MANILA — The Mansion in Baguio City is being renovated as the administration gears to open the century-old property to tourists this year, an official from Malacañang said on Wednesday.

“The First Lady and the President wanted to open it up to the public, the same way we’ve been doing it to the museums here and making everything free and accessible to everyone,” Social Secretary Bianca Zobel told ABS-CBN News. 

“We’re planning on renovating the main structure, not the guest house, to begin with,” she said.

The plan is to “replicate the Teus mansion” in Baguio City so that “the presidential museum will be placed in that area so everyone can come in and enjoy the gardens and learn a little bit about our Philippine history,” she said.

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The Mansion was built in 1908 as a summer home for US government generals but was destroyed in 1945 during the liberation of the Philippines.

After it was rebuilt in 1947, the Philippines used it as the official venue of presidents whenever they visited the summer capital for engagements.

The Office of the Social Secretary hopes that the renovation will be completed in 6 months.

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“It’s a very old structure so the roofing has to be changed completely,” Zobel said.

“It’s harder to watch. Although we go regularly, but it’s more challenging because we are not on top of them every day,” she said.

Once completed, entrance to the museum will be free of charge, Zobel said.

“We really want everyone to appreciate it and we want everyone to come whenever they want,” she said.

“We want them to feel that this is theirs.”