Lim to bring back kundiman, zarzuela to The Met
Posted on March 5, 2008
MANILA, Philippines — By the end of the year, the Metropolitan Theater—fondly referred to as the “grand dame †of Manila theaters—is expected to provide a culture and arts venue for the masses.
This was announced on Tuesday by Mayor Alfredo Lim who, along with Quezon City Representative Mary Anne Susano and movie personalities, inspected the “Met,†as the theater has been fondly called, at the Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila.
Lim has ordered the immediate restoration of the structure, which has deteriorated over the past years.
He stressed the need to rehabilitate the theater because of its historical value, as well as to provide the masses with the kind of entertainment that could be seen only in live and stage shows.
The Cultural Center of the Philippines, he said, has been known to cater mostly to the upper class.
“We must make culture available and attractive to the masses,†Lim said. “The one that the poor will find accessible is the Met and I feel we should revive it. Once it opens, the people will get to see and hear the kundiman, zarzuela and other stage plays showcasing Filipino heritage and talents.â€
The mayor added that he would order the speedy restoration of the structure to meet the deadline, which he set.
“We hope to open it to the public by December,†he said. “If we have to work on it round the clock just to rush its restoration, we’ll do it.â€
The Art Deco building, constructed in 1931 by Juan Arellano, was badly damaged during World War II. It was rebuilt in 1978 by former First Lady Imelda Marcos, but its condition again deteriorated in the ’90s.
The Met finally closed down in 1996 following a long-running dispute between the Government Service Insurance System and the City of Manila over its ownership and management.
In 2004, the GSIS and city government finally agreed to set aside their differences and, with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, signed a tripartite agreement on a work action plan for the structure’s restoration.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo also ordered the release of P50 million to partially fund the project.
Susano, meanwhile, vowed to allot P10 million from her pork barrel for the restoration work.
She added that she intended to ask support from other lawmakers and senators, particularly Senators Lito Lapid, Ramon “Bong†Revilla Jr. and Jose “Jinggoy†Estrada, who were movie stars before they joined politics.
The Met’s restoration was estimated to cost over P200 million.
During its heyday, the theater could accommodate 1,670 people: 846 in the orchestra section, 116 in the loge and 708 in the balcony areas.
Source:Philippine DailyInquirer
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