Compostela Valley waterfalls add crystal glitter to land of gold

Social media campaign

According to Diel, the awareness and growing popularity of Compostela Valley’s latest tourism destination was achieved through a massive campaign using social media. With the help of a local group of photography enthusiasts from Davao City, a photo contest on the waterfalls was held which pushed the tourist spot’s reputation even further.

Marilou Alcaraz, the municipal tourism officer, said the local government is now allocating funds for the further improvement of the falls site.

The plans include the construction of a viewing deck for visitors to have their selfies and other photo ops in an area several meters away from the falls, camping areas for children, scouting and jamboree areas and toilets for visitors, said Diel.

Community benefited

Bacolod said the opening of the waterfalls to tourism has greatly benefited the community.

“We were able to collect more than P10,000 in gate revenues since November. We hope this will continue and more tourists will come to our place,” he said.

“Hopefully, more improvements in our facilities will help encourage people to come and visit,” he said.

The village collects P15 per person in the two ticket booths at the two entry points to Falls 1.

“Visitors usually come during weekends, but when it’s harvest time in Sta. Josefa, you can expect almost a daily stream of local visitors,” said councilor Armando Akiatan.

For skylab driver Raymundo Cantos Jr., the community has become vibrant and alive with the influx of tourists eager to experience Awao Falls.

“My income has increased, particularly during weekends when many people, even from other places, visit our village,” said the 34-year-old driver.

Cantos charges P50 per person for the ride from the village hall to Purok 6, the drop-off point where the trek to the falls begins.

Included in the future development of Awao Falls is the setting up of an area where cub scouts may conduct mini-jamborees and where backpackers can pitch tents.

Accommodation, transport

But Diel said accommodation is not a problem as visitors can quickly return to the Monkayo town proper or opt to stay the night in the towns of Sta. Josefa and Trento in Agusan del Sur.

Transportation is also readily available at Barangay Awao proper, such as skylab or habal-habal that can take tourists straight to Monkayo at P150 per person, or to Sta. Josefa P35 per person.

A few years ago, the local government was well on the way to developing Awao Falls as a tourist destination and involving the local community in its plans, said Diel.

About P750,000 had already been allocated for the development of the site, but the devastation wrought by Typhoon “Pablo” (international name: Bopha) in 2012 forced the local government to divert the money to the rehabilitation of the affected communities.

Possible power source

“But we don’t have to rush things. We still have many things to improve, especially our planned homestay business in partnership with the community. We also intend to tap our motorcycle drivers so they can also become partners in this endeavor,” said Diel.

Bacolod said the Department of Energy (DOE) is considering the waterfalls as a possible source of power, as it is ideal for the construction of a mini-hydropower plant.

“We’re told it would further boost tourism, much like what happened to Maria Cristina (Falls in Lanao del Norte). People from the DOE expressed interest over the prospect, but as of now I haven’t heard from them again. But we’re still waiting,” he said.

How to get there:

From Monkayo, skylabs and habal-habal go directly to Awao via the San Jose provincial road for P80 per person. Regular buses also regularly travel from Monkayo to Sta. Josefa at P35 per person. From Sta. Josefa, habal-habal motorcycles leave at 30-minute intervals for Awao barangay proper for P40 per person. Another skylab/habal-habal ride takes one from Awao to the drop-off point at Purok 6 for P50 per person.

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