Kawasan to close for cleanup Aug. 12-18

CEBU, Philippines — Badian, a town that lies 105 kilometers south of Cebu City, generates about P800,000 in revenues every week from the operation of its prized tourist spots and activities.

Home to the famed Kawasan Falls and canyoneering adventures, the town is visited by over 40,000 local and foreign tourists every month, who pay a total of P3.2 million in fees to the municipal government.

But town’s officials are willing to forego with a week’s worth of its earnings.

For seven days, from August 12 to 18, the local government will close Kawasan and temporarily suspend canyoneering activities to pave the way for a general cleanup.

Badian tourism officer Donald Villarin told The FREEMAN over the phone yesterday that the area to be cleaned up stretches up to seven kilometers.

That includes the main Kawasan Falls area, moving upstream to Matutinao River, which is part of a popular canyoneering and trekking site in the town.

Canyoneering is an adventure that engages tourists in rappelling, rafting, and waterfall jumping.

In the south, the canyoneering path, composed of 11 jump sites, covers areas under both Badian and the adjacent Alegria town.

The first three jump areas are under Alegria, the fourth to seventh are co-managed by the two towns, while the rest are under Badian. The usual canyoneering route ends at Kawasan.

Villarin explained that only the jump sites exclusively belonging to Badian will be closed during that week. This means that the first seven will remain open.

He urged tourists to reschedule their trips if they are planning to visit Badian ecotourism sites in the third week of August.

Villarin said the closure has been duly approved by all stakeholders, including tour guides and operators whose livelihood depends on these sites.

Villarin said they decided to close in August as it is considered a lean month. On the other hand, tourist arrival peaks in April.

Vice Governor Agnes Magpale asked both the stakeholders and tourists to understand and support Badian’s move, which she described as “something similar to that taken by Oslob town early this year.”

In April, Oslob closed the Sumilon Island sandbar and Tumalog Falls to tourists as municipal workers and volunteers tidied up these destinations. The move came amid the national government’s decision to shut down the country’s premier destination Boracay Island in an attempt to rehabilitate it for six months.

“I know nga sakripisyo siya but it’s for a better destination,” she told reporters yesterday.

She added that she was hoping Badian consulted with Alegria since the two co-manage some areas utilized for canyoneering activities.

But when sought for comment, Alegria Mayor Verna Magallon said the town is not closing its gates to those who want to experience canyoneering.

Magallon said they do not have to close their sites because they do regular cleanups.

“Di mi needed mag-close sa among jurisdiction diri sa Alegria kay we’ve been scheduling cleanups sa Kanlaob River every last Monday of the month. This has been practiced for almost two years na,” she said.  — JMD (FREEMAN)