There’s ‘opportunity in tragedy’ in Bohol

Tourists flock to view fault lines, church ruins

By Carmel Loise Matus
Inquirer Visayas
Sunday, October 27th, 2013


This hanging bridge over Sipatan River in Sevilla, Bohol, looks deserted after the powerful earthquake that hit Bohol on Oct. 15. Bohol officials are hopeful business will rebound as soon as tourists return. MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

“This way to the fault line.”

Wooden signs that carry this message have risen in Inabanga town in Bohol to lead tourists to the fissure in the earth that released the 7.2-magnitude earthquake that brought this province to its knees nearly two weeks ago.

Residents and local officials put up the signs after tourists asked around for direction to Anonang village where they wanted to see how the earth cracked and pushed up a rock face 3 meters high, causing death and devastation in most of the island-province on Oct. 15.

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“Bohol still captures tourist interest with its so many other points,” he said. “People would like to see what happened to these churches after the earthquake,” he added, referring to centuries-old churches on the island that the earthquake had reduced to rubble.

Like Europe

Chatto pointed out that some countries in Europe offer the ruins of collapsed buildings as tourist attractions.

He said the ruins of churches and the fault line would now be part of the Bohol tourism product, as these are parts of the province’s history.

The earthquake destroyed six churches in Bohol. These are the churches in the towns of Clarin, Inabanga, Loon, Maribojoc and Tubigon.