FUTURE PHOTO SPOILER? A construction crane at the Torre de Manila work site juts out of the horizon, as viewed from Rizal Park. NIÑO JESUS ORBETA
Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada threw his support behind the council resolution calling for the suspension of the building permit of Torre de Manila, a 41-story condominium project which critics said would mar the view of Rizal Park if allowed to rise on Taft Avenue.
“It will obstruct the view of Jose Rizal’s statue. Pinagmamalaki natin ’yang Luneta tapos mag-coconstruct ng mga building, hindi maganda eh (We take pride in Luneta [Rizal Park] and yet we’re constructing buildings. It won’t look good),” the former President told the Inquirer Thursday.
“It’s not yet final,” Estrada said, referring to the resolution. “I’m still studying it. But more or less I’m for it.”
Told that the construction of Torre de Manila was already under way, the mayor said: “We might have it stopped. We’re in the process of discussing it.”
On Tuesday, the Manila City Council voted unanimously to ask the city building official to suspend the permit issued last year to Torre’s developer, DMCI Homes, during the administration of then Mayor Alfredo Lim.
The resolution was prompted by the online campaign being waged since last year by tour guide and activist Carlos Celdran against the condo project. Estrada earlier tapped Celdran as a tourism consultant.
Authored by Councilor DJ Bagatsing, the resolution maintained that the “sacred sightline” to the monument should be preserved. The view of the park marking the 1896 execution site of the national hero should remain clear for “unobstructed viewing appreciation and photographic opportunities,” it stressed.
Bagatsing called on DMCI to respect the resolution’s binding authority and hold a dialogue with stakeholders to “find a delicate balance between heritage and modernization.”
A DMCI spokesperson on Thursday said the company preferred not to comment on the Torre de Manila case at this time.
Juan Capuchino, the new city building official, said that once he had received a copy of the resolution, he would ask DMCI to comment.
“If there are legal matters raised in their comment, I will have to refer it to the city legal office. If there are no legal concerns, I will decide as the building official,” he said.
“At this point, I don’t see any ground (for the construction to stop) because they have all the necessary clearances,” Capuchino said. “The NHCP (National Historical Commission of the Philippines) also doesn’t consider the construction area a historical site.”
Last year, a city council investigation arising from Celdran’s campaign found that a permit was issued by then City Building Official Melvin Balagot despite the project’s alleged violation of zonal regulations by exceeding the floor area ratio and height limits in Manila’s university cluster zone.
“I will have to look into the possible violation of the height limit. I will review the zoning permit issued to them,” Capuchino said.