(CNN Philippines) — “We cannot claim to pursue national development if we fail at preserving our culture and heritage.”
Budget Secretary Florencio Abad made that statement released on Tuesday (May 26) to explain the release of P270 million to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).
The amount will allow the NCCA to buy from the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) a long neglected historic structure in Manila — the Metropolitan Theater, an Art Deco masterpiece designed by Juan Arellano, who was among the first pensionado architects of the Philippines.
Among the other buildings that Arellano designed were the Legislative Buidling, which now houses the National Museum, and Manila Central Post Office.
The purchase of the Met, Abad said, is “the first crucial step in restoring the historic theater.”
“The MET was once a testament to the richness of Philippine culture and artistry, but decades of neglect brought this beautiful landmark into serious disrepair,” Abad said.
Opened in 1931, the MET was the venue for zarzuelas, operas, and other stage performances well up to even the Japanese Occupation from 1942 to 1945.
It was, however, partially damaged in World War II, during the Battle for the Liberation of Manila in 1945.
Since then, the theater, which has a seating capacity of 1,670, has been restored and rehabilitated several times.
Its first restoration was in the 1970s, due to the efforts of the First Lady Imelda Marcos. The first show then was Isang Munting Alamat, a presentation tracing the roots of the Filipino people through poetry, song, and dance. It was staged by the Kabataang Barangay.
Several events followed including several musicals in the 1990s, including Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, both with music composed by Ryan Cayabyab and libretto by National Artist Bienvenido Lumbrera.
There were also several awards shows presented there like the Metropolitan Manila Festival Awards Night and the PMPC Star Awards for TV.
The theater, which started falling into a neglect, had to be closed in 2012 as there was an issue about its ownership.
On this latest attempt at the MET’s restoration, Abad said: “The Aquino administration, through the NCCA, has taken the first step to restoring the MET to its former glory. It will take some time, but we are confident that the NCCA has the capacity to take on such a formidable task.”
The initial amount of P270 million, he added, will be charged against the National Endowment Fund for Culture and the Arts (NEFCA).
It represents the 10-percent share of the travel tax collected by the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA, formerly the Philippine Tourism Authority).
“Aside from supporting the arts, the restoration of the MET also serves the dual purpose of boosting our country’s tourism,” Abad said. “That’s why the appropriate budgetary support for agencies like the NCCA or to local governments is important as this empowers them to act on their high-priority or urgent projects.”
