Suroy Suroy guests find south Cebu ‘beautiful’

A lively band of town residents greets guests arriving at the 230-year-old parish church of Patrocinio de Maria in Boljoon town. (CDN PHOTO/CHOY ROMANO)

Vistors marvelled at two waterfalls, an island with a pristine  white sandbar, 200-year-old stone churches and at every stop, native food served with welcoming smiles.

About 200 guests of the Suroy Suroy sa Sugbo caravan wound up their three-day tour of southern Cebu on Friday with a new appreciation for towns outside the metropolis.

“Cebu is beautiful,” said Jun Ilagan, a Pampanga native based in California, USA, one of several balikbayans on the post-Sinulog tour which ferried guests in air-conditioned coasters of the Cebu provincial government.

“On the way, I didn’t see too much garbage. It’s much more progressive in this island,” he said.

He and travelmates visited a  two-century-old Augustinian church in Boljoon town,  and a newer monastery-church in Simala, Sibgonga town which continues to draw crowds of pilgrims with accounts of miracles and answered prayers.

Ilagan said the structures, both old an dnew, were concrete evidence of the Cebuanos’ deeply rooted faith in God.

He said he appreciated the Suroy Suroy tour’s variety of nature spots and  man-made wonders. Buses earlier took visitors to the Kawasan Waterfalls in Badian and Mantayupan Falls in Barili.

A guest gets ready for a raft ride with Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale (behind in yellow T-shirt) in Kawasan Falls in Badian town. (CDN PHOTO/ CHOY ROMANO)

SUMILON ISLAND

On Thursday, rough seas and a mild drizzle failed to stop balikbayans and tourists from taking a 15-minute boat ride to the island of Sumilon in Oslob town.
Waves slammed their two motorized bancas back and forth, causing a few dizzy spells.

Janet Tigas, an American, got sea sick in the  bumpy ride but said the blue, crystal-clear waters of Sumilon island  was worth the trip.

“It was still worth it. The sights are beautiful and the food was great,” said the 65-year-old native of Kentucky, USA.

She and other guests had a chance take a quick look around the 24-hectare island and try out some activities offered by the Sumilon Blue Water Resort.

After lunch on the beachfront, some guests waded in the  pristine waters of the island’s natural sandbar.

When the drizzle stopped, some took the opportunity to ride a kayak around the resort’s lagoon and feed fish in the marine sanctuary.Others  took a dip in the infinity pool overlooking the shore.

Visible from the coast of Oslob town, Sumilon can be reached through a motorized banca from a port in barangay Bangcogon.

Diving enthusiasts often flock to the island for its rich marine life and coral reefs. Sumilon Island used to  be a government marine sanctuary before it was acquired by the resort, which continues the special protection.

OSLOB

After the three-hour stopover in Sumilon, guests sailed back to the mainland and went to Oslob’s town plaza where they were greeted by dancers of the town’s Tuslob festival.

Tour guides led them around heritage structures in the plaza including the remains of a Spanish period stone watchtower or “baluarte.”

Earlier in the day, they visited Samboan’s century-old St. Michael the Archangel’s parish and had refreshments in the grass courtyard, where they were  serenaded by performers.

In each town of the tour, local public school teachers got on the bus and served as guides to give basic information about the town and its history.

Gloria Ferjoles, a grade school teacher in Santander, amused participants by cracking jokes and passing around samples of the town’s native delicacies.

At the request of bus riders, she sang Visayan folksongs such as “Usahay” and “Langkaw.”

“I’m really happy that you are all having fun. Just enjoy the moment and have fun in Cebu!” she told them.

MORE RELAXING

Tigas, who  joined the same tour four years ago, said this time the  Suroy Suroy was more relaxing.

The guest recalled that during the previous tour, there was not enough time to enjoy the destinations due to limited time with so many towns on the itinerary.

“It was too fast-paced like we were really rushed through it. Before there was so much leftover food but now it’s in smaller quantities with fewer choices so it’s easier to make your choice,” she said.

Leis and a warm welcome for Suroy Suroy guests who arrive in Carcar town, the first stop of the south Cebu tour. (CDN PHOTO/ CHOY ROMANO_

“They were doing too much trying to impress officials before. It seemed like they were more concerned with the governor (Gwendolyn Garcia) than taking care of the tourists,” added Tigas.

Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III , who opened the tour on Wednesday, would pop in at different points of the itinerary after driving back to the city.

Instead of a long speech, he would approach tables to greet guests.  His thank-you message was a 10 second speech.

He arrived in Santander town from the Capitol in time for dinner with the guests. A 10-minute fireworks display in Santander capped the night with guests taking turns dancing the Sinulog with the town’s Tostado festival performers.

The third and last day brough Suroy Suroy participant to towns of Boljoon, Argao and Talisay City.

CANDLE VENDOR

In Boljoon, 77-year-old Jose Roma did not expect his candles to get sold out as early as 9 a.m. he stood at his usual post outside the Nuestra Senora Patrocinio de Maria Church.

For a 5 pesos a candle, Roma  would dance the traditional sinulog as a prayer offering in honor of the Senor Sto. Nino as we well as thanksgiving for the Blessed Mother Mary, patron saint of the town.

After he finishes vending, Roma, a former stevedore,  told Cebu Daily News he goes into the church again to pray in thanksgiving “sa tanan grasya” for all the blessings he’s received.

Balikbayans and tourists soaked up the historical and religious structures of Cebu starting with Boljoon church, the lone church in the province declared a Natural Cultural Treasure (NCT) in 2001.

The coral stone church built in 1783 by Augustinian friars took the Suroy guests back to the Spanish era with its intricate carvings, ceiling paintings and bass relief in baroque rococo style.

A 400-year-old convent and religious quarters beside the church also gave visitors a glimpse of the town’s cultural heritage as one of the oldest towns established by Augustinian friars in 1599.

A museum below the convent housed items unearthed by Cebuano anthropologists near the church in 2009.

The bones found in 26 burials, antique ceramic dishes and jars, a necklace of precious stones and a large gold earring were enclosed in glass panels inside the museum.

The tour’s last day brought guests to Argao town’s plaza or Cabecera de Argao which includes the St. Michael Archangel Church.

Guests were served lunch in the Argao municipal hall after being greeted by dancers dressed in Filipiniana.

After an hour,  buses brought them to barangay Simala in Sibonga town to visit a popular pilgrimage site, the church known as the Monastery of our Lady of Evangelization.

A cold breeze greeted them in the mountain barangay of Mantalongon, Dalaguete town. A  brass band performed at the sports complex where guests were served  local  snacks of  “tostado” cookies, fruit-flavored tarts and “sikwate” or hot chocolate drinks.

The market in Mantalongon, Cebu province’s vegetable basket, supplies  60 tons of vegetables a day to markets in Cebu City, especially Carbon Market.

Due to its elevation, the temperature in the area is a cool 19 to 24 degrees Celsius even during  summer. Guests bought freshly harvested vegetables at the market or “bagsakan” in Mantalongon. Carrots, cabbage, squash, bananas and  fruits were abundant.

Provincial Tourism Officer Mary Grace Paulino said Mantalongon will be a permanent destination of the southern leg.

“We were happy because the tour included some form of economic activity this way. As you can see, they bought a lot of vegetables and were able to interact with the community,” she said.

She said she consider the caravan successful “because everybody is happy and I think for the repeaters, they sensed the difference from the previous trips. They were able to compare it and they said this is a much improved tour, more enjoyable and relaxing,” she added.

For the final stop, guests dined under the night sky in Talisay City’s plaza, where Mayor JV Reyes greeted them. They feasted on the city’s famous “inasal” or  “lechon” (roasted pig) and watched a 10-minute fireworks display that capped the tour’s last day.