Cebu Gov. Pamela Baricuatro has turned over a P110-million funding check to Badian Mayor Jerome Christian Librando to rehabilitate Kawasan Falls and safeguard the town's tourism livelihoods, as well as strengthen economic stability in southwestern Cebu.
In a report on Monday, June 15, 2026, the Cebu Province Public Information Office (PIO) said Baricuatro turned over the check to Librando during a site inspection to assess the required restoration work.
"The funding will support critical interventions aimed at restoring the environmental integrity of Kawasan Falls, improving safety measures and strengthening the site's resilience against future challenges," read a portion of the report posted on the PIO Facebook page.
The PIO statement also said the allocation targets environmental restoration, safety upgrades and climate resilience for Kawasan Falls.
The rehabilitation seeks to ensure that the tourism destination in southwestern Cebu can continue to welcome visitors while preserving its natural beauty and ecological value, the PIO report further said.
Meanwhile, Badian's Tourism Facebook page, "Breathtaking Badian," on Sunday, June 14, announced that Librando presented the Municipality's development plans for Kawasan Falls to Baricuatro, focusing on ongoing and proposed initiatives aimed at "enhancing visitor experience, strengthening environmental conservation and sustaining the site's position as one of Cebu's premier tourism destinations."
"The discussions also referenced the recent visit of renowned designer Kenneth Cobonpue, whose insights contributed to the vision for the future development of the area," read part of Badian Tourism's FB post.
Kawasan Falls serves as a primary economic driver for Badian and its neighboring municipalities. Local guides, transport operators and small business owners depend on the site, which has faced operational disruptions due to past environmental challenges and natural disasters.
Kawasan Falls was closed to the public on June 6, 2022, to give way to rehabilitation efforts and to remove hazardous debris left by the destruction of super typhoon Odette in December 2021. The 2022 rehabilitation also paved the way for the removal of abandoned structures and illegal man-made facilities that encroached on the river's easement zone and posed safety risks to tourists. The site reopened in October 2023. / CDF
