Temple of Leah

Overview

Teodorico Soriano Adarna, an engineer and construction-business owner, commissioned this monument as a tribute to his late wife, Leah Villa Albino-Adarna, who died of lung cancer in 2010 at age 69 after 53 years of marriage — the couple are the grandparents of Filipino actress Ellen Adarna. Construction began in 2012 on a hilltop property in Busay, with multiple sources reporting the site opened to the public around 2015. The design draws on Roman and Greek civic architecture rather than any Philippine or Catholic precedent — Adarna has cited the Parthenon as a reference point — with colonnades, a grand staircase flanked by two bronze lion statues (a nod to Leah’s Chinese zodiac sign), viewing terraces and sculpture courtyards, built in concrete with stone and marble finishes in a beige-and-cream palette. At the center of the main hall is a ten-foot, gold-painted bronze statue of Leah seated on a throne, and museum rooms across the property display her personal books, letters, photographs and other belongings. As of this writing, interior finishing on some sections is still reported ongoing, while the plaza, main shrine and viewing decks are open to visitors.

As of 2026, entry runs PHP 120 per person on weekdays and PHP 150 on weekends; children under four feet tall and senior citizens pay PHP 80 weekdays / PHP 100 weekends; children ten and under enter free with a parent. Parking runs PHP 50 per vehicle (PHP 30 for motorcycles at some listings). Professional or commercial photo shoots are charged separately, reported at PHP 2,500 and up, arranged in advance. Multiple current sources note that older, lower fee figures (from as far back as 2018–2019) still circulate online and should be treated as outdated.

Location

Barangay Busay, Cebu City uplands, on the same Transcentral Highway corridor as Tops Lookout and Sirao Garden.

Getting There

By private vehicle, taxi or Grab from Cebu City center, roughly 30–45 minutes; commonly combined with Tops Lookout and Sirao Garden on one Busay-uplands circuit.

Practical Info

• Polished marble stairs and floors become slippery after rain — take care in wet weather.
• Weekend pricing (PHP 150) is higher than weekday (PHP 120).
• Commercial and pre-wedding shoots require a separate, higher fee arranged in advance.

What to Expect

A monument built specifically for photography and sunset viewing as much as for its stated dedication — the grand staircase and colonnades are designed as much for the camera as for solemn visitation.

Notes

Sources: Philstar — Ellen Adarna reveals why her grandfather built Cebu’s Temple of Leah, accessed 2026-07-17, which independently confirms the builder (Teodorico Adarna), the dedication (his wife Leah, Ellen Adarna’s grandmother) and that the site was originally built to house the family’s belongings rather than as a planned tourist attraction. The 2012 construction-start date, Leah’s 2010 death, and the current 2026 fee schedule (PHP 120/150 adult, PHP 80/100 child-senior, PHP 50 parking) are corroborated across Temple of Leah Cebu: Entrance Fee, Hours and Tips 2026 — WhyCebu, accessed 2026-07-17, and Temple of Leah Cebu: Fees, Hours & How to Get There (2026) — Best Philippines Travel Guide, accessed 2026-07-17, the latter of which also cites a 2015 public-opening date.