Cleanup Begins for Fire-Damaged Manila Central Post Office

Manila — the cleaning and restoration process for the historic Manila Central Post Office, which was devastated by a fire last May, has commenced.

According to a new release by the Philippines News Agency, firefighters from the Binondo Fire Volunteers began the cleanup process by flushing debris from the lobby using high water pressure fire hoses on Wednesday. The cleaning has made the floor recognizable and free from dirt. Plans for preserving the historic building are now underway with assistance from member agencies of the Inter Agency Task Force for Cultural Heritage (IATF-CH).

Initial steps towards the restoration of the Manila Central Post Office (MCPO) building have been taken by PHLPost. A conservation architect has been enlisted to identify items or materials of historical value left after the fire. The identified items will be tagged, cataloged, and retrieved to serve as a reference during the actual restoration process. In addition, PHLPost is working on shoring the building, a technique involving the temporary support of the structure to prevent any risk of collapse during repairs or alterations.

The Department of Tourism is considering the development of the iconic building as part of a cultural circuit in the City of Manila. Built in 1926, the Manila Central Post Office was declared an Important Cultural Property by the National Museum of the Philippines in 2018, making it eligible for government funding for its protection, conservation, and restoration.