Old city hall as site for new museum set
AN ordinance was passed and a plan was approved a few years ago designating the old Dagupan City Hall into a museum once a new city hall is built on another location.
Councilor Jose Netu Tamayo, cited the ordinance amid the recommendation of Councilor Dennis Canto that the city government look into the potential of an unfinished city hall building in Barangay Tapuac as an alternative museum.
Canto said the unfinished structure was designed by national artist from Barangay Bolosan, Victorio Edades, and since the present museum at the city plaza has become a multi-function hall for seminars and conferences, it could be made a museum.
Tamayo reminded the city council that the present city museum is a legacy of the late Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. and replacing it would be dishonoring his memory.
All mayors who served Dagupan have their own legacies in their own times that must not just be cast aside, said Tamayo adding that he will support Canto, chairman of the SP committee on culture and heritage, if he latter seeks the construction of a building dedicated to the memory of the late national artist Edades.
According to Tamayo, the present city museum must suffice for now but the designated real museum of Dagupan should be the old city hall, which is still being used by many offices of the city government.
The old city hall is a legacy of all mayors of Dagupan from the pre-war years to the present and will serve as the best site for a museum once it ceases to be a government center when a new one is built in another site, Tamayo said.
Being one of the oldest edifices in Dagupan built in 1925, the old city hall was declared as one of the national heritages of Dagupan like the Gabaldon building and the Home Economics building of the West Central Elementary School, the PNR site and also the Vicar Hotel and therefore, should not be destroyed and replaced with a new building at its present location.
Majority Floor Leader Michael Fernandez said the present city museum is serving as a multi-function hall because the city does not have a building that can host government seminars and conferences. (Leonardo Micua)
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