2 south Cebu LGUs agree to co-manage canyoneering

Local government officials of Alegria and Badian in southwest Cebu have agreed to the proposal of Gov. Hilario Davide III for them to co-manage the lucrative canyoneering activity in the two towns.

This was announced by Governor Davide after he emerged from a closed-door meeting with Badian Mayor Carmencita Librando-Lumain and Alegria Mayor Verna Magallon at past noon yesterday.

“Both parties agreed to have control over the canyoneering activity that covers the two local government units (LGUs). Both are willing kay ilaha pud gusto dili awayan ba (because they don’t want to get into a quarrel over this matter),” Davide said.

However, the governor said that there were still issues like boundary dispute that came out during the meeting that lasted for almost three hours.

The meeting was set after a boundary dispute between the two towns surfaced over the canyoneering activity on the river rapids that starts from Barangay Compostela in Alegria town and ends in Kawasan Falls in Barangay Matutinao, Badian.

“Right now they are still discussing the boundary dispute and we hope nga magkasinabtanay gyud (that they would agree). That is a nature’s gift (the Kanlaob River), which is shared by Alegria and Badian,” he said.

In order to achieve the co-management agreement, both Alegria and Badian are required to pass an ordinance on canyoneering.

Lumain said that as of now, canyoneering activities are conducted separately by the two towns until they can draft guidelines and policies that will be submitted to the Capitol.

“Status quo lang una, iya-iya mi og himo sa (we will draft separate) guidelines to be submitted to the province and sila na bahala mo (they will) consolidate it),” Lumain said.

Canyoneering activities resumed last September 1 after it was suspended for two months because of safety and security issues.

In a separate interview, Magallon said that during their meeting, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-7) presented the findings of their survey that Kanlaob River belongs to Alegria.

However, Badian Councilor Edwin Celeste said in an earlier interview that the river does not entirely belong to Alegria based on the cadastral survey, but only a bigger part of it. But based on municipal boundary, Celeste said a bigger portion of the river belongs to Badian.

But since Badian raised the issue on boundary dispute, Alegria Mayor Magallon said they would heed the request of Davide and Vice Governor Agnes Magpale, who was also present during the meeting, to have a win-win solution to the problem.

Another meeting will be arranged after the two towns submit their respective draft ordinance, policies and guidelines on canyoneering.