More issues hound proposed One-Stop Shop building
A VIOLATION OF NATIONAL HERITAGE LAWS
MORE issues hound the construction of the three-storey One-Stop Shop building in front of the old Dagupan City hall.
The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) maintains that the location of the new building, blocking the historical old city hall built in 1925 under the administration of then Mayor Guillermo de Venecia, is in conflict with national historical laws and should not be allowed to continue.
This was pointed out by NHCP officials in a meeting during their courtesy call on City Mayor Belen Fernandez after they graced the opening of the Anakbanwa Arts Residency exhibit organized by Fourth District Rep. Christopher de Venecia at the MacArthur House in Dagupan City last week.
They affirmed that the old city hall is one of the oldest city halls in the country.
Mayor Fernandez, who was surprised by the observation, said it would appear that the past city administration did not consult with the NHCP before embarking on the construction of the One-Stop Shop building.
Former Mayor Brian Lim started the project a few days after he lost his re-election bid.
Fernandez said the contractor of the project is already set to demolish the remaining right and left wings of the city hall still occupied by some offices, including the Commission on Elections but she held it off in the absence of relocation plan for them.
She added that the P155-million three-storey building being constructed can only house nine offices of the more than 30 offices city government.
The current issue compounding its continued construction is the plan to elevate the first floor of the old city hall where the mayor’s office is presently located.
The mayor said the construction plan was put together without any consideration that the two-floor building that will be transformed into the shape of a bungalow house.
Fernandez told the NHCP officials that she will continue to consider other options for the construction of a city hall building that will conform with laws on preservation of national heritage and will provide offices for all the city government’s 30 offices while preserving the La Presidencia .
NHCP chairman Rene Escalante also encouraged the conservation of the old features of the La Presidencia by reflecting it in the brand new building complex because the new city hall plan “does not resemble anything on the architectural structure of the old residencia,”. (Leonardo Micua)
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