Just like Cebu’s other small islands, Camotes Island relies on its Soli-Soli Festival to entice tourists and draw more investors to set up businesses in their area.
San Francisco Municipal Mayor Aly Arquillano told reporters yesterday that the festival gave the municipal government an opportunity to market their town to small and big investors.
The town celebrated its 12th Soli-soli Festival celebrated yesterday.
“I told my barangay captains that even if we spend for the festival, it will result to more economic opportunities for our constituents,” the mayor said.
From P7 million in 2011, it increased to P9 to P10 million last year.
“The town is not remiss in holding this festival so we can bring enjoyment to our constituents and visitors and to promote our culture as well,” Arquilano said.
This year’s Soli-soli Festival drew six contingents clustered from the town’s 15 barangays.
The town’s budget officer and festival organizer Nida Arquillano told reporters that the performances of the dancing contingents have improved.
Soli-Soli Festival celebrates the abundance of the native Soli-Soli Grass that contributes a lot to the livelihood of the townsfolk.
The festival falls every third Sunday of March and honors the town’s patron saint, St. Joseph.
The Soli-Soli grass grows abundantly along the banks of Lake Danao, the only freshwater lake in Cebu and the second cleanest lake in the country.
Lake Danao is a natural tourist destination that teems with flora and marine species, both vital means of support to the island’s dwellers. Soli-soli grass is used for different handicrafts like bags, mats and hats.
The grass is harvested, dried and woven into these items which are then sold to the local and mainland market outlets.
Nida said they allocated P1.5 million for the festival budget and P50,000 for each contingent as financial assistance. Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus