One of the remaining Spanish colonial structures in Mauban, Quezon, has been demolished to give way to a commercial development.
The demolition of the old Tabacalera building in Barangay Daungan, which was constructed most likely in the early 19th century, has been criticized by heritage advocates describing it as “unfortunate.”
Donald Villamarzo, Mauban Heritage Advocates president, condemned the demolition of the structure made from blocks of adobe and coral stone. It served as a storehouse for tobacco during the Spanish period.
“It’s saddening to think that one of the important structures in Mauban is going to be totally erased in our memory and we would only read it in books,” he said.
“Batid kong ito’y pribado pero bilang Maubaning mulat sa halaga ng nakaraan, ipagpaumanhin po, nakapanghihinayang na tunay (I know the structure is privately owned but to heritage-conscious residents, what happened was very regrettable),” he added.
Daungan Sangguniang Kabataan chair Jeric Abelgas said he was surprised upon seeing the building being torn down, describing it as “disheartening.”
Mauban tourism officer Anie Calleja told the Inquirer the building had been demolished without permit and was stopped right away by the municipal engineer Melo Ambon.
She said Melo told him, the owner, a certain Yu Kok See, planned not to to erase the memory of the building through the installation of a marker and the demolished blocks of stone would be used in the hotel that would be constructed in its place.
The significance of the structure was studied by Villamarzo in 2012 during a cultural mapping project conducted under Colegio de San Juan de Letran of Calamba and the Philippine Cultural Education Program of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.
Villamarzo said the structure also served as a warehouse for the Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade and became a jail during the Philippine revolution.
The original owners were Sixto and Emiliana de la Costa, relatives of the Jesuit historian Fr. Horacio de la Costa. —CONTRIBUTED