The tragic loss of Quiapo’s Tiki-Tiki birthplace.
A heritage advocacy group has raised alarm over the reported demolition of the historic Dr. Manuel Zamora Mansion along Hidalgo Street in Quiapo, claiming portions of the structure were torn down despite previous preservation orders from the government.
In a strongly worded social media post, Kapitbahayan sa Kalye Bautista atbp. Lugar, Inc. (KKB) expressed frustration over the alleged destruction of the property during National Heritage Month.
“A Heritage Month without Heritage 😞,” the group wrote.
According to KKB, they received reports that the mansion was being demolished, including a section reportedly designed by National Artist for Architecture Pablo Antonio Sr.
“We’ve received reports that the Dr. Manuel Zamora Mansion is being demolished with the Pablo Antonio Sr. segment now completely destroyed, AGAINST the orders from NHCP dated 2022 that the facade be spared and incorporated in the residential townhouse inside,” the post stated.
The Zamora-Paterno Mansions are a row of interconnected ancestral houses considered part of Quiapo’s historic landscape. KKB noted that the property once served as the home laboratory of Filipino chemist Dr. Manuel Zamora, inventor of the Tiki-Tiki Vitamin B1 supplement used to combat beri-beri.
The group also highlighted the site’s architectural importance, saying part of the property had been renovated by Pablo Antonio Sr., the architect behind the iconic Far Eastern University campus in Manila.
“When passionate Filipinos do their best to promote and protect our history, there unfortunately some who are hind sighted and focus on capital,” the organization said.
KKB stressed that heritage conservation and urban development should not be treated as opposing ideas.
“Heritage and development should not be exclusive from one another. They coexist, the same with other countries do,” the group wrote.
The organization further questioned why the demolition allegedly proceeded despite the site’s recognized historical value.
“What happens now that the Zamora Mansion will become but a memory? Will our dreams of a revitalized Hidalgo street, forever stay a dream?” the post added.
KKB said it would seek answers from several government agencies, including the Department of Tourism, Culture and Arts of Manila, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, and the National Museum of the Philippines.
The post ended with the hashtags #HeritageIsPeople and #SaveTheZamoraMansion.
What happens now that the Zamora Mansion will become but a memory? Will our dreams of a revitalized Hidalgo street, forever stay a dream?
Kapitbahayan sa Kalye Bautista atbp. Lugar, Inc. (KKB)
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