Camotes mayors pose for a photo with Governor Gwen Garcia during the closing ceremony of the Camotes leg of Suroy Suroy Sugbo on May 12. CDN Digital photo | Niña Mae Oliverio
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Camotes group of Islands will become more enchanting than ever before.
This is after Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia announced that the provincial government would be giving financial support worth P3 million each for all the towns of Pilar, San Francisco, Tudela, and Poro.
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P12 million cash assistance
Amounting to P12 million in total, the cash assistance will be primarily for the infrastructure projects of the towns.
Garcia announced this during her speech on the second and last day of the ‘Suroy Suroy Sugbo: Enchanting 1 Camotes Island’ on Sunday, May 12, in the Municipality of Poro, the final stop of the tourism program’s Camotes leg.
Bright smiles were seen on the faces of the four mayors of Camotes, who were there present, listening to the announcement.
Meanwhile, the governor also expressed her gratitude and appreciation for the efforts of all the locals in Camotes for showcasing the best of their towns and for the successful hosting of the Camotes leg.
“[It] was the most wonderful, touching, and funtastic expression of unity right here in Camotes Island,” Garcia said.
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4 Camotes towns: More aid from Senator Lapid
Apart from the P3 million that each of the towns will receive, Senator Manuel “Lito” Lapid will also be providing cash support to the town of Pilar.
Lapid announced on Saturday, May 11, that his office will be providing financial assistance worth P1 million to the Municipality of Pilar.
The senator, along with his son, Mark Lapid, were invited by Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia as guests of the tourism program’s Camotes leg.
Lapid announced this in his speech during Suroy Suroy Sugbo: Enchanting 1 Camotes Island’s first stop, which was in Pilar, specifically in Ponson Island.
Lapid told the reporters that the budget was needed by the residents mainly for the development of their town as well as for the underprivileged people.
Lapid added that he would also allot another assistance for the infrastructure.
The senator said the assistance will be done through the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (DSWD-AICS) program.
Lapid said that he would wait for the request of the town’s mayor to send his office a letter requesting how much Pilar needs for infrastructure projects.
“Para alam ko kung magkano ang ibibigay ko. Yun kasi, walang presyo ang ibibigay ko for infrastructure,” Lapid said.
Lapid said it was his first time visiting the town through the governor’s invitation.
He said that the moment he received the invitation, he did not have second thoughts about visiting.
Lapid said that he was also planning to provide assistance to the other municipalities in Camotes.
Development of wharf
Meanwhile, in a separate interview with Pilar Mayor Manuel Santiago, he said that he was thankful for the support that the senator would be giving to them.
The development of their wharf or “pantalan” is what the mayor of Pilar plans to spend the financial assistance from Lapid.
Santiago, however, could not yet lay out his plans or the infrastructure project he is eyeing to pursue yet.
“But eventually, it will go down to the benefit of the Pilaranons in the name of Senator Lapid, of course,” he said.
Although he could not specify what project it might be, Santiago said that they might use the assistance for the development of their wharf.
“Mao nang agianan (wharf) sa economic activities. Importante kaayo ang pantalan,” Santiago said.
“Sa pagkakaron, roll on, roll off na siya, duha ka sakyanan. Ang byahe is from Hagutapay to Pilar, then Ormoc, then balik dayon paghapon… Naa pod tay Pilar to Danao City,” Santiago added.
The mayor said that developing their wharf could expand their economic activities.
“Duna nyay influx unya sa mga turista,” Santiago said.
Corn production cassava products for commercial purposes, hoping the farmers could earn money unlike before nga for consumption.
The Suroy Suroy Sugbo: Enchanting 1 Camotes Island drew at least 450 participants.
It was a two-day excursion from May 11-12, that showcased the culture and tourist spots of the four towns in the northeastern Cebu.