Divers work on building the 100-meter underwater cross in Barangay Tingo, Olango Island, Lapu-Lapu City. | Photo courtesy of Mayor Junard Chan
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines — No corals will be destroyed in the construction of the 100-meter underwater cross in Olango Island, Lapu-Lapu City.
This is the assurance of Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan on the city’s plan to build the largest cross installed underwater that might beat the Guinness World record. The current titleholder, he said, was only 70 meters long.
The underwater cross will be installed in Barangay Tingo on the island of Olango — exactly across Barangay Punta Engaño of the mainland.
“Ang atong butangan, patag ug walay gyuy corals sa area. Purely sand,” Chan said.
He said that divers are using broken corals that they collected underwater and are replanted to create the underwater cross.
“It will take a month nga mosalingsing nani siya ug molabong pag-ayo,” he added.
Chan hopes that the underwater cross will already be ready next year, which is the celebration of the 500 years of Christianity and the victory of Mactan.
The structure is also expected to attract local and foreign tourists because the cross will be visible while tourists are arriving or departing on board an airplane from the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA).
“This is going to be very beautiful. Inig take-off sa eroplano, makita ni nimo nga maggilak-gilak ang dakong cross,” he said./dbs