3 Bantayan island towns get P25.5 million from Capitol

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu provincial government has given P25.5 million financial assistance to the three municipalities in Bantayan Island for hosting the Suroy-Suroy Sugbo and for their various infrastructure projects.

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia handed over the checks on Thursday to the mayors of the island towns of Santa Fe, Madridejos, and Bantayan. Among the three towns, Bantayan got the biggest chunk of P10.5 million while Santa Fe and Madridejos each received P7.5 million.

 The amount includes the P500,000 for each town to help defray the expenses for the three-day Suroy-Suroy Sugbo Bantayan Escapade that started yesterday until Sunday.

Bantayan Mayor Arthur Despi, who received the cash assistance from Garcia, said the amount will be used in various infrastructure projects.

Madridejos Mayor Salvador dela Fuente and Santa Fe Mayor Ithamar Espinosa were also thankful for the assistance from the provincial government.

The three island municipalities are hosting the ongoing Suroy-Suroy Sugbo Bantayan Escapade where tourists from Manila, including Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, are in attendance. It was also during yesterday’s reopening of tourism activities that the Bantayan airport was formally opened to commercial flights.

In fact, participants were flown in from Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) via a commercial plane. — FPL (FREEMAN)