PROTECTION OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS

According to Microsoft Bing, “The National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009 is a Philippine law that aims to protect and conserve the country’s cultural heritage . The law created the Philippine Registry of Cultural Property (PRECUP), which is responsible for identifying, documenting, and protecting cultural properties that are at least 50 years old . The law also mandates the establishment of a National Cultural Heritage Committee that will oversee the implementation of the law and the preservation of cultural heritage sites “. Since the law is very clear that buildings that are at least 50 years old could not be demolished or torn down, why is it that some heritage or cultural buildings are still being torn down? One example of this is the iconic Philam Life Building in Ermita, Manila. It is about 60 years old, but the new owner, SM Development Corporation (SMDC) has apparently started tearing down the building, supposedly due to their plans to build a condo on that same site. However, there are also news reports that SMDC has “promised” to preserve the Philam Life Theater itself, being a classic architectural wonder on its own. I am told that the quality of acoustics is so high inside such that so far, it has not been surpassed by the newer and more modern theaters in the country. I hope that it is not too late already, but perhaps SMDC could look into “adaptive” use, which is the popular trend in Europe. Preserve the old building, but give it a new use. IKE SENERES/09088877282/02-16-2024