Tearing down the house

We were dismayed to read earlier this week that the Philippine ambassador’s residence in Japan is up for “redevelopment”. While the Department of Foreign Affairs, through their spokesperson Assistant Secretary Eduardo Malaya, has said that “nothing is finalized or approved” with regards to the project, this leaves the door open for it to be “redeveloped” out of existence at a later date. The project under consideration involves tearing down the existing structure and erecting a 21 story development, with the penthouse assigned to the Philippine ambassador.

We thank Senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr. for bringing this issue to the public’s attention. So far, he and the Philippine Ambassador’s Foundation, Inc (PAFI) have aired their disagreement with the proposed demolition plan, citing the historical nature of the structure and its place as a national landmark. Senator Pimentel has filed Senate Resolution 1414 to halt the plan. The basis is Presidential Decree 1505 Section 5, which says that it is unlawful to “modify, alter, repair or destroy” features of national shrines, monuments and landmarks without written approval by the National Historical Institute of the Philippines (who is in charge with the oversight of monuments and landmarks). So far, the NHI has not released a statement.

The issue of the ambassador’s residence in Japan is not uncommon when it comes to our historic landmarks. In February, the issue was the destruction of the Church of San Jose Dingras façade, which thankfully did not go through. From Intramuros to hotels to rivers (such as the Pasig) many of our culturally relevant landmarks are the victims of abuse and neglect. Some of our churches and other historic residences and structures also show signs of poor conservation -improper renovations, restorations and structural additions, even poorly done, or improper, paint jobs are almost common.

Another historic site that we feel has not kept up properly with the times is the Manila Hotel. Manila Hotel was, at one time, considered to be the finest in Asia and rated as one of the Top 5 in the world. It was the Grand Dame of luxury hotels in the Philippines and the region. However, the hotel has been preserved as it existed during its heyday. And to keep up with the times, its owner built a new wing. This way, tourists see Manila Hotel as it was before the war in the old building, and appreciate a new and modern look when they go to the new building. Another example of how to manage a historic hotel is the Raffles Hotel in Singapore (of which they are now building a branch in Makati). The Raffles Hotel underwent a massive renovation and restoration project in 1989: It emerged as a 101 suite luxury hotel that is a landmark and tourist attraction in Singapore; today, they are opening branches internationally. It has become an excellent ambassador for Singapore. 

There are tourism issues here as well. When it comes to historic and cultural sites, we should adapt a variation on an old saying: “Preserve it and they will come”. Within the region, our history is unique; there is an attractiveness to that for regional and world tourists. We just have to make sure when they visit the Philippines there is something to see that inspires awe, not shock.

Poor renovations and restorations can be fixed. But when a historic site is destroyed, it is gone for good. Maybe at this point in time, with all of the current issues, we would think preserving our national patrimony is not a priority. Our culture and history should always be a priority. One day we will look for them and sadly, they may not be there to find. We will all be the poorer for it.