For Cebu tourists, the Temple of Leah is a staple in most travel itineraries. The imposing structure is surely a sight on top of Cebu’s Busay hills, with its Greek-inspired architecture that takes cues from Athens’ Parthenon. However, this temple isn’t just a tourist spot—it’s actually a grand gesture for a loved one, who happens to be the grandmother of actress Ellen Adarna.
Temple of Leah: The Cebu Tourist Spot Dedicated to Ellen Adarna’s Grandmother
Located in Busay, Cebu just 40 minutes away from the city, the Temple of Leah first opened its gates to the public in 2012, and made famous as a large edifice that overlooks the Cebu skyline. And while it may have grown a reputation as a tourist spot in recent years, the temple didn’t actually begin that way.
Behind the 500,000-square property is Teodorico Soriano Adarna, a wealthy Cebu businessman who owns a construction firm and chains of motels across Visayas and Mindanao. The entrepreneur had the temple built and dedicated to his wife Leah Villa Albino-Adarna, who passed away from lung cancer in 2012.
In a 2021 Facebook post in the group Home Buddies, their daughter Arlene Adarna Mangubat detailed the story behind Leah, Teodorico, and the temple. According to her, the temple was born out of her mom’s desire to have a place where she could store her belongings even after death, which she had “hoarded.”
“She never threw anything away, even plastic Jollibee spoons. Over the years before she died, you could just imagine the things that she collected considering that she didn’t throw anything that she felt was ‘useful’ kasi sayang,” she wrote.
“Aside from the small things which almost had no value, she also had expensive taste in things. So, she had a vast collection of figurines, crystals, silverware, China[ware], books and furniture. Sa dami, she had to distribute [her belongings in] several houses that she owned. Lahat ng bahay niya, it’s either mukhang bodega o department store.”
In her anecdote, Arlene expressed how her mother was worried that her belongings would be thrown after she passed. The result was the Temple of Leah, after Teodorico promised that “he would build her a place where he would put all of her things in one place.”
Leah’s likeness as a ten-foot statue sits as the centerpiece inside the temple, which depicts her as the Matron Queen during her time in university. Aside from that, however, Leah’s possessions can still be found downstairs, with hallways filled with her vases, statues, photos, artwork, and other souvenirs she collected throughout the years.
How Much Is the Entrance Fee at Temple of Leah?
Interested visitors can drop by the Temple of Leah from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily at the Cebu Transcentral Highway in Busay, Cebu City. The entrance fee costs P100 per person, while kids 10 and under can enter for free.
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