Suroy-Suroy fixed in provincial ordinance

After more than four months of deliberation, the Cebu Provincial Board approved an ordinan ce making Suroy-Suroy sa Sugbo a fixed program with an annual budget and its own commission.

On mass motion, the PB passed “An Ordinance Rationalizing and Institutionalizing the Suroy-Suroy Sugbo Program of the Province of Cebu, Providing Funds therefor, and for Other Purposes”.

The ordinance was sponsored by PB Member Arleigh Sitoy. It said the board “recognizes the sustainability and effectivity” of the Suroy-suroy Sugbo and wants to ensure it continues even “while under different administrations.”

A Suroy-Suroy Commission was created to be headed by the governor with the provincial tourism officer as its executive director.

Members are the chairmen of the committee on arts and culture, and seven regular members including the regional director of the Department of Tourism of Region 7.

The commission will also have two representatives from travel agencies appointed by the governor, the president of the Mayor’s League of the Philippines Cebu Chapter, manager of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) and president of the Cebu Tourism Officers Association.

Under Section 6, mayors of Cebu towns and cities are “expected to give their full support to the Suroy-suroy Sugbo especially when the tour caravan is organized to visit their respective towns or cities”.

Under Section 8, funding for the program will be made part of the province’s annual budget.

The Suroy-suroy Sugbo program was conceived by the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 2004.

It later became identified with Gov. Gwen Garcia, who led the tour bus caravans to different parts of Cebu province, showing paying guests rural attractions that included heritage churches, nature spots, beach resorts and a fiesta welcome reception in each stopover.Tourists were greeted with native delicacies, banquets, dancers and often, children lining the streets waving hello.