Micro-small and medium entrepreneurs are the ones reaping the immediate monetary cashflow brought by the ongoing Suroy-Suroy Sugbo “Explore the Midwest” circuit.
Cebu Provincial Tourism officer Maria Lester Ybañez said local traders, craftsmen and artisans have sold their products to tour participants while others have placed orders like furniture and bags, which will be delivered in the upcoming R’Cebu event.
Since the start of the midwest leg in Tabuelan, Tuburan, and Asturias on Saturday, June 10, Ybañez reported that even local vendors selling mineral water are experiencing the economic ripple of the 3-day countryside tourism event. This is the first midwest tour since the comeback of Capitol's pioneering tourism caravan in 2019.
“Aside from what we reap in the tourism industry, Suroy Suroy also has an immediate effect in the local economy because this is what we project and want. But in the long term, we have always set that target that this is to create an awareness that we have these destinations here,” the tourism chief said.
During the opening salvo in Tabuelan, one of their food products that sold out immediately is the “binakal” or binangkal, a type of donut formed in dough balls, cooked deep-fried and coated with sesame seeds. Unlike the common binangkal which uses regular flour, the “binakal” in Tabuelan uses squash as its main flour.
Another is Aloguinsan’s “kabkab” also known as cassava cracker, a disc-shaped wafer made from ground cassava. Ybañez said little is known that this can be bought uncooked and can be cooked at home like regular cookies.
LONG TERM
“Kini man gud ato (return of midwest tour) is para matagaan ang uban og ideya nga naa pa diay lain maadtoan and since ang ato pagtoo nga ang turismo negosyo dinhi sa Cebu, once naa nay knowledge, people will come, and this will now translate to income for our local government units,” Ybañez explained.
Cebu’s midwestern towns are best known for its scenic mountains, pristine beaches, springs and agriculture-based produce like the famous Tuburan coffee, corn, cacao, among other agri-fishery produce that can be found in Asturias, Pinamungahan, Aloguinsan, and Tabuelan.
The midwest is also home to the biggest piggery farm in the province and Central Visayas. Virginia Farms, Inc. sits in a 360-hectare property in Asturias, Cebu and considered to be the biggest integrated farm-to-pork swine business in the region.
“In the midwest, we have farm tourism (Balamban) and we have mining tourism (in Toledo City) and our shipyard-building and economic zone in Balamban,” she said, adding Tabuelan was then known for its sports tourism.
During the first and second day of the midwestern leg, guests were treated to traditional Filipino dances, music and poetry (balak).
Guests also get to experience the world-renowned Bojo river cruise in Aloguinsan on Sunday. | VLA