COMMUNITY-BASED organizations in five tourist destinations in southern Cebu province can now serve as food caterers, aside from being tour guides, as the Capitol allocated each of them with kitchen and cooking wares.
People’s organizations in Boljoon, Alcoy, Alegria, Argao and Aloguinsan towns each received a total of 454 cooking wares worth P48,272 through the provincial government’s Community Development Assistance (CDA) program.
In its first batch of engagement on June 20, acting Gov. Agnes Magpale turned over dinner sets, utensils, cooking pots, pans and various types of drinking glasses to a workers’ group in Boljoon, and a farmer’s group in Alcoy.
Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) chief Marivic Garces and Provincial Tourism Office (PTO) Head Boboi Costas assisted Magpale, as Boljoon Mayor Merlou Derama witnessed the activity.
Derama thanked Magpale and Gov. Hilario Davide III, through Provincial Administrator Mark Tolentino, for supporting their tourism endeavor. Davide is still on vacation outside the country.
Nozzie Medida of Boljoon’s Asosasyon sa mga Boljoanong Mamumuo sa Turismo received cooking wares, including dining tables and gas ranges.
Fe Anore Villarta of Alcoy’s Kapunungunan sa mga Mag-uuma sa Yutang Lasangon sa Bulalacao received similar items.
Villarta, who acts as a guest guide and caretaker of Nug-as forest research station in Alcoy, said her organization used to depend on donations from guests, with no fix amount for maintenance.
CDA, a PSWDO program, fills the financial gaps in the operational needs of existing community organizations, Garces said.
Costas said they chose these five since these people’s organizations are already “empowered” to manage their own tourist activities and already in existence for years. He said Alcoy people’s organization has been operating since 1988 and Aloguinsan was organized in 2014. Both have been active since then.
Magpale, who chairs the Provincial Board’s Committee on Tourism, said she will seek the help of multimedia members to put these tourist spots at the center to make these places more inviting and attractive to guests.
The next people’s organizations to receive aid are from Alegria, Aloguinsan and Argao towns.