PHOTO SCREENGRABBED FROM CEBU.GOV.PH
Nearly a year after the Cebu Provincial Government suspended it to sort things out, Suroy Suroy Sugbo will be launched tomorrow featuring towns and world-famous tourist spots down south as its first leg for 2018.
The first batch of tourists who will experience Suroy Suroy Sugbo for this year are expected to get a glimpse of whale sharks in the southeastern town of Oslob, trek around Aguinid Falls in Samboan town, experience the extreme sports of canyoneering in the towns of Badian and Alegria, and dive with a school of sardines in the seawaters of Moalboal, to name some.
Provincial Tourism Officer Joselito “Boboi” Costas said 37 tourists will take part in the first round of the Capitol’s tourism program for this year.
He also revealed that there will be three more legs for Suroy Suroy Sugbo in 2018.
The Capitol allocated P1.9 million for the implementation of four rounds Suroy Suroy Sugbo this year, including tomorrow’s pilot leg.
“We made sure we’re making lean means (of the budget). First, we cut down on a number of our staff from the provincial government going there. Second, we just made sure all the guests are welcomed and see a glimpse of what every town has to offer,” explained Costas.
Last April 2017, Suroy Suroy Sugbo was put on hold after the Commission on Audit (COA) issued an audit observation memorandum (AOM), requesting the Capitol to explain why they spent P11.4 million for Suroy Suroy tours, and P67.5 million for 26 brand-new tourist buses, but only earned P3.7 million in 2012.
Costas said packages for this year’s Suroy Suroy range from P8,000 to P11,000, depending on the type of accommodations tourists will avail.