ILOILO CITY — The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) will inspect the half-century old town plaza of Alimodian, Iloilo where a multipurpose building is supposed to be constructed.
Earlier, NHCP Chairman Rene Escalante, in a letter, told the local government unit to look for another site to build the PHP4.6 million multipurpose building because the town plaza is an “integral part of the heritage of the municipality” and, being 50 years old, it is “considered an important cultural property.”
In an interview on Thursday, Mayor Geefre Alonsable said the issue on the construction of the multipurpose building in their town plaza was already discussed by the NHCP on Wednesday according to his talk with one of the commission’s architects.
He said the commission is yet to schedule the exact date of their inspection.
“I am looking forward that our request based on the majority of the people that are amenable to the construction of the multipurpose building, will be realized,” he said.
Alonsabe elevated the concern on the construction of multipurpose building to the NHCP, stating that majority of the residents are in favor of the project.
He then urged the commission to visit their place so they would see the site and discuss with them how they would resolve the problem.
“On behalf of the LGU (local government unit), we do not have papers at our hands, declaring plaza as heritage property and even the landmark has no any sign declaring the plaza as heritage property,” he said.
In fact, the plaza underwent improvements last 1989 but no one opposed to it, he added.
As of the moment, Alonsabe said, the construction of the project is still suspended by the Iloilo 4th District Engineering Office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
The DPWH is carrying out the project with a budget sourced from its General Appropriations Act.
The issue on the construction of the multipurpose building stemmed after a group of residents calling themselves “Save Alimodian Plaza” opposed the construction of the building at the public plaza, which they called a “heritage space” and “sacred public space”.
The group also wrote a letter to Escalante last July 23 to raise their concern about the construction of the project.
On August 1, Alonsabe initiated a public hearing to clear out issues regarding the project. (Cindy Ferrer/PNA)
