Cebu Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale called on tourism stakeholders in Badian town to consult with their counterparts in Alegria town for their proposed one week closure of the Matutinao River.
The river will be closed to the public from August 12-18 for cleanup. The Badian municipal council approved a resolution for this purpose. But Alegria Municipal Tourism Officer Rowena Mendez said they have not been informed about this.
Mendez said they have no plans to close their side of the river since they have scheduled clean-ups every last Monday of the month for the past two years.
Kanlaob River, which serves as the canyoneering site that runs through part of Alegria, ends at the Kawasan Falls of Badian.
The closure will start from the canyoneering drop off site in Barangay Sulsogan up to Barangay Matutinao bridge of Badian town.
The clean-up will be spearheaded by local officials of Badian together with tour operators and guides of the canyoneering sector and the Cebu II Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Cebeco).
Badian Tourism Officer Donald Villarin said they don’t have enough time to conduct a general clean-up every month. Residents who work as tour guides will not be displaced since they are part of the packaged tours of tour operators, he said./Candy Morr Baraga, STC Intern