THE old Commission on Audit (COA) Building in Iloilo City recently got the full preservation treatment, courtesy of a DOST-FPRDI wood ID team which identified wooden materials that can be used to restore the building, in collaboration with the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP). The project identified the tree species used in the structural wooden structures and movable woodcrafts in the Old COA building.
“To come up with a feasible restoration plan, NHCP needs to know the type of materials that make up the wooden structures,” explained team Leader Dr. Ramiro P. Escobin. “One hundred thirty items consisting of 14 species were identified by the DOST-FPRDI Team with relatively high accuracy using the traditional, practical and standard methods in wood structure identification,” he added.
The NHCP is reviving the historic building, which used to be a symbol of progressive commerce in Iloilo. The edifice is now part of a national heritage zone.
