Every May, National Heritage Month reminds us that culture lives not just in books or museums, but in the walls that have seen history unfold. One of them is the Manila Central Post Office, a neoclassical landmark gutted by fire in May 2023. Two years on, while full restoration is just beginning, a freshly painted façade shows signs of renewal.
Manila Bulletin
Property and Living
Manila Central Post Office awaits revival as heritage efforts gain ground
Property and Living
Manila Central Post Office awaits revival as heritage efforts gain ground
Manila Central Post Office awaits revival as heritage efforts gain ground
Plans for restoration move forward two years after the fire
Published May 21, 2025 06:25 pm
|
Updated May 20, 2025 06:26 pm
The Manila Central Post Office overlooking the Pasig River (Photos from John Louie Abrina)
Declared an “important cultural property” in 2018, the Post Office was designed by Juan M. Arellano and Tomas Mapua and completed in 1928. It survived war, floods, and decades of change—and now stands, scarred but standing, as a symbol of Manila’s enduring heritage.
Recently, the building’s façade was repainted, a visible sign that early restoration work is underway.
The government, according to Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Frasco, has approved a rehabilitation study for the site. PhilPost is working with the National Historical Commission, the Department of Tourism, the City of Manila, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, and the National Archives of the Philippines. Through the DOT’s infrastructure arm, the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), ₱15 million has been allotted for detailed architectural and engineering studies.
The restoration will unfold in two phases: first, stabilizing the building with temporary structures and shoring systems; then, assessing damage and crafting a full conservation plan. The end goal? A public-private partnership that transforms the space into a cultural destination.
The building’s façade was recently repainted following the tragic fire in May 2023.
PhilPost Postmaster General Luis Carlos said the building, which is insured, will not return as a working post office but as a landmark reimagined, open to visitors, alive with purpose.
The fire may have silenced its old functions, but the Manila Central Post Office is far from forgotten. This month, it stands not just as a ruin, but as a symbol of what we choose to save.
