Quake-hit North Luzon tourist spots remain closed  

MANILA, Philippines — Several tourist spots in Northern Luzon have remained closed since a magnitude 7.0 quake struck Northern Luzon on Wednesday.

In Abra, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said all tourism activities were suspended ”until further notice.”

Calle Crisologo, Syquia mansion, National Museum of the Philippines Ilocos Regional Complex, Heritage Village and Vigan Cathedral in Ilocos Sur are off-limits to visitors.

The Bantay Bell Tower, which sustained damage due to the quake, as well as St. Augustine of Hippo parish church, shrine of Nuestra Señora de Caridad de Bantay and Sta. Maria church are also closed.

Brick houses and centuries-old churches in Ilocos Sur suffered cracks while several nearly collapsed.

Antong Falls in Sison, Pangasinan as well as Tangadan Falls and Great Wall of Santol in La Union were closed due to landslides.

The DOT said Baguio City, Kabayan and Mt. Pulag in Benguet remain open to tourists.

The department advised visitors to be cautious when traveling to Kabayan due to aftershocks, adding that Mt. Pulag’s Akiki trail is still being checked for safety.

Sagada reopened to visitors a day after it was closed due to the earthquake.

Ilocos Norte remains open to travelers even though several old churches, such as Sta. Monica in Sarrat, Bacarra convent and Virgen Milagrosa in Badoc and Batac Immaculate Conception were damaged by the temblor.

Personnel of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) are set to visit Vigan and other affected quake-hit areas next week to assess the extent of the damage on churches, ancestral houses and other heritage sites.

”We have to do a lot of scanning  to make sure these buildings did not sustain sinkholes or liquefaction. It will be a waste of money to restore a building if it’s no longer standing on stable ground,” NCCA chairman Rene Escalante said.

He said the government is willing to fund restoration projects, but it could not allocate funds to rehabilitate structures considered as private property, such as those along Calle Crisologo.

The NCCA appealed to the public not to touch or remove items from affected structures as these could be used in restoration projects. –  Robertzon Ramirez