Tudela, and Pilar.
Alex Ong, 66, a banker from Cebu City describes the island “amazing and beautiful.”
He joins the Suroy-Suroy with his wife, sister, nieces and former colleague.
Ong says his mother was born in Camotes but it is his first time to visit the island.
“It’s good to be here. I was a bit emotional because finally naa nako sa birthplace sa akong mama,” he tells The Freeman.
“Bilib kaayo ko sa pag-organize sa tour. Very systematic. I’m in awe sa mga tourist spots. I’ve been to different places in the country, but Camotes is far beautiful,” he says.
Yesterday, air-conditioned buses brought around 100 participants to Poro town, home of the Boho Rock Resort famous for its cliff-jumping activity. The resort is two kilometers from the Poro port and has a panoramic view atop a cliff.
Participants also experienced the sandy beaches in San Francisco and Poro towns and visited the century-old Sto. Niño Church in Poro. There, they experienced the “patunob” during which the image of the Sto. Nino is placed close to a person’s body to heal ailments.
In Tudela town, the participants entered the famous Bukilat cave located in Barangay McArthur, six kilometers away from the town proper. The cave is named after the man who discovered it who reports say hid there to elude Japanese soldiers during World War II.
The cave evokes a mystical feel – what with its ceiling up to four stories high through which natural light streams down a natural dark pool touched only by water dripping from stalactites.
Besides the cave itself, the entrance ritual is itself a unique experience for visitors. This is because the visitor’s fate lies solely on an egg. If the egg ‘stands’ still when placed on a plate, the visitor can enter the cave. If the egg does not, the visitor can’t enter because this means the cave’s ‘residents – witches, fairies, mermaids, agta (a mythical giant who lives on treetops and smokes a cigar) – do not welcome the visitor.
Yesterday, participants waited with bated breath as a native of the island performed the ritual and heaved a collective sigh of relief and clapped happily when the egg stood upright.
Aside from feasting their eyes on the sights, the participants also feasted on local delicacies like the cassava cookies.
A white-themed party at Santiago Bay capped the first day of the tour.
Today, the trip will offer the “Sunrise Cruise on Lake Danao” for the first time.
The tour package includes a three-day and two-night stay in two of the hotels and resorts in Camotes, transportation and full board meals, which costs at least P7,000 and up to P11,000.
Over the years, the program has attracted a mix of balikbayans, foreign and local tourists.
It was launched in 2005 by the Balik Cebu Group as part of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Cebu Business Month celebration to promote Cebu’s tourism industry.
The province adopted the program during the time of former governor and current Third District Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia.
The program was institutionalized by the present administration through an ordinance approved by the Cebu Provincial Board. – (FREEMAN)