Cagsawa Ruins to reopen after 3-month closure

FILE: Cagsawa Ruins in Daraga, Albay (Photo by Jhloucal/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

DARAGA, Albay – Cagsawa Ruins, a famous tourist spot in Daraga, will reopen its doors on June 20 after three months of closure due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) health crisis.

Daraga Mayor Victor Perete told the Philippine News Agency in an interview on Tuesday that visitors will need to sign a health declaration, submit to temperature check and wear masks at all times when visiting Cagsawa Ruins.

“We have to follow the minimum health standard at all times. Food and souvenir stalls inside the ruins (are) still not allowed to operate,” he said.

Perete said Cagsawa Ruins is a self-sustaining economic enterprise of the local government but like all other players of the tourism sector, it has been hard-hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.

It could take up to 11 months for the tourist spot to recover its losses, he said.

“The closure of Cagsawa from March 16 to June 19, 2020, translated into a loss of PHP2.5 million,” he said.

Perete said the local government of Daraga will introduce new policies in connection with the operation of Cagsawa Ruins using the new normal approach.

The Cagsawa Ruins are the remnants of a 16th-century church. The place, a historical landmark of Daraga, is one of the most visited tourist sites in the province.

“I am optimistic that we can recover, all we need is to strive and introduce other options to help boost our local economy and produce more livelihood,” he said.

Cagsawa Ruins will be open for visitors from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. starting June 20.