Senate creates special committee for Manila Central Post Office restoration

The Senate on Wednesday formed a special committee tasked to oversee the rehabilitation of the Manila Central Post Office, which was gutted by fire earlier this month.

This developed after senators, voting unanimously, adopted Senate Resolution No. 639, which seeks the creation of a panel that will study, review, assess, examine, investigate, and inquire about the various aspects related to the restoration of the historic building.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri announced that the members of the Senate Special Committee on the Rehabilitation of the Manila Central Post Office will be: 

• Senate President Pro-Tempore Loren Legarda
• Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel
• Senator Pia Cayetano
• Senator Nancy Binay
• Senator Sonny Angara

In sponsoring the resolution, Legarda described the important landmark’s destruction as a “profound loss for us Filipinos” and said its rehabilitation is an “important tribute to those who have come before us.”

“This restoration project is an important tribute to those who have come before us, to their craftsmanship and vision. It is a commitment to future generations. A promise that we will pass on this rich heritage, instilling in them a sense of pride and responsibility,”  Legarda said.

Manila’s first postal office was gutted by a massive 30-hour fire that broke out in the building’s basement late Sunday, May 21.

The fire reached the first alarm at 11:41 p.m. and escalated to general alarm, or its highest fire alarm level, at 5:54 a.m. on Monday. It was declared under control at 7:22 a.m. and out on Tuesday at 6:33 a.m.

The Bureau of Fire Protection said 18 individuals, mostly firefighters, were hurt in the incident, while the estimated cost of damage was around P300 million.

For its part, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts earlier said it is set to create an inter-agency task force for the restoration of the landmark. — BM, GMA Integrated News