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Is it too late the hero?
The demolition of the palatial Palanca mansion on Pasay had already been ongoing when the Nation Commission for Culture and the Arts issued a cease-and-desist order against Huang Hsiang J Development corporation, the developer of the bus terminal that is supposed to rise on the site of the house, on March 2.
“The Carlos Palanca Sr. residence on Taft Avenue, Pasay City, allegedly built in 1940 and actually lived [in] by the late Carlos Palanca Sr Tan Quin Lay, is considered historically significant in view of Palanca’s contribution to the distillery and motor industries, education, culture and arts, and philanthropy in the Philippine,” reports Philippine Daily Inquirer.
It notes that “heritage advocate Isidra Pastor Reyes, who cowrote the petition to the NCCA against the demolition, praised the commission for issuing the CDO right on the day after the petition was submitted. But she lamented that Pasay City hall had issued the demolition permit despite the fact its age should entitle it for coverage under the National Heritage Law of 2009.”
The report continues: “Aside from its historical value, Reyes said the Palanca mansion is likewise architecturally significant, being designed along the ‘tropical’ Mediterranean style’ possibly by National Artist Pablo Antonio.”
A hearing among heritage advocates, interested parties, to discuss the issue, was to be held Monday, March 16.
Photo: Danny de Luna, Stephen Pamorada, Yvonne Kremer Palanca/Inquirer.net
