Cultural heritage, progress can coexist — DMCI

Senate photo

MANILA — Developers of Torre de Manila yesterday argued that there is no reason to demolish the condominium building dubbed as the “national photo bomber” adding that the building can co-exist with the Jose Rizal’s monument.

“Cultural heritage and progress can co-exist,” DMCI Homes project development manager Florence Loreto said in a press briefing yesterday.

DMCI also released an artist’s rendition of a future Manila skyline with several buildings at the back of Jose Rizal’s monument.

Loreto cited other establishments built along national monuments such as the EDSA Shrine in Quezon City, the Bantayog ni Bonifacio in Caloocan City, the First Rizal Monument in the World in Camarines Norte, the Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila and the Rizal monument in Zamboanga City, among others.

“They prove that the past and present can go together, that heritage does not hamper progress,” she said.

Besides, Loreto said that the case is common in major cities all over the world such as in Jakarta, Amsterdam, Mexico City and Shanghai, among others.

She also added that in terms of complying with necessary rules, they “have not violated any laws” and the project was cleared by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP).

“The clearance from the NHCP allows us to erect Torre de Manila in that lot. It says that we are not in obstruction (of the view of the Rizal monument). We are outside the boundaries of the national shrine and the lot is a commercial property, with no cultural or historical significance,” she said.