BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – Binalbagan, Negros Occidental mayor Alejandro Mirasol expressed disappointment over the trash left by tourists in Sitio Hermit Mountain, Barangay Bi-ao.
The sitio is popular among hikers and bikers due to the breathtaking views in the area.
According to Mirasol, the area is now seeing 3,000 to 5,000 tourists, with most of the visitors even coming from neighboring provinces.
Mirasol made several appeals to the tourists visiting the site to be responsible and not leave their trash. He explained that it is difficult to clean up due a number of cliffs surrounding the area.
Information also reached the town mayor that several individuals have even taken advantage of visiting tourists by collecting fees.
He clarified that they have not given authorization to anyone to collect fees, adding that the municipal government has not yet finalized rules and regulations governing Sitio Hermit.
“We gave everyone a fair warning, if this [doesn’t] stop you, you leave us with no choice!” Mirasol warned./PN
