By Catherine J. Teves
MANILA, (PNA) – Bohol province will remain a tourist destination despite the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that struck the island Tuesday (Oct. 15) and destroyed several centuries-old churches there.
Bohol Gov. Edgardo Chatto expressed such optimism, noting the churches are not the only crowd-drawers there as the island-province still has natural tourist attractions to offer visitors.
”Department of Tourism Sec. Ramon Jimenez and I agreed those churches are only part of Bohol’s beauty and attractiveness – natural assets of the province were untouched by the earthquake,” he said.
Among Bohol’s natural tourist attractions are its beaches, waterfalls, caves, biodiversity and the world-famous limestone mounds called Chocolate Hills.
”Bohol will always be in the tourism track as Boholanos are hard-working and resilient so with the national leadership’s help, we can surmount challenges we’re facing,” Chatto said.
In its 6 a.m. report released Thursday (Oct. 17), National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported the earthquake affected almost 857,000 persons in Bohol.
NDRRMC also reported that the quake left 144 victims dead, 188 people injured and 22 persons missing in Bohol alone.
Estimated cost of the quake’s damage to roads, bridges and flood control infrastructure in Bohol already reached some P 57.5 million, NDRRMC continued.
Jimenez remains bullish about Bohol’s post-earthquake tourism prospects.
”From a tourism standpoint, the earthquake’s effect isn’tcatastrophic,” he said.
He sees need to re-orient Bohol’s tourism track so visitor arrival there can continue.
Jimenez decided to personally inspect the conditions in Bohol to help identify measures that will sustain tourism in the island.
Tourism musn’t stop particularly as earthquake victims there need income at this time to re-build their lives, he noted.
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Sec. Rogelio Singson reported that the agency already deployed several of its engineers to assess structural integrity of Bohol’s structures.
”Our commitment to Malacanang is to inspect public and private buildings there,” he said.
He noted several volunteers from Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers joined the undertaking.
Among structures damaged by the earthquake is Bohol’s pier in Tagbilaran, Singson said.
He noted the earthquake also affected 14 bridges along the circumferential road and along several inner roads in Bohol.
Three of those bridges already collapsed, he said.
Singson said DPWH plans erecting temporary steel bridges where such collapsed structures are.
”We should be able to do that in three to four weeks,” he said.
He also said Bohol’s quake-damaged roads can be restored and made passable in one to two weeks.
”Permanent restoration of those roads will take longer, however,” he noted.
DPWH can undertake the work as this agency’s regular budget includes some P1.2 billion for Bohol, Singson continued.
”Funding isn’t a problem since we have quick-response funds and have enough to do the repair work,” he said.
He noted that Malacanang even authorized DPWH to approach the budget department for additional funds if necessary.
DPWH is leaving to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) the task of restoring historical churches damaged by the earthquake.
That work needs special restoration expertise which DPWH lacks, Singson said.
Authorities earlier reported that among the quake-damaged historical churches are those in Loboc, Baclayon and Dauis towns.
”Majority of these structures have been declared as National Cultural Treasures, National Historical Landmarks and Important Cultural Properties, all of which are protected by the Heritage Law,” NCCA said in a statement earlier this week.
NCCA, National Historical Commission of the Philippines and National Museum decided forming a heritage task force that will inspect and evaluate damage to the churches beginning Thursday (Oct. 17).
The task force will ascertain the damage’s severity, identify properties that must be immediately secured, set restoration priorities, estimate human and financial resources for the restoration and establish links with stakeholders concerned, NCCA said.
”NCCA shall provide a mobilization fund for the initial (rapid) assessment, pending national government’s decision on the rescue and rehabilitation efforts as a whole,” the agency added.