The burning of the iconic Manila Post Office building is a chance to imagine it restored as a public arts hub, and not as a commercial establishment, according to heritage advocate Ivan Henares who now heads UNESCO’s National Commission of the Philippines. <br /><br />In addressing rumors of arson, Henares said the government would never allow the now-gutted Manila Post Office to be demolished. Instead, it could have a future as the heart of a revitalized Manila civic center. That would require the removal of unsightly flyovers, a shift to pedestrian-friendly streets, and the conversion of the Intramuros golf course into a public park.<br /><br />Henares urges listeners to look no further than Iloilo City as an example of effective urban transformation with its riverside esplanade and bike accessibility.
