Solon wants Congress to probe Manila’s vanishing historic structures

Kabataan Partylist Rep. Terry L. Ridon has asked the House Committee on Metro Manila Development to investigate the cultural and historical devaluation of historic properties in Manila such as the Philippine Post Office (PhilPost) and Manila Metropolitan Theater (MET) due to neglect or demolition to make way for multibillion-peso property developments.

In House Resolution 1566, Ridon said the weak implementation of laws has paved the way for the devaluation and deterioration of buildings with historical value.

“Loose preservation, conservation and restoration plans and actual work on national treasures and cultural properties make these vulnerable to deterioration. Congress must act as a steward for the protection and preservation of cultural properties by ensuring that laws intended for such purpose are enforced and violations and violators should be held liable,” he said.

Ridon also cited the Army and Navy Club, the old Meralco building, the Anda Circle, and El Hogar Filipino as among the cultural properties in Manila that suffer from cultural and historical devaluation.

Philpost, MET

According to the lawmaker, the construction firm that built the Fullerton Hotel in Singapore has announced plans to redevelop the 86-year-old PhilPost Office in Lawton, a neoclassical building that survived World War II, into a hotel under Public-Private Partnership (PPP).

The restoration of the Met, meanwhile, has been at a standstill due to the ownership dispute between the local city government and the Government Service Insurance System. The building, formerly known as the Grand Old Dame of Manila theaters, was once the center of cultural arts in the country and became the leading venue for showing zarzuelas in the 1930s.

“Because of the sluggish dispute settlement, the MET is compelled to sit idly, its beauty and cultural prestige withering away through time,” Ridon said.

Army and Navy Club, Anda Circle

Last year, a private developer began demolishing the 105-year-old Army and Navy Club along Roxas Boulevard to pave the way for the construction of a boutique hotel. The demolition has been denounced by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) as a clear violation of the National Heritage and Cultural Act, which provides for the cultural preservation as a strategy of maintaining Filipino identity.

The Oceanville Hotel and Spa Corporation is in charge of developing the Army and Navy Club building, while AMH Philippines is responsible for the structural assessment of the building.

Also in 2014, the Department of Public Works and Highways announced plans to demolish the Anda Circle on the boundary of Intramuros and transfer the monument to ease traffic congestion in Metro Manila.

The monument was constructed in 1871 upon the orders of then-Governor General Maria dela Torre in honor of Simon de Anda y Salazar, who served as the governor general of the Philippines from 1770 to 1776. Anda was said to have rebelled against British invaders and led a resistance movement when he fled to Bulacan and Pampanga. He likewise denounced the King of Spain for subjecting the Philippines in deplorable conditions.

El Hogar Filipino

Another building in imminent threat of demolition is the El Hogar Filipino, which was constructed in 1914 at the corner of Juan Luna and Muelle de Industria Sts. in Binondo. Quoting news reports, Ridon said tenants were asked to move out of the building in Feburary 2014 despite the NHCP's insistence on the building's adaptive reuse two years earlier.

In 2013, Manila lost a cultural and historical landmark with the demolition of the old Meralco building on San Marcelino Street.

The building, known for its art deco style, was designed by famed Filipino architect Juan Arellano. Its façade used to house the bas relief “Furies,” sculpted by Italian artist expatriate Francesco Riccardo Monti. — Xianne Arcangel/BM, GMA News