The world of Philippine culture rejoiced when news broke out last August that the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) released P9.48 million for the renovation of the Manila Metropolitan Theater, an 84 year old cultural treasure and one of the very few Art Deco structures in the Philippines still standing.
This was done after DBM released P270 million to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) to buy the building from the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).
Renovations are already starting to bring the Metropolitan Theater to its glorious past, and they are doing it with style. Even the theater’s restoration fence will be a work of art. According to the Facebook page of METamorphosis, a support group for the restoration, the fence will feature archival images of the Met, along with photos of the theater from the public. The page says:
We are now designing the fence for the Met Theater that will be used to insulate the building from its immediate environment during restoration work. The fence will feature the history of the Metropolitan Theater with archival images. This will be supplemented vignettes of memories solicited from the public.
Those who have personal photos and memorabilia tied to the Met are encouraged to send them to mettheatermanila@ncca.gov.ph.
According to Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, the restoration of the theater will boost tourism and support economic growth. NCCA Chairman Felipe de Leon Jr. added that it will be a mini Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), and will be a “people’s theater.”
The NCCA said that the renovation will be finished in two years.
We’re excited to see it.
What do you want to see when the Met is done? Share your thoughts below!
