THE Department of Tourism (DOT) has asked the public to stay away from certain tourist destinations as these were temporarily closed due to a series of earthquakes that rocked the Davao Region on October 10.
In particular, climbing and hiking Mt. Apo in Digos City are prohibited, said the DOT in a statement. Also closed are Davao Oriental Welcome Park, Aliwagwag Falls Eco Park, Mt. Hamiguitan Museum, Cape San Agustin, Subangan Museum, Pusan Point, and the National Museum in Davao City as part of overall precautionary measures at these specific sites.
Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said 655 tourism workers were affected by the recent earthquake, among them, boatmen, resort staff, and related service workers.
She added that the DOT ‘continues to monitor developments’ in the region, even as she assured that ‘no casualties or stranded tourists have been recorded’ as of Sunday.
Partially damaged resorts
However, DOT-Region 11 reported that several tourist sites or establishments in Davao Oriental ‘sustained partial damage, [as such] tourist activities in some sites remain temporarily suspended as assessments and inspections continue.’
Among the sites and accommodation establishments that have suffered ‘partial structural damage’ in Baganga, Davao Oriental are: Langoyon Beach Resort, GCNM Sunrise Boulevard, Ayana’s Siling Kinamayo, Sun and Waves Beach Resort, Playa del Rosario Resort, and Villa D’Mar Dragon Hot Spring Resort.
Also, reported damaged was the Sanipaan Staging Area in the Island Garden City of Samal, which is also being further assessed as the other properties above.
The DOT noted that while flights at the Davao International Airport were initially delayed on Friday, these have since returned to normal scheduled operations.
Cruise pax aid N. Cebu
A series of earthquakes with a magnitude of 7.4 and 6.8 jolted Davao Oriental on October, which the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) determined as a ‘doublet quake,’ as the tremors occurred in or within the same area.
On September 29, the province of Cebu was also rocked by an earthquake measured at magnitude 6.9, affecting several heritage churches and tourist sites.
Frasco noted in a separate news statement that passengers on the Villa Vie Odyssey were among those who gave financial aid to the earthquake victims in Cebu. The ship, which carried 650 residential cruisers, docked at the Cebu International Port on October 5.
She said some of the passengers were from the United States, India, South Africa, Greece, and Romania. ‘They informed me that when they learned of the earthquake in Cebu, they voluntarily came together to gather funds. And I think their last count reached around $16,000.to contribute to the relief efforts in Northern Cebu,’ said the DOT chief.
‘Stay updated’
Meanwhile, Frasco advised tourists to ‘remain vigilant and observe all safety advisories issued by Phivolcs, local government units, and disaster response authorities,’ as aftershocks may occur in the next few days. Visitors to the Davao Region should avoid entering damaged or restricted areas until cleared by authorities, she added.
Tourists are encouraged to check official information sources for updates and accurate reports. They are also urged to coordinate with their hotels and other accommodation providers, along with local tourism offices, for the status of their bookings, tours, and status of destinations they are visiting.