Towns to adopt uniform canyoneering guidelines

Officials of three towns in southwestern Cebu have agreed to come up with uniform guidelines governing canyoneering adventure tours in the Kanlaob river.

Alegria Mayor Verna Magallon said the towns of Moalboal and Badian will adopt the same guidelines that tour guides and visitors would be bound to follow to avert a repeat of an accident in June in which a popular tour guide was killed.

“This is to promote the safety measures of our tourist and as well as our tour guides,” Magallon told Cebu Daily News.

Officials representing the three towns as well as representatives from the Department of Tourism and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources will meet on the second week of September to finalize the guidelines.

Canyoneering activities remain suspended following the death of Aldrin Carba, the tour guide credited for introducing canyoneering in Kanlaob river. The adventure tour will resume once the guidelines are in place.

“We need these guidelines before we can resume the operations at Kanlaob river. It’s the safety of everyone that is important to us,” Magallon said. He added that tour guides will be made to undergo training to familiarize them with the guidelines.

“We want them to be certified or licensed tour guides. We are now strict in terms of safety measures. We don’t want accidents to happen again,” she told CDN.

Aside from barangay Compostela in Alegria, adventurers and canyoneering guides also pass through the Kawasan Falls in barangay Matutinao in Badian.

Matutinao Councilman Delia Duque said there were guides in Kawasan Falls who lead visitors in going to Kanlaob river before the accident happened.