Twenty five years since its construction in 1931, the Manila Metropolitan Theater stands tall in the heart of Manila. 

The idea of constructing a theater in Manila came about in 1924 during the American colonial period. Caught in the devastating events of the second World War, the theater’s roof and walls were destroyed and it was then misused as a boxing arena, low-quality motel, and basketball court.

In 1978, the restoration of the theater was initiated by then Manila Governor Imelda Marcos. It was headed by Otilio, the nephew of the MET architect Juan Arellano. The restoration of the building was put to waste when the theater was once again closed because of ownership conflicts between the Manila City Administration and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).

In May 2015, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) rolled out a P270 million funding prompting the GSIS to transfer the right of ownership to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

On January 3, 2020, the NCCA together with the National Historical Commission of the Philippines announced that the “Grand Dame of Manila” will once again be open to the public this year. 

The NCCA also gave a glimpse of the newly renovated theater in a Facebook post last January 18.

In the same post, the NCAA announced that it will host an evening show on April 27, 2021 to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Victory at Mactan. Moreover, on June 24, 2021, it is also set to celebrate the 450th Manila Day anniversary with City of Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno Domagoso.

“The inauguration of the new MET is the culmination of a long arduous journey. This has been made possible by the determined effort of a long line of individuals who share a common dream to bring back to life one of our nation’s cultural treasures,” said NCCA Chairperson Arsenio “Nick” Lizaso.

“We will strive to do our best to be worthy of this collective effort as well as the high expectations of our people,” he added.

Although there’s no final confirmed date yet for the grand opening, the sneak peek the NCCA shared is enough to get us all excited for the reopening of the Grand Dame of Manila.

Via FB: NCAA Official

For additional details about the opening of the MET, follow the National Commission for Culture and the Arts’s Facebook page