Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon on Wednesday committed to prioritizing the rehabilitation of the damaged Manila Central Post Office ‘as fast as possible.’
Dizon made this statement as the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Philippine Postal Corporation, led by Dizon and Acting Postmaster General Maximo Sta. Mesa III, for the retrofitting and rehabilitation of the iconic structure.
The building, which was built in 1926, was hit by a fire on May 21, 2023 at 11:41 p.m. While the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) ruled out arson, it initially estimated a damage cost of around P300 million worth of assets, including national I.D cards.
The BFP said the fire reached the general alarm, which is the highest, and was declared under control after eight hours since the fire started in the basement. The fire was extinguished on May 23, almost two days after the fire broke out.
Dizon vowed that the DPWH will prioritize phase one of the restoration, noting that it is in line with the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
‘My promise to you, our promise to you is that we will do it right. And we will do this as fast as possible,’ Dizon told reporters in an interview.
‘We will coordinate with General and with the National Historical Institute to ensure that its restoration, rehabilitation, and repair will be done fast and right,’ Dizon added.
With this, Bisnar welcomed the commitment of the DPWH, emphasizing that ‘they have the expertise, the knowledge, the skills’ in restoring the building in the right way.
‘This is, I think this will be a highlight of how good processes, integrity, and trustworthiness in rebuilding an historical structure here in the Philippines,’ Sta. Maria said in the same interview. /mr