We had previously driven past the Old City Hall but never seen the interiors. Mayor Richard Gomez told us about artists using the building as a gallery, basically just showing up and displaying work. After our visit, it was very clear that there is tremendous potential and benefits in restoring this building. Not because of its original value, a new City Hall is already built nearby, and not JUST because of its appearance in the street or prominent location a minute from the waterfront. The metaphorical meaning of preserving and maintaining is likely to make a very big impact in this city. With such an unfortunate history of natural disasters, resiliency and ability to "dust oneself off and get on with it" is inevitably very inherently Filipino. How very suitable are the plans for this to become the new Museum of Ormoc.
