SEN. LOREN LEGARDA’S STATEMENT ON MANILA CENTRAL POST OFFICE FIRE INCIDENT

I am deeply saddened by the news that the Manila Central Post Office, one of the historic buildings in the country and declared an Important Cultural Property (ICP), was engulfed by a massive fire that started late night Sunday.

Having been built in 1926, this building is one of the oldest and most iconic structures in the Philippines that has been an essential part of our history, surviving many calamities and the Battle of Manila during World War II.

Before the fire incident, the decades-old structure still provides postal services besides operating a museum.

It is indeed a tragic and heartbreaking incident.

I call on our authorities to investigate the cause of the fire so that this occurrence will never happen again. We must protect our historical sites such as this significant architectural heritage.