Technical team formed to avoid accidents in Pagsanjan Falls

By Marlon Ramos Southern Luzon Bureau CALAMBA CITY, Philippines--Two days after foreign and local tourists were stranded along the rock-strewn river while touring the famous Pagsanjan Falls, a technical team was formed Thursday to look into it and come up with corrective measures to avoid a repeat of the incident. Pagsanjan, Laguna Mayor Emilio Ramon Ejercito III said the technical team will be tasked primarily to ensure the safety of vacationers and boatmen visiting the majestic falls. The character actor-turned-politician said the team will be composed of representatives from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), local environment office and municipal government of Pagsanjan. Officials from the provincial and local tourism offices were also asked to join the panel, the mayor said. He said he would also strengthen the capabilities of the disaster preparedness team of the municipality. “What we need right now is a scientific approach to avoid… accidents like what happened last Tuesday,” Ejercito told the Inquirer over the phone. Ejercito was referring to the incident wherein 38 foreign nationals and Filipinos were trapped among huge rocks on their way to the falls when a heavy downpour swelled the river along the boundary of Pagsanjan and Cavinti towns. After being stranded for at least six hours, the vacationers and boatmen were safely plucked from the area by rescuers composed of volunteers and personnel of the local police and military units. Although the tourists suffered only minor bruises and wounds, Ejecrcito has ordered the suspension of all boat trips going to the falls. The mayor, however, said he is set to lift the temporary suspension Friday. He then quickly allayed the fears of other tourists who want to experience the world-renowned “shooting the rapids” ride in Pagsanjan. “We want to inform both local and foreign visitors that it is still safe to take the boat rides to Pagsanjan Falls. We are doing everything to make the boat trips safer,” he said. Ejercito was apparently cautious of the would-be effect of the incident to the local economy of his town. He said that tours and boat rides to Pagsanjan Falls are one of the major sources of livelihood in the town. It is also a main source of revenues for the municipality, he added. From the P660 that tourists pay for a boat ride, the municipal government gets P15 as share. With an average of 260, 000 visitors annually, the local government earns at least P4 million yearly, Ejercito explained. He said the boat rides have also given job opportunities to residents employed at the 15 resorts and hotels around the falls. “You can just imagine how much we will lose if tourists suddenly stop coming to Pagsanjan,” he said.