MATUGUINAO, Samar- The tourism industry in this interior town of Matuguinao is slowly changing their image that has long been tainted with violence, poverty, and insurgency and now bringing income to the local government and livelihood to its people.
Mayor Aran Boller said that since the local government developed some of their potential tourism sites, people from neighboring towns had started to flock and visits their small municipality resulting to generating income for the LGU from collection of entrance fee and livelihood to residents who put up businesses along the two cold spring.
The local government had developed two cold springs in the town located just few meters away before the town proper to show that this interior town of Samar province has more to offer since it was connected to the national highway after several decades of being isolated.
Based on the record of the LGU, Matugnaw Cold Spring which is located just few meters away from the town proper had collected more than P190,700 from January to June this year. This cold spring was developed by the local government last year.
The second, which is the Maslog Cold Spring, opened to the public two months ago, had earned more than P150,300 since its opening until last month.
The LGU collects P30 entrance fee per person from the two cold springs.
“People are no longer afraid of visiting Matuguinao. Visitors are mesmerize with our place and they realize that our town is a beautiful place,” Mayor Boller said.
Boller said that since he was elected as mayor in 2016, it was his goal to change the image of his town to improve the residents living condition.
The town mayor added that aside from the two cold springs, they are also set to develop the town’s rock formation located in Barangay Sta. Cruz.
“I can say that tourists who are coming to our town are safe because our peace and order situation here has already improved and we want to change the perception of other people on what Matuguinao is,” Boller said.
He added that there are already businessmen who visited their town and showed interest in investing in their municipality.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
