The Department of Tourism (DOT), through its infrastructure arm Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), has allotted P15 million for the Detailed Architectural and Engineering Studies (DAES) for the state of conservation assessment and pre-restoration work of the Manila Central Post Office (MCPO) building which was razed by fire last year.
“Apart from the promotion of our tourism gems, the Department of Tourism views it imperative to support the preservation, rehabilitation, and restoration of our country’s cultural and heritage sites, very much our tourism assets,” Tourism Secretary Christina G. Frasco said in a statement.
According to her, the earmarking of government funds for the conservation assessment and pre-restoration work on the Central Post Office is a “timely and necessary” move, as the national government has already laid the groundwork for the Pasig River Urban Development (PRUD) project, known as the Pasig Bigyan Buhay Muli (PBBM).
Highlighting the urgency of the government's involvement, the DOT chief noted, "When the Manila Central Post Office was destroyed in a massive fire, we lost not just a building, but an edifice that holds the rich history and past of the Filipino.”
The DAES, per the DOT, consists of two phases. The first phase involves plans for pre-restoration work, including the design of shoring, construction scaffoldings, temporary roof, and related methodologies, with a budget of P6 million. The second phase, allocated P9 million, covers the creation of rehabilitation and conservation plans, condition assessment plans, and a cost analysis of the MCPO's damage.
On Jan. 16, the tourism department reported that project consultants, TIEZA, and the Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) conducted a joint inspection at the MCPO for a preliminary evaluation.
During an Inter-Agency Task Force for Cultural Heritage (IATF-CH) conference in August 2023, Frasco, who also serves as TIEZA's chairperson, suggested aid for MCPO rehabilitation. The restoration project, which requires an integrated and multi-sectoral approach, is being carried out by key cultural bodies such as the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP), and the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), among others.