Amid the backlash, Baricuatro stands firm on stance against ‘Pasigarbo,’ ‘Suroy-Suroy’

Local

THOUGH “grateful” for the “spirited feedback and thoughts” of “two significant groups,” Cebu Gubernatorial candidate Pamela Baricuatro stood firm on her stand that the Pasigarbo sa Sugbo should be abolished and the Suroy-Suroy Sugbo reevaluated.

Responding to the Cebu Choreographers Association (CCA) and the Cebu Tourism Officers Association (CTOA), which recently criticized her statements on discontinuing Cebu Province's tourism programs, Baricuatro defended her position, pointing to Cebu’s poverty rate and questioning the economic impact of these tourism programs on local communities.

Baricuatro thanked the CCA and CTOA for their feedback, acknowledging the hard work of local choreographers and tourism officers in promoting Cebu’s culture. However, she maintained her stance, highlighting the province’s high poverty and subsistence rates.

"There are 1.72 million living below the poverty threshold," Baricuatro noted, referencing 2023 data from the Philippine Statistics Authority.

"In terms of subsistence incidence, Cebu is again the highest, which means there are over 800,000 families in the province whose income is not enough to support," she added.

Baricuatro also criticized the financial burden these events place on local governments, noting that some cities and municipalities spend millions to participate, with only limited support from the provincial government.

"A city here in Cebu spends about P10 to P15 million for the holding of the events, while the assistance from the Capitol is merely P5 million,” she said, adding that struggling municipalities spend between P3 million and P5 million, while the Capitol provides only P2 million to P2.5 million in subsidies.

While recognizing the cultural importance of Pasigarbo sa Sugbo and Suroy-Suroy Sugbo, Baricuatro underscored her concern over what she described as an economic imbalance.

"Certainly, there isn’t any balance seen or felt if the basic needs and the needed facilities to improve the lives at the countryside were addressed,” she said.

Suroy-suroy Sugbo invites participants to explore Cebu's towns and attractions, while Pasigarbo sa Sugbo, meaning "The Pride of Cebu," is an annual festival celebrating the cultural heritage of Cebu's municipalities through street dancing, traditional costumes and local crafts.

Baricuatro promised to support a tourism model that would be "fair, transparent, cost-effective, and truly impactful" for Cebu's economy and residents. She emphasized her openness to "spirited feedback" from the public, saying that she aims to bring about change by engaging the people of Cebu in decision-making.

Both the CCA and CTOA have defended the festivals, highlighting their role in generating livelihood opportunities and inspiring community pride.

In separate statements, they credit the events with attracting tourism and investment to rural areas, as well as preserving Cebu's cultural heritage.

Baricuatro is challenging incumbent Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, who is seeking an unprecedented sixth term in the 2025 elections.

A former flight attendant and philanthropist, Baricuatro said she will focus her platform on poverty alleviation and reallocating resources to meet the urgent needs of the province’s communities.(MyTVCebu)