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CEBU CITY, Philippines - Daanbantayan town officials carried a nipa hut with Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and the mayor inside, waving to the public, during the first day of the Suroy Suroy sa Sugbu tourism caravan on Tuesday.
The symbol of the “bayanihan” spirit highlighted local cooperation.
Around 100 foreign and local tourists joined the three-day swing through north Cebu towns. It opened in Consolacion town with a brief program hosted by Consolacion Mayor Avelino Gungob Sr.
The caravan then proceeded to Compostela town, Danao City and Carmen town. Later, they headed for Medellin town, which was declared a retirement town, and Daanbantayan.
A silent march planned in commemoration of the death of businessman Renerio “Gogong” Arrogante III in Daanbantayan was preempted by the Suroy Suroy.
Arrogante’s son, Renerio IV “Ren-Ren”, said they could not march from the commercial complex, where his father was killed, to their residence near the municipal building, where the Suroy Suroy sa Sugbo program was held, because the route to the commercial complex was blocked by policemen, checkpoints and a dump truck.
“Harassment na gyud ang ilang gihimo, di mi pagawason nila, ila pang ilugon among placards (This is harassment. They won’t let us out, they even took our placards),” Ren-Ren said.
He said they were expecting 2,000 friends, neighbors and supporters of his late father to join the march to press for speedy resolution of the murder of Arrogante, but only 800 showed up at the complex.
Daanbantayan Mayor Sun Shimura had asked them not to go through with the activity to avoid interrupting the Suroy Suroy sa Sugbo program.
Gogong’s widow, Juliet, and her three children led the silent protest walk and stayed at the complex.
Mayor Shimura said the tourism program was not disturbed and that the visitors who took a detour route to the municipal hall were not able to see the protest group.
The Suroy Suroy countryside tour was launched in 2005 as a test program to encourage local and foreign tourists to go sightseeing in the province.
The three-day “northern escapade” will continue to travel to Bantayan Island on Wednesday and visit historical landmarks in the area.
Products of Cebu municipalities are on display along the route as Garcia and her entourage swung through the north and stayed overnight in beach resorts.
The caravan is expected to return to mainland Cebu and drop by Bogo City as one of its destinations.
This is the first time the caravan will stop by Bogo City, whose mayor, Celestino Martinez Jr., is a critic of the Garcia administration.
The Suroy Suroy northern caravan will culminate with a program at the Liloan Municipal Hall on April 10.
