Old Palo houses face another storm

TACLOBAN CITY— Houses, some century-old, in Palo town, Leyte, survived the onslaught of Supertyphoon “Yolanda” but only to be threatened by demolition by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Owners of 33 old houses in the town are appealing to regional DPWH officials in Eastern Visayas to spare the structures because these have historical importance to Palo, which celebrated the 70th Leyte Gulf Landings on Oct. 20.

“These houses subject for demolition by the DPWH are not just mere structures but are landmarks with historical importance,” said lawyer Marino Buban, legal counsel of the Pedrosa family that owns a 200-year-old house in Palo that had been converted into a library.

Residents try to hitch hike along a road with destroyed coconut trees in Palo town, Leyte province, central Philippines, on November 13, 2013, days after super Typhoon Haiyan devastated the city. AFP

The old public library was destroyed during the onslaught of Yolanda.

“These (structures), particularly the Palo municipal library, are landmarks with historical importance. What is the urgency in demolishing these buildings and houses?” Buban said.

A different storm

Aaron Almadro, editor-in-chief of a weekly lifestyle magazine whose family owns one of the old houses, said his family has yet to complete repairs on their house, also damaged by Yolanda, and DPWH comes along wanting to tear it down.

“What infuriates me more is that DPWH has warned us that if we won’t heed the (demolition) order, the cost of demolition will be charged to us,” he said.

The Almadro two-story house was built in 1924 in Barangay Buri and was once used as a Japanese army headquarters during World War II.

The DPWH is widening the 4.5-km road from Barangay Candahug to Barangay Buri in Palo, increasing the number of lanes from two to four.

Rolando Asis, DPWH director Eastern Visayas, said the project, worth P150 million, had nothing to do with the visit of Pope Francis who is scheduled to be in Tacloban City and Palo on Jan. 17.

He said the project was already approved before he took over as DPWH regional director in 2010.

But, he added, it was only implemented in July this year.

Right of way

At least 33 old houses would be demolished because these have encroached road right of way by at least three meters, said Asis.

But the Pedrosas’ house would be spared after the DPWH received a letter from the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP).

“We will not touch it until further notice from the commission,” said Asis during an interview aired over a local radio station of Bombo Radyo network.

In her letter to Asis dated Sept. 8, NHCP chair Maria Serena Diokno said the old municipal library is considered as an “important cultural property given that it is more than 50 years old and it holds some significance as one of the oldest bahay na bato (stone houses) in Palo.”

“The house also served as municipal hall and school during the Spanish colonial period and as headquarters of American soldiers under Gen. (Douglas) MacArthur and President (Sergio) Osmena (Sr.) while they were in Leyte,” Diokno said.

But Asis said the other houses that encroached the road right of way would have to be torn down.