The Quezon City government has moved in favor of declaring the 3,678 square meter property of the family of the late president Manuel Luis Quezon, located at Gilmore Avenue in Barangay Mariana, a historical site classified as important cultural property (ICP).
City administrator Victor Endriga has instructed city planning and development office head Tomasito Cruz to coordinate with the National Historical Institute (NHI) for the purpose of preserving the property, which has been registered in the name of Zenaida Quezon-Avanceña, who is the only surviving heir of the late president.
Based on the assessment records of the city government, the Quezon-Avanceña property consists of three residential structures. The most prominent of the structures is the two-storey colonial type residential house built in the 1920s where the former president stayed before the Pacific war.
“What we will be doing is inform the NHI that the city government is interested in registering the property as an important cultural treasure,” Cruz said.
Support for the declaration of the Quezon – Avanceña property as a cultural heritage site has snowballed after reports were received by the city government that the family of the late president is keen on selling the property.
“The city government is worried on the proposed sale of the property,” said city administrator Victor Endriga.
“The city will explore all possibilities to prevent the sale of the Quezon – Avanceña property in order to preserve the rich cultural and historical heritage of the structures at the Quezon property,” Endriga said.
As provided under Republic Act 10066, otherwise known as the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009, no cultural property shall be sold without securing clearance from the cultural agency concerned. Maureen Quiñones, PAISO
