A fire that began late Sunday evening claimed the historic Manila Central Post Office building.
(MAY 22, 2023) – Late Sunday evening, sirens from fire trucks hounded the area near the Manila Central Post Office in Ermita, Manila as a fire hit the historic building. Initially, the fire only affected the basement level, where PhilPost said a museum, some offices, and storage areas are located. Parcels and letters were located in the upper floors.
However, at around half past 4 in the morning, the situation worsened, with the fire creeping up to the upper floors. Soon, the entire building was affected.
PhilPost’s early estimates suggest that the damages are worth Php 300 million. Apart from letters and parcels, artifacts of significant historical importance were also lost to the fire, such as paintings, memorabilia, and historic stamps. National ID cards of residents in the City of Manila were also among the items engulfed in the fire.
Manila Mayor Honey Lacuña has also assured that the local government unit, as well as other authorities, will restore the Post Office building. She also added that “no other building will stand on its place.”
Temporarily, PhilPost employees will be working in a site in Del Pan, Manila, among other buildings in the surrounding area identified as satellite office for the time being.
The landmark building was built in 1926 and was designed by Architect Juan Arellano. During World War II, American forces burnt down the building to expel Japanese forces from the site. After the war, the Manila Post Office was rebuilt and was completed in 1948.