Locsin-Designed Greenbelt 1 May Soon Not Be Considered an Important Cultural Property
Ayala Land has filed a petition with the NCCA.
(SPOT.ph) The Greenbelt 1 building in Makati City may soon lose protection as a cultural property. Ayala Land has filed a petition with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts to remove the Presumption as Important Cultural Property, as announced by the government agency on July 26. Those who support or oppose the petition are given until August 15 to do so.
Also read: PHILCOA, Then and Now
Greenbelt 1 petition on cultural property status filed with the NCCA
The building in question is a work of National Artist Leandro V. Locsin and makes up one of several of his designs that stand in Makati City. As the NCCA states, the petition was filed by Ayala Land, Inc.—not so long after unconfirmed reports from Inquirer's Biz Buzz column early July said that the structure is slated for demolition in the first half of 2024. If you'd like to get a word in, you can either support or oppose the petition by emailing them in to the Declaration and Public Heritage Section of the Cultural Properties Protection and Regulation Division at dphs@ncca.gov.ph. "Receiving of public positions is until 11:59 PM (PST) of 15 August 2023, only," said the NCCA.
So what is a "Presumed Important Cultural Property" anyways? According to the Philippine Registry of Cultural Property, it is a material that has not been explicitly declared a heritage marker (via titles like Important Cultural Property, National Cultural Treasure, UNESCO World Heritage Site, National Historical Shrine, and more) but "still possesses the characteristic of an Important Cultural Property." A work by a national artist, as Locsin was, falls under this category.
Locsin's other recognizable works, including the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Sycip Law Office, Makati Stock Exchange, and the Philippine International Convention Center, are all protected from demolition and modification by law through their declaration as Important Cultural Properties.
Also read: Pre-War Capitol Theater in Escolta Officially Torn Down
Greenbelt 1 in 2023
The Greenbelt 1 mall has stood on the corner of Paseo De Roxas Avenue and Legaspi Street since 1988. You can spot a more subdued Locsin style in the low-rise building, still marked with his distinctive design.
Still, the space has been left behind by the times, as the shopping complex grew and grew. A walk through the old mall in July shows that most of the main entrance hall has been boarded up. The upper floors are mostly small stalls, and the two cinemas have been closed since lockdowns shuttered them back in 2020. Whether a change of space requires that the building be taken down, too, is a question that will be answered by time.