Muling binuksan ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. nitong Martes ng gabi ang bagong rehabilitated na Coconut Palace, na gagamitin din sa pagtanggap ng mga bisita para sa Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit sa November.
Pinangunahan ni Marcos ang reopening ceremony ng iconic landmark sa Pasay City, na muling itinampok bilang showcase ng arkitekturang Filipino, craftsmanship, at ingenuity.
“And the reason that we had done it was because we needed more extra spaces for the summit, the ASEAN Summit that’s coming in November. And so we needed more spaces and that is why… That is one of the reasons why we put it back together again,” sabi ni Marcos.
“And I would be very, very proud to bring any of our guests here to come and stay and to enjoy their time here in the Philippines,” dagdag niya.
Ayon sa Pangulo, pinanatili sa rehabilitation ang original character ng Coconut Palace habang pinahusay ang mga pasilidad nito.
“We are very lucky to be the first to see the new, improved, rehabilitated, remodeled Coconut Palace. Well, I shouldn’t say remodeled because it really looks very much like it used to be,” sabi niya.
Itinayo noong 1978, ang Coconut Palace ay orihinal na tinawag na Tahanang Pilipino at dinisenyo ni Francisco “Bobby” Mañosa, na kalaunan ay kinilalang National Artist for Architecture and Allied Arts.
Idinisenyo ang gusali bilang guesthouse para sa foreign dignitaries at showcase ng local design, craftsmanship, at resources.
Hango sa coconut tree ang architecture nito at gumagamit ng locally available materials gaya ng capiz shells, solihiya o woven rattan, native wood, at textiles.
Ayon kay Marcos, isinagawa ang rehabilitation nang pinananatili ang original character at architectural integrity ng landmark.
Pinasalamatan din niya si First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos sa suporta at pagtutok nito sa restoration.
“I’m very, very grateful to be able to see it again. So, well, the First Lady, of course, has put her shoulder to the wheel as she is meant to do. And we have now the Coconut Palace back to its old glory,” sabi ng Pangulo. /Bistado