FIRE gutted the Manila Central Submit Workplace, one of many oldest constructions within the Philippine capital, based on the native hearth bureau.
The fireplace began earlier than midnight on Sunday and firefighters solely managed to comprise it greater than seven hours after, the Bureau of Hearth Safety stated in a Fb submit on Monday.
It brought about about P300 million in injury, Manila Mayor Maria Sheilah Lacuna–Pangan informed a web-based information briefing. Constructing one other construction on the lot is out of the query as a result of the world is a nationwide heritage zone, she added.
“You can not simply construct one other constructing within the submit workplace’s place,” she stated in Filipino. “The native authorities of Manila will work with the Nationwide Authorities to revive the Manila Central Submit Workplace.”
The Philippine Postal Corp. (PhilPost) stated in an announcement it was working with the hearth bureau to find out the reason for the blaze. No deaths have been reported.
Purchasers should ship their mail and packages to close by submit places of work in Manila and different components of Metro Manila, it stated.
“We categorical grief and are saddened by this unlucky incident,” Postmaster Basic Luis D. Carlos stated. “We didn’t count on this to occur, however we guarantee the general public that every one PhilPost branches shall be enterprise as common.”
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) stated a number of the nationwide IDs that have been due for supply in Manila had been broken by the hearth.
It’s coordinating with the submit workplace to find out the precise variety of IDs affected by the hearth, PSA Undersecretary and Nationwide Statistician Claire Dennis S. Mapa stated in an announcement.
The Nationwide Museum in 2018 declared the nation’s oldest submit workplace as an essential cultural property. The label is given to properties with “distinctive cultural, inventive, and/or historic significance” to the nation.
It’s the second-highest stage of safety subsequent to the nationwide cultural treasure, which is given by the Nationwide Museum and Nationwide Historic Fee of the Philippines.
The submit workplace was rebuilt in 1946 after it was severely broken throughout World Warfare II.
In the meantime, lawmakers sought the speedy rehabilitation of the submit workplace utilizing emergency funds.
“The fireplace that hit this nationwide historic landmark is undoubtedly a certifiable catastrophe,” Batangas Rep. Ralph G. Recto stated in an announcement.
The federal government might use the president’s P13-billion contingency fund, he stated, including that the P19.03-billion calamity fund from the Nationwide Catastrophe Danger Discount and Administration Council (NDRRMC) is also used.
Mr. Recto stated below the Nationwide Cultural Heritage Act of 2009, nationwide historic landmarks, websites or monuments are entitled to “precedence authorities funding for cover, conservation and restoration.”
Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” M. Angara, who heads the finance committee, tweeted that he would work with the Finances division in on the lookout for funds to assist restore the Manila Central Submit Workplace.
“I name on our authorities to analyze the reason for the hearth in order that this prevalence won’t ever occur once more,” Senator Lorna Regina “Loren” B. Legarda stated in a separate assertion. “We should shield our historic websites akin to this vital architectural inheritance.”
Senator Robin C. Padilla additionally filed a decision in search of to probe the hearth “with the intention of revisiting and strengthening insurance policies for the preservation and safety of cultural properties towards hearth and different hazards.”
“The Manila Central Submit Workplace is a tangible illustration of the nation’s tradition and historical past, and its injury is a blow to the nation’s cultural heritage,” he stated.
Manila Rep. Bienvenido M. Abante, Jr. referred to as the incident “a nationwide tragedy that the federal government ought to handle by funding its restore, rehabilitation and restoration in order that it may proceed to function a gorgeous monument to our nation’s historical past.” — John Victor D. Ordoñez and Beatriz Marie D. Cruz