KEEPSAKES. Mayor Ed Pamintuan and Councilor Amos Rivera preview to media refrigerator magnets depicting icons of Angeles City — sizzling sisig, the Holy Rosary Parish Church and the Pamintuan Mansion — crafted by local artist Chok Sotto. The souvenir items are on sale at the Museo ning Angeles. Photo by Bong Lacson
ANGELES CITY – “I don’t need any heritage declaration from the city council or even from the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP).” Thus, said Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan as he stood firm to make the former city hall building, now the Museo ning Angeles, historic Pamintuan Mansion, the Holy Rosary Parish Church and their immediate environs as a “Heritage District” in Barangay Sto. Rosario here.
Pamintuan said he is not precluded from developing and beautifying the area for the benefit of the people as chief executive of the city. A building being constructed by businessman Dennis Uy was the subject of an earlier complaint because it is allegedly not in tune with the heritage theme of the area as it will reportedly house a popular fast food restaurant.
Councilor Max Sangil, a member of the minority bloc in the city council, has also decried the naming of the heritage district sans at least a city council resolution. During a press conference last week, Sangil said Pamintuan should have sought an ordinance or a resolution from the city council to put things in proper perspective and to give property owners in the area a semblance of government assurance for their properties.
But Pamintuan said there is “no mention of any city council ordinance or resolution“ in the naming of a heritage district or heritage zone since it is only the NHCP and the National Museum that have the mandate to do so. He cited the declaration of the old town of Dapitan in Mindanao as a Heritage Zone and Historic Center by the NHCP.
Local government units may apply with the NHCP or National Museum for the declaration of a heritage site in its jurisdiction but that takes time, said Pamintuan. The mayor asked: “Obat ika ing didikta? Ninu ikayu? (Why are you the one dictating? Who are you?)” “Aku ginawa na ku.Malwat ing prosesu (I already did it. The process takes a long time),” Pamintuan said.
The mayor said the Land Bank building in the area made something that was not in accordance with the theme and quickly changed its design as soon as their attention was called. “I only make my move in accordance with existing laws. I can do beautiful things for my city as the city executive even without the National Historical Commission or the national heritage body to tell me what to do. I don’t even have to get an approval from anybody provided all the funds shall have been passed for approval,” the mayor said.
“I created, together with volunteers from the different sectors of Angeles, a park for the people from crossing ni Aling Lucing up to the tunnel that encompasses four barangays – Claro M. Rector, Agapito Del Rosario, Lourdes Sur, and Lourdes Sur East,” he said.
Angelenos are entitled to prompt action from their leaders, he added. Meanwhile, the 750 square-meter property where Uy’s commercial building will rise is owned by Atty. Cristina Teoseco, a classmate of Sen. Allan Peter Cayetano at the Ateneo and best friend of Aileen, the sister of Dennis which explains why she only wanted Dennis to develop it, Pamintuan said.
Teoseco inherited the property and during a meeting with Bishop Pablo David, she refused offers by Carmen McTavish and Ely Narciso to swap the property, the mayor said. Pamintuan explained that Uy leased the whole area of 750 square meters and offered half to the city for the park.
But he said some councilors want that only one third should be occupied by Uy’s commercial building and the two thirds is for the park. Uy, however, refused.
