Thoughts on Meralco issue

MERALCO or Manila Electric Company is the country's topmost electricity provider. Its head office is in Ortigas Avenue, Pasig City.

Why does the meaning do not fit the acronym? MERALCO is originally known as Manila Electric Railroad And Light Company.
 

Yes, it is also a railroad company back in the pre-war days. Manila maintained a tranvia line back in those days prior to the LRT and MRT. (Manila was like Paris then.) However, the tranvia line was badly damaged after the war and was never rehabilitated.

In the early 2000's, the tranvia lines are still visible in some parts of Manila. Today, it is totally under cement roads.Why Manila Electric Company? Because, MERALCO is originally held its main offices at San Marcelino St., Ermita, Manila. Its former main office building recently made news as it was approved for demolition by a certain city building official without even considering preserving its heritage value

Last July 5, 2012, before it becomes completely gone, we got the chance to marvel the remaining parts of its heritage.Several questions came into my mind upon visiting the structure:

1. Why Meralco did not consider applying a National Historical Institute recognition considering it was designed by National Artist Juan Arellano and its adjacent sculpture done by renowned Francesco Monti?

2. Why the new owner did not properly coordinate with proper authorities regarding preservation, restoration, and/or adaptive re-use of its integral parts? (the top part of the sculpture aka "The Furies" was sliced off due to improper casting for replication and/or restoration)

3. Why city building official Mr Balagot issued a demolition permit without consulting the Heritage Act of 2009?

4. Are conversation and heritage advocate groups really empowered by the National Heritage Act?

 

These questions only made me realize that the National Heritage Act needs more specific and stringent guidelines for implementation. This is reality. Sad state of heritage in the country. I wish that the day will come for a universal application of the law so as everyone will be knowledgeable enough of what heritage is. 

Current State: The demolition was stopped by Mayor Joseph Estrada to at least save "The Furies" for replication and/or salvaging its remaining parts. But this was only after relatives of Monti in Italy wrote a letter to the Office of the Mayor with evident disgust of how his work is being treated with disrespect.