Less funds, more fun. Less funds used, but more time for fun.
This sums up the three-day, three town Suroy Suroy Sugbo 2014 Camotes Isles Summer Interlude which kicked off Thursday in Tudela town.
“Sulit kaayo siya, we are able to enjoy and stay for many hours and we can also buy some souvenir items and delicacies,” said 66-year-old Jimmy Tiu, a balikbayan from California. (We got our money’s worth.)
The devastation of Supertyphoon Yolanda was not evident in the white sand beachline, waterfalls and lakes, sumptuous food and delicacies and colorful cultural presentations by the towns that participated in the provincial government’s tourism project.
Tudela Mayor Erwin Yu beamed as he enumerated the attractions in the Camotes island group which he said could be enjoyed all year round.
Suroy participants assembled at the provincial Capitol at 6:30 a.m. Thursday and boarded an air-conditioned tour bus for an hour-long trip to the Danao wharf where they boarded a ferry for San Francisco town. Arriving at the Consuelo wharf at 11:30 a.m., they were welcomed by
schoolchildren doing the “Soli-Soli Festival” dance. Each participant was also given a lei made of shells.
Lunch was served at the Busay Falls in barangay General in Tudela, a new spot added in the Suroy tour package. Participants were served lechon, “takla” (small lobster), shell, grilled fish, sweet potato, “budbod”, banana and hanging rice (puso) as they sat with their feet immersed in the cold flowing water from the lake.
A zipline that used to be set up in the area was destroyed by the typhoon. Mayor Yu said they’re still working to restore the zipline.
Next stop was Bukilat Cave, about 6km from the Tudela town proper. An elderly woman performed a ritual outside the cave to seek the permission of the spirits dwelling in the cave to allow the visitors in.
A 28-year-old doctor, Jose Mariano Tan of Lahug, Cebu City, enjoyed the sights along with his mother and a group of balikbayans.
“The experience was really great. I will really come back here,” he said.
The mayor said they spent P20,000 this year, lower than the P100,000-budget for the previous tours.
The Sto. Niño Church in Poro was also one of the stops where guests prayed before proceeding to the Buho Rock Resort in barangay West Poblacion, Tudela where they were served puto, banana cue, biko and other native food while the Cebuano folk song, “Usahay” was played in the background before dancers performed the “Tagbo Festival”.
Poro Mayor Boy Rama said their preparations this year cost P40,000 unlike the P300,000 for last year. They cut the number of performers to save on costs.
There was a fluvial parade by local fishermen before guests were taken to the San Francisco bay walk for dinner.
The second day had Lake Danao in San Francisco in the itinerary. Surrounded by six barangays – Union, Esperanza, Sta. Cruz, Cabonga-an, Campo and North Poblacion – the lake had an islet called “Isyang” at the center which the guests reached by riding on a boat and where wild ducks were seen.
A souvenir shop sold “bukayo”, “bukarilyo”, bread (with bukarilyo filling), coconut, native vinegar, dried tilapia, and vegetables to guests.
Tiu, who is scheduled to leave for California this June, plans to extend his stay in Cebu so he can join the next Suroy Suroy Sugbo in Midwest this June.
They were treated to a traditional game of “palosebo” wherein kids attempt to climb a greasy bamboo pole.
Pink and green sky lanterns adorned the sky at the coast of San Franciso on their last night where the guests stayed. The tour ended at the 3:30 p.m. yesterday at the Capitol grounds.