‘Save Santa Mesa Fire Station’: Gov’t urged to halt demolition of century-old Manila fire station

MANILA, Philippines — Manila heritage advocates are calling on the concerned cultural agencies and the Manila City government to take action on the impending demolition of one of the nation capital’s oldest fire stations, the Santa Mesa Fire Station.

The fire station, known as Fire Station No. 8, situated along Ramon Magsaysay Boulevard in Barangay 629 Zone 63, Santa Mesa district, is estimated to have been constructed between 1919 and 1920, making it approximately 105 years old.

In a unified memorandum dated Jan. 8, 2024 obtained by Philstar.com, non-profit organization Manileños For Heritage (M4H), said that it has been informed of the scheduled demolition of the fire station on Wednesday, January 10. The demolition will pave way for the road widening in Ramon Magsaysay Blvd.

“The BFP is planning to construct a three-storey modern building as a replacement to the old structure,” M4H wrote.

The memorandum bore the subject “Appropriate and immediate action regarding the January, 10 2024 demolition of Santa Mesa Fire Station Santa Mesa, Manila,” addressed to the following:

The organization is then calling on the national and local heritage agencies, as well as the local government unit of Manila and Barangay 629, Zone 63, District 6, to conduct an immediate on-site inspection and issue a Cease and Desist Order on the demolition. This is  accordance with the Section 25 of the Republic Act 10066 or the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009.

Under this provision, the law says that cultural agencies are granted power to issue CDO “when the physical integrity of the national cultural treasures or important cultural properties are found to be in danger of destruction or significant alteration from its original state.”

“The appropriate cultural agency shall immediately issue a Cease and Desist Order ex parte suspending all activities that will affect the cultural property,” the law says.

The Santa Mesa Fire Station, erected between 1919 and 1920, is deemed an important cultural asset, as outlined in Section 5 of the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009. This legislation safeguards structures aged at least 50 years, shielding them from exportation, modification, or