Is Manila Replacing Culture With Condos? City Mayor Puts End to Central Post Office Rumors

(SPOT.ph) The ongoing fire at the Manila Central Post Office continues to be a hot topic, and social media comment sections have been flooded with growing suspicions about a possibility of arson in order to advance business interests in the coveted location.

The city government is putting an end to these rumors. To claim that Manila is sacrificing culture for condominiums is simply a false statement, according to City Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan. She is reassuring worried Manileños that the Manila Central Post Office remains an “important cultural property” as heralded by the National Museum of the Philippines since 2018.

This means that the entire location is considered a heritage zone, which prohibits the construction and placement of other buildings within the vicinity. Lacuna-Pangan said the Manila Central Post Office is protected and will continue to be protected by the Manila government.

“Wag ho kayong mag-alala. Ang lugar po kung saan nakatayo ‘yung Manila Central Post Office, ayon sa aming zoning ordinance, ay isang institutional zone,” Lacuna-Pangan said in a press conference.

As of writing, the fire has been “under control” since 7:22 a.m., but no official declarations of "fire out" have been made. Lacuna-Pangan said mopping operations are still being carried out by firefighters to ensure that the building is safe.

Also read: A Look at the Historic Manila Central Post Office Before the Fire

A fiery conspiracy surrounds Manila Central Post Office

It’s long been known that government-run PHLPost has been losing money for years because it could not compete with the private couriers and online communication platforms.

Suspicions of arson revolve around a theory that certain business interests may be seeking to gain control of the Manila Central Post Office's prime location in order to construct lucrative buildings that could bring in more profit.

“Casino? Condo? Mall? What will suddenly emerge from the ruins of the Manila Post Office?” one user tweeted. “More importantly, who will stand to gain?”

"Sobrang consistently pabaya talaga ng Maynila sa heritage nito! Nasunog na ang Juan Luna Bldg/National Archives. Ngayon, parang WWII scene ang Manila Post Office. Demolitions at neglect ng heritage buildings, violations ng heritage law," another user tweeted. "Manila is sacrificing culture for condos."

Located in the heart of city, the Manila Central Post Office has become a focal point for economic activity given its close proximity to corporate headquarters, commercial centers, and financial institutions.

This isn’t the first time the Manila Central Post Office was subject to similar rumors. In 2012, it was reported that the Philippine government was in “crucial stages” of negotiation with the group behind Fullerton Hotel in Singapore. It entailed that the Manila Central Post Office was to be converted into a first-class hotel.

Interestingly, the Fullerton Hotel was also formerly Singapore’s general post office. Take it from the former Tourism Secretary himself:

The negotiations between the two parties fell through in 2013.

According to Lacuna-Pangan, the fire started in the General Services Office located at the basement, with the confined space allowing for the fire to thrive. The initial estimate of the fire damage is currently at P300 million.

“Makikipagtulungan po [tayo] sa ating national government na maibalik ang dating imprastraktura na kung saan nakatayo ang Manila Central Post Office,” Lacuna-Pangan said in a press conference.

In the meantime, Manila Central Post Office employees will be relocated to the foreign mail distribution center on Delpan Street.

Also read: What's Next for the National IDs, Parcels Inside the Burning Manila Central Post Office?