By MAE SINGUAY
BACOLOD City — The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) is against the construction of any other structure at the public plaza here.
Building structures other than what is already there will “adversely affect the historical ambiance and character of the place,” the NHCP said in separate letters to Mayor Monico Puentevella and Councilor Carlos Jose Lopez.
Aside from the central bandstand, no other roofed structure should be erected at the core of the plaza, the NHCP said.
Puentevella said the NHCP was referring to the Bacolod New Government Center replica that the city government put up before the term of Mayor Evelio Leonardia (now congressman) ended last year.
According to the mayor, the NHCP was implying that it wanted the P4-million structure out of the public plaza.
The commission wants the plaza to be an open space and to remain “green” to serve as the city’s “breathing space,” he said, adding that the open area must not be diminished.
Puentevella said he will try to ask the commission if the city government can have the structure redesigned.
Lopez, for his part, believes that the structure should be taken out and that the plaza should not be turned into a poster area.
It was learned that NHCP’s letter to Puentevella was in response to the latter’s letter seeking the commission’s opinion on the replica./PN
