Mainit Springs dropped from Suroy-Suroy Sugbo

CEBU, Philippines - Participants of the Suroy-Suroy Sugbo slated January 20 to 22 are not going to experience dipping into the warm, clear Mainit Springs in Malabuyoc town in southern Cebu.

Grace Paulino, provincial tourism officer, told The FREEMAN that the province decided to drop from the caravan’s itinerary the Mainit Springs pending the resolution of the dispute over the access road going to the tourism site.

A rift between the local government of Malabuyoc and residents living near Mainit Springs erupted after the former cemented the road allegedly without consent from them.

Paulino said the local government undertook the concreting project to ensure convenience of the visitors.

The sloppy path going to the Mainit Springs caused the buses used by the participants to get stuck during last year’s staging of Suroy-Suroy Sugbo, she recounted.

The town also claimed that the path is a barangay road, thus, falling within the responsibility of the municipal government.  But the residents contended otherwise, declaring that the area is part of their properties.

Paulino said one of the owners aired the concern before the office of Vice Governor Agnes Magpale last Monday and asked for intervention from the provincial government.

“They (residents) said the town should have consulted the residents (before undertaking the concreting project). According to the LGU nga diha daw hearing but nobody attended,” she said.

The Provincial Tourism Committee has yet to set a meeting to discuss the matter.

Paulino said they have to skip Mainit Springs during the Suroy-Suroy Sugbo next week to ensure the safety and security of the participants, fearing that a tension might ensue if they pursue visiting the place.

Around 200 persons are expected to join the southern trail, with package rates ranging from P7, 000 to P14, 000 per head, covering the transportation, accommodation, and full board meals.

The destinations of the caravan include Carcar City, Mantayupan Falls in Barili, heritage parks in Moalboal and Alegria, and Aguinid Falls in Samboan.

Residents sued

For allegedly blocking the barangay road going to Mainit Springs, at least nine individuals are now facing charges before the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.

Malabuyoc tourism Officer Eric Ybas, through the assistance of lawyer Benjamin Cabredo Jr. filed a case for malicious mischief against the nine Barangay Montaneza residents who allegedly constructed a fence on the road on January 5.

Respondents were Alexander Teopiz, Raul Teopiz, Alejandro Teopiz, Carmen Teopiz, Rosita Teopiz, Mimie Salvana, Joseph Salvana, Jr., Lucela Legara and Leonora Legara.

Alexander was also sued for grave threats for allegedly sending death threats to construction workers contracted by the local government of Malabuyoc to do the road concreting.

 “Malabuyoc LGU has currently contracted the group of Eduardo Mondares to do the concreting of the barangay road to Mainit Spring to provide the tourists a convenient road way to the area. However, the construction workers had to stop their work due to the death threat of respondent Alexander Teopiz, and they could not proceed with the road improvement as the death threat persists,” read the complaint.

The municipal engineer, Ybas said, had talked with the respondents and showed them a cadastral map showing that the road they blocked is a barangay road and not part of their property as they claimed.  

Town policemen removed the fence but the residents reconstructed the same, added Ybas.

An executive order has been issued by the mayor directing the respondents to have the structure removed.

“Such unlawful acts have caused the revenues of Mainit Spring to remarkably drop. Tourists are already complaining and complaints have reached the social media through Facebook, calling on the LGU to immediately address the problem,” said Ybas.

Their revenues, he said, is P3,000 on weekdays and P16,000 during weekends or an average of around P6,000 per day for 2015. However, due to the blocking, their revenues dropped to about 50 to 75 percent for two days, on January 5 and 6.

The respondents were asked to pay the municipality P50,000 as nominal damages and P100,000 as exemplary damages.  (FREEMAN)