KM Viray
D.M. Consunji, Incorporated (DMCI) Homes recently release an official statement regarding the uproar on the construction of their condominium Torre de Manila.
Many citizens have dubbed the structure as “the national photobomber” as it can be seen on the used-to-be-clear background of the Rizal Monument in Luneta.
Since the monument is a tribute to the country’s national hero Dr. Jose Rizal, citizens have been calling for a stop to the construction of the structure, but to no avail. Several national groups and even some politicians have also expressed their dismay about DMCI Homes and their continued building.
The Supreme Court has also begun stepping into the act in response to the call for action.
For their part, after months of keeping quiet about the issue, DMCI Homes has finally released an official statement regarding the matter.
The developers claimed they developed Torre de Manila to address the need for mid-income housing and urban renewal in Manila and to help house doctors, working professionals, and families of students. Their main focus was to make their homes more convenient, accessible, and secure.
DMCI Homes claimed they followed and complied with all the relevant laws and rules. Particularly, they cited from the National Historical Commission of the Philippines’ (NHCP) clearance in 2012 that “the project is outside the boundaries of Rizal Park and well to the rear of the Rizal Monument and hence it cannot possibly obstruct the front view.”
DMCI Homes called for heritage and progress to go together. They claimed Manila, being the most densely populated city in the country, has no way but to build upwards to accommodate its growing number of residents.
Further, they said while anyone is free to call for stopping or demolishing their structure, they asked to do it not at “the expense of legitimate business, innocent workers, the buying public, and the progress of the city.”
