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[av_heading heading=’Insurgency threatens Bucari tourism’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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Monday, June 26, 2017
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ILOILO City – Clashes between government troops and New People’s Army (NPA) could adversely affect the fledgling tourism industry in Bucari, the so-called “little Baguio” of Iloilo due to its chilly climate.
Last week for example, the encounter between the rebels and the Philippine Army’s 61st Infantry Battalion (61IB) – Alpha Company in Barangay Lampaya, Leon drove tourists away.
Bucari camp site staff John Plares said the tourist destination would usually rake in at least P2,000 in entrance fee alone each day but after the encounter on June 20, revenues from the entrance fee dropped dramatically.
He placed the decline in tourist arrivals last week at 97 percent.
The new tourist destination area is actually composed of Bucari, a hinterland barangay in Leon, and neighboring barangays of which 14 are in the municipality and seven in the adjacent town of Alimodian.
Even farmers growing vegetables in Bucari were complaining of a drop income, said Plares.
Barangay Lampaya is near Bucari.
Bucari is a special economic zone for tourism and ecological enterprise due to its cool climate, topography, highland attractions and scenery. The national and local governments have joined hands to construct a road going to Bucari to make it accessible to all.
The firefight between government troops and rebels erupted around 10:30 a.m. on June 20.
Prior to the Army’s arrival, the tanods of Barangay Lampaya engaged a group of armed men who fired at their outpost. According to Barangay Councilman Benito Cantomayor, the men also lobbed an M203 grenade at the outpost.
Bucari is in 58 kilometers from Iloilo City. It comprises 7,490.625 hectares in Leon and 2,942.25 hectares in Alimodian for a total land area of 10,432.875 hectares./PN
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