MANILA, Philippines - Employees of the Philippine Postal Corporation (PhilPost) would soon bid goodbye to their Manila Central Office in Lawton that served as the home of mailmen for more than 80 years.
PhilPost Postmaster General Josefina de la Cruz yesterday said they are taking initial steps that would lead to their transfer to their new home in Quezon City.
“The Department of Finance (DOF) is ready to submit to the President a draft executive order that should put together the urban renewal projects for the entire area, including the original quadrant Intramuros and Lawton area,” De la Cruz said.
She said at least four local and international groups of investors are interested in the old PhilPost building.
Metropolitan Bank & Trust Company (Metrobank) chairman Dr. George S.K. Ty informed De la Cruz that their company wanted “to be part of restoring the old building.”
The postal office is a landmark in the city of Manila.
“We still do not know if it would become a hotel or university. It would depend on who would be the investor,” De la Cruz said.
She said they are looking for possible partners to finance the construction of a building in a 1.4-hectare property of PhilPost in Quezon City.
The postal office’s main building suffered heavy flooding triggered by the recent southwest monsoon.
The Manila Central Post Office, which was designed and constructed by Architect Juan Arellano, was built in 1926. It was severely damaged during World War II and rebuilt in 1946.