QC dad pushes water towers as heritage site

MANILA, Philippines - A Quezon City councilor has granted the request of officials of Barangay Socorro and filed a resolution seeking the declaration as a heritage site and structures its pre-war twin water tanks.

In a measure currently pending before the city council, third district Councilor Jose Mario Don de Leon said the twin water tanks in Cubao – built by the Americans in the 1930s – is one of the most historic structures in the city as it has withstood earthquakes and bombings.

The twin water towers, which officials said are as tall as a 12 to 15-story building, are located at the corner of 15th and Boni Serrano Avenues, near Camp Aguinaldo.

 “Having the said towers declared as a national historical treasure would raise awareness and inspire patriotism, thereby giving every resident even more reason to be proud of our beloved city,” added the councilor.

Last month, barangay officials transmitted a resolution urging the declaration of the structures as a historic landmark.

The water tanks no longer serve their original purpose, but their ground floors are used by the barangay as the location of three offices, including the barangay’s emergency healthcare and gender and development offices.

The perimeter is also the location of the barangay hall and the area’s covered court, which have been built in and around the concrete towers over the years. The daycare, meanwhile, is situated between the two structures.

Kagawad Ronald Espulgar, who introduced the barangay measure, said they have no available document that could provide official information about the towers.

Citing stories from his mother, Espulgar said the towers are believed to have been constructed – at least one year apart – sometime in the 1930s before World War II. He said the use of the water tanks has been discontinued in the 1950s, when the development of the area started.

He said that because of the limited budget, the barangay is not able regularly maintain the structures.

The official also raised another issue – the property where the barangay hall and the towers are located is owned by a water concessionaire. He said they are hoping that the land would be donated to them as it would enable them to develop the area without the fear of being evicted in the future.