Roads to Banaue now passable; tourist activities remain halted — DOT
MANILA, Philippines — Roads to Banaue, Ifugao are now passable after heavy rains prompted by the southwest monsoon triggered flash floods and mudslides last week.
READ: Flash floods, mudslides sweep through Ifugao town
The Department of Tourism – Cordillera Administrative Region (DOT-CAR) shared the update on Sunday, adding that clearing operations are still ongoing.
“[The roads are] already cleared. Cleared na pero (but) punch-through open pa lang siya (for now). As per the [Department of Public Works and Highways] advisory, they’re still clearing. Cleaning and clearing operation pa ‘yung nangyayari (are underway). But, you can already pass,” DOT-CAR Regional Director Jovi Ganongan told INQUIRER.net in a phone call.
Based on initial reports, there were 55 tourists in Banaue when the incident occurred. All have left the town as of Saturday, said Ganongan.
When asked if tourists are now encouraged to visit the province since roads are passable, Ganongan gave a negative response.
“Siguro not at this time. We’re also waiting for the advice of the LGU [local government unit]. Wala pa silang ini-issue na open pa. Kasi ‘yung na-issue last time was temporarily closed ‘yung mga tourism activities,” she said.
(Maybe not at this time. We’re also waiting for the advice of the LGU. They are not issuing any statement that it is open. The last advisory was that tourism activities were temporarily stopped.)
“We hope na siguro (that maybe) within the day or tomorrow, they will issue an advisory, advising already na open siya (that it is open),” the regional director went on.
Last Friday, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco advised tourists to temporarily suspend travel to Banaue as clearing and cleaning operations were underway.
Frasco likewise discussed with Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) Chief Operating Officer Mark Lapid “to instruct the temporary prohibition on the use” of Banaue Hotel and Youth Hostel (BHYH) as landslides “carved out the side service access road” and fronted “the main entrance of the hotel.”
The BHYH is an 81-room facility being managed by Tieza, an attached agency of DOT.
Aside from affected tourists, around 500 families were affected and three individuals were hurt by the flash floods and mudslides in Banaue.
READ: 3 hurt by flash floods, mudslides in Ifugao — NDRRMC