THE livelihood of tourist guides in Badian has been affected after canyoneering activities in the southwestern town were temporarily suspended.
To ensure they still have an income, several guides are helping in the ongoing clearing operations in the canyoneering areas.
This was revealed by Earl Vincent Endab, head of the town’s tourism department, on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025.
Endab said 10 guides are currently assisting in the clearing work.
Badian has more than 1,000 registered tourist guides deployed across various sites, most of them at the famous Kawasan Falls. The suspension followed a rockfall incident on Thursday, Oct. 23, that injured a tour guide.
The temporary closure of canyoneering activities in Barangay Matutinao, which took effect Sunday, Oct. 26, has cost the community an estimated P1.2 million in a single day. The figure represents what roughly 600 tourists would have spent on the activity, each typically paying P2,000 to navigate the suspension bridges and rappel down canyon walls.
Badian counts 44 operators and more than a thousand registered guides who depend on the attraction. Restaurant owners, hotel operators, transport providers and vendors have also been affected as tourists stay away.
Meanwhile, clearing operations led by the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) were ongoing in Barangay Sulsugan to hasten the reopening of the area, according to Joel Manuel Echavez, an emergency responder.
Echavez said they prioritized clearing the section where falling rocks and wood injured a guide.
The rocks reportedly fell because of monkeys chasing each other above the site. Continuous rains also softened the soil, contributing to the incident.
“Ang origin sa bato kay humok ang yuta. Unya, naa say indicators nga naay wild monkeys nga nag ginukoray. Possible natandog didto ang bato nga kahulugon (The rocks fell due to soft ground. Also, there were indicators that wild monkeys had been chasing each other. It’s possible the rocks were dislodged),” he said.
The MDRRMO reported that the injured guide is now safe.
For now, the town’s canyoneering routes remain closed to ensure visitor safety.
Despite the closure, Endab encouraged tourists to explore other attractions in Badian, such as Lambug Beach. / ANV