‘Torre project spoils view of Manila City Hall clock tower’
ACity of Manila lawmaker yesterday said the controversial Torre de Manila condominium project, blamed for obstructing the line of sight of Rizal monument at Rizal Park has likewise soured the panoramic view of the iconic Manila City Hall clock tower.
Councilor Don Juan Bagatsing showed the Manila Bulletin photos of the clock tower taken from the vantage point of Lawton area, which showed the clock tower with the towering condominium on its back.
From the photograph’s angle, it seemed the two edifices were next to each other.
“Sad but true. After ruining the sacred sightline of a national monument, the controversial condo construction also desecrates the valuable vista and visual corridor of another significant heritage icon, the majestic Clock Tower of City Hall, which is the eternal symbol of the country's capital,” Bagatsing said.
Construction of the 49-floor high condominium was suspended by the Supreme Court in June following a petition from the Knights of Rizal. Consequently, the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) has also suspended the license of DMCI to sell condominium units.
In the oral argument last July 21, the Knights of Rizal sought for the demolition of the Torre de Manila because it marred the visual dominance of the Rizal monument.
Project developer DMCI, Inc., the National Commission for Culture and Arts, National Museum, Manila city representatives, and the National Historical Commission of the Philippines are set to present their arguments on the second round of oral arguments at the Supreme Court on August 4.
Earlier, Bagatsing called for the resignation of an official of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) who signed the letter supporting the construction of the controversial Torre de Manila in 2012 “saying that the act is a mere ‘betrayal of their mandate.’”