Mayor Lacuna: Condos, commercial buildings not allowed on Manila Central Post Office site
Credit to Author: Rosette Adel| Date: Tue, 23 May 2023 10:30:00 +0800
MANILA, Philippines — Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan on Monday allayed public speculation that a new structure will replace the Manila Central Post Office, which was gutted by a fire that firefighters only managed to put out on Tuesday.
Several social media users raised speculations that the 30-hour fire at the Manila landmark was intended to pave the way for new high-rise private or commercial buildings.
In a televised briefing, Lacuna addressed these and stressed that the Manila Central Post Office site is protected by the city government’s zoning ordinance and its Important Cultural Property status.
The Manila Central Post Office building, inaugurated in 1927, was designed by architects Tomas Mapua, Juan Marcos de Guzman Arellano and Ralph Doane. It was declared an Important Cultural Property in November 2018.
This is where the Philippine Postal Corp. had been holding office.
“To those who have doubts that another structure could be built on the Manila Central Post Office site, don’t worry. The site where the post office is built, according to our zoning ordinance, is an institutional zone,” the city chief executive said in Filipino.
According to a Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board guide on comprehensive land use planning, general institutional zones are intended for establishments like government offices, hospitals and clinics, and academic, research and convention centers. Special institutional zones are meant for specific types of eestablishments like welfare homes, orphanages and military bases and camps.
“Apart from that, the Manila Central Post Office was declared in 2018 by National Museum as an important cultural property.,” she added.
Lacuna furthered that the site where Manila Central Post Office was built is a heritage zone, which prohibits the city government and the national government from building any other type of infrastructure there.
Under Republic Act No. 10066 or the “National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009,” designated heritage zones shall “protect the historical and cultural integrity of a geographical area.”
It also supports properties declared as ICPs entitled to receive government funding for their protection, conservation and restoration.
The heritage law likewise prohibits the sale of any cultural property.
“No cultural property shall be sold, resold or taken out of the country without first securing a clearance from the cultural agency concerned. In case the property shall be taken out of the country, it shall solely be for the purpose of scientific scrutiny or exhibit,” Article III, Section 11 of the law reads.
On Tuesday morning, the Bureau of Fire Protection the fire at the MCPO out after more than 30 hours of blaze that broke at around 11:41 p.m. on Sunday.
BFP on Monday said that the initial damage from the fire is estimated at P300 million.
Despite the tragic fire, PHLPost said it will continue its operations starting today, May 23.
The operations will temporarily be housed at Surface Mail Exchange in the Delpan Port Area for mail and parcel transactions.
“PHLPost would like to emphasize that we are committed to maintaining regular operations and effectively delivering our services to the public,” it said.
Meanwhile, the city government of Manila earlier said it is already in talks with PHLPost Postmaster General Luis Carlos for the assistance that the city may provide to the damaged Manila Central Post Office building.