Jipapad’s secret ‘paradise’
JIPAPAD, Eastern Samar– This town’s most known falls, the Sanizi Falls, may soon see an uptick of tourists visiting it.
On Saturday (July 1), a groundbreaking for the construction of a road leading to the Sanizi Falls was held with 4Ps party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan leading the event.
The 2.35 kms road project starts at sitio Casapa in Barangay 4, San Roque, and Cagmanaba where the Salizi Falls is located.
For this road project, the government through the Department of Public Works and Highways(DPWH) through its Sustainable Infrastructure Project Alleviating Gaps(SIPAG), has allocated P43.82 million and is expected to be completed within the year.
“As of the moment, tourist arrivals in our town are still minimal but when this road is completed, I am pretty sure that more people will be visiting our town, especially Cagmanaba where Sanizi Falls is located,” Dindo Picardal, Jipapad Municipal Tourism Officer, one of the villagers of Cagmanaba, said.
Picardal disclosed that preparations are now underway on the possible influx of tourists who will be visiting the waterfalls once the road is completed.
The preparations being made by the residents include organizing a people’s organization with the help of the Philippine Army, selection of local dishes using local ingredients that are abundant at the river to be served to tourists, and activities that visitors may enjoy while in Sanizi, and creation of tour packages.
Picardal added that it was Mayor Benjamin Ver who encouraged them to develop Sanizi Falls for the residents have extra income and also, for the local government earn some income.
Mayor Ver said that Sanizi Falls is considered by them as a ‘paradise’ though not often visited due to the problem of insurgency in the village.
“But now, the village is already secure due to the presence of our government forces and this situation will usher economic development because more people are able to visit the Sanizi Falls which we consider as our gem,” the town mayor said.
Sanizi Falls is a multi-layered waterfalls and can be reached by tourists by taking a 15 minutes to one-hour motorboat ride from the town proper to Cagmanaba and about 15 to 20 minutes trekking from the village to the site.
For his part, Rep. Libanan said that once the project is completed, it will bring hope and opportunity to people, including progress and development to the communities.
The project, he said, is a manifestation of the cooperation of government officials to help the people, develop tourism, and agriculture, deliver social and health services, and secure the community.
“If you want progress, construct a road. This will connect our province to the mainstream of our country,” Libanan said.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
