Blocked road to Busay tourist sites now open

This road in Sitio Graje, Barangay Busay, in this Sept. 26, 2017 photo has already been cleared of soil and rocks blocking access to the tourist establishments in the area. The road was cleared yesterday, Thursday.
CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA

Tourists can now visit sites like Temple of Leah, Mountainview Resort, and Lantaw Restaurant in Barangay Busay, Cebu City.

The road leading to these sites, which had been blocked since Monday afternoon, has already been cleared of earth and debris.

“The road now is passable going to Temple of Leah, Lantaw, but please, be careful because of the uneven road and slippery road due to the mud,” said Busay Barangay Councilman Kevin Sanchez.

On the other hand, demolition of the house of Mountainview Resort located on top of the landslide area is still ongoing.

But its completion may be delayed due to the intermittent rains that are still being felt in the area, said Sanchez who is also the head of the barangay’s disaster committee.

“Maybe we will suggest to the owner to stop in the meantime the operation (demolition) for safety because the soil may continue to move,” Sanchez said.

While the road has already been cleared, Sanchez said the barangay will still continue to monitor the area.

He said a barangay tanod will be stationed near the area in case there are more soil and debris that could block the road again.

Heavy rains since last week have softened the soil in the area in Sitio Graje.

Portions of the stone retaining wall in the area collapsed on Monday afternoon, blocking the road.

The clearing of the road was a joint operation of Cebu City government and the private sector or affected businessmen in the area, who sent their own heavy equipment in the operation.

Businessman Bunny Pages, owner of Lantaw, said that he heard that another businessman Alan Adarna, one of the owners of Temple of Leah, has sent heavy equipment to help clear the road.

Employees of the establishments as well as residents had to pass through the longer yet only alternative road passing through Barangays Malubog and Bonbon.

The area was not passable since Monday afternoon until yesterday afternoon when barangay officials and City Hall personnel finished clearing operations.

Meanwhile, the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CCDRRMO) has recommended engineering measures to be done to the owner of the lot where the landslide occurred.

CCDRRMO head Nagiel Bañacia said Assistant City Engr. Nilo Igot suggested to do “sheet piling” for the affected lot in order to prevent more landslides from happening there.

“It’s up to the owner to implement that since it is private property. The city can’t intervene,” he said.