The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) has stopped the ongoing demolition of the brutalist building BDO Corporate Center, formerly the PCIBank Building, and designed by the late National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin.

One tower of the landmark building, located along Makati Avenue corner H.V. Dela Costa street in the central business district, is “halfway demolished” already despite not being delisted as an important cultural property (ICP), the heritage advocacy group Brutalist Pilipinas said in a Facebook post dated Sept. 2.

In an Aug. 17 letter shared by Brutalist Pilipinas on Facebook, NCCA chairperson Rene Escalante wrote to BDO Unibank President CEO Nestor Tan asking for an explanation for the demolition of the building’s south tower.

The NCCA issued the cease and desist order against the ongoing demolition of the towers, described by the commission as “intact example(s) of the National Artist’s distinctive later phase architectural language.”

“We hereby issue this letter as a cease-and-desist order… suspending all activities that may adversely affect the authenticity and integrity of the subject cultural property,” Escalante said in his order.

The NCCA reminded the corporation that the Locsin buildings are considered “important cultural properties” under Republic Act 10066 or the “National Cultural Heritage Act, and are therefore protected from “demolition, modification or alteration.”

“We are unsure how the CDO will affect the fate of the towers, as one of them is already halfway demolished… We hope everyone will stay on the lookout for any developments regarding the BDO Corporate Towers and any heritage structures at risk,” said the advocacy group, whose social media pages are dedicated to promoting the brutalist architectural style characterized by strong, concrete and monolithic designs in buildings.

Brutalist Pilipinas also promoted scenes from Filipino films which featured the landmark brutalist buildings in Makati designed by Locsin - PCIBank Building in Joel Lamangan’s 1994 film “Kapantay ay Langit,” as well as the Ramon Cojuangco Building and the L. V. Locsin Building in Ishmael Bernal’s 1984 film “Working Girls.”

Earlier, the NCCA also stopped Ascott Resources and Development Corporation’s demolition of the Capitol Theater in Escolta, Manila, designed by the late National Artist for Architecture Juan Nakpil. 

The demolition already caused considerable damage on the tower relic and the facade, characterized by a bas relief of two Filipino women in baro’t saya carrying the symbols of cinema and sound as well as of tragedy and comedy.