Canyoneering Operators in Southern Cebu Lose Php 10M a Month with Halt in Operations

Canyoneering operators in the towns of Alegria and Badian in southern Cebu are losing at least Php 10 million a month during the suspension of the Kanlaob River trek adventure package from June 1 to Aug. 1.

About 30 operators, 300 guides, 50 habal-habal drivers and fewer than 20 vendors lost a source of income after the closure of the canyoneering sites.

Raymund Sande, one of the operators of the Cebu Canyoneering Adventures based in Badian, said the operators’ charge Php 1,200, on average, from each guest.

With at least 300 tourists a day, that means the operators are losing around Php 360,000 daily.

The operators said they were only informed a week before the suspension.

Sande said Badian’s operators were caught off-guard and were confused about what to do with guests from Manila and other places who booked tours with them two months ago.

In March, Cebu Capitol officials and operators met about the formulation of policies and regulations, but not about the suspension.

In the same meeting, the operators said, they agreed to convene again on March 23 to settle important issues, but Cebu Capitol officials were not present.

They instead rescheduled another meeting after the May 9 election.

However, after the election and a week before the suspension, it was only then that operators were informed that canyoneering activities would be suspended in response to accidents involving some tourists, cracks observed on the rock formations and the death of a tour guide. (PNA) RMA/EB/SSC