In 1924, Senator Juan bautista Alegre initiated the effort of creating a National Theater. The idea did not materialized, until two years later. A special committee was then created by Mayor Tomas Earnshaw, membered by UP President Rafael Palma, Miss Evelyn Thorstensen, Sacanas Pecas, and Fr. Pablo Balades, held their first meeting wherein they decided to name the theater as “Metropolitan Theater”. The construction of the MET began in 1929 and was completed and inaugurated in 1931.
The City Government of Manila filed an ejectment suit against the Metropolitan Theater Company in 1970 due to some irreconcilable issues. Ownership of the parcels of land was then transferred to the Metro Manila Commission by Manila Mayor Ramon Bagatsing in 1976. A committee was then created for the restoration project of the Metropolitan Theater composed by Metro Manila Governor Imelda Marcos, Ms. Conchita Sunico, Ar. Otilio Arellano, and Deputy Minister of Public Works Aber Canlas
The Metropolitan Theater was greatly damaged after years of unfortunate events, until it was again renovated, restored and inaugurated in 17 December 1978.
The Metropolitan Theater suffered heavy damages during the typhoon Rosing that hit Manila in 1995, and was left, for the most part, unrepaired. Due to unresolved issues, the ownership of the MET was transferred to GSIS in 1998 which then led to years of repair and its re-opening in 2010. However, the MET closed again two years after due to an accident.
The NCCA Board of Commissioners approved the recommendation to purchase the MET in 2015 where tedious plans to restore MET to its original design commenced. After many years of work, the beautiful result of collective love and efforts to revive the Grand Dame of Manila, the Metropolitan Theater has been revealed.
RENOVATING THE MET
The Metropolitan Theater (MET) was in good shape but a challenge to have it modernized when it was acquired by the NCCA in 2015. Given that the building was built in 1931, a lot of work has to be made. One of which is the installation of air conditioning units, adjusting the theater’s seating capacity from 1600 down to 990 and the elevations in order to align it with existing government safety regulations. Sound profing and improving the acoustics of the theater was also a challenge given that it was located in the middle of a high traffic area, situated between padre Burgos and the Quezon Bridge and the LRT-1 on the other.
The highly of the renovation is said to be the installation of the digital cinema system which boasts a Dolby Atmos cinema audio system. This is the latest in terms of surround-sound cinema audio system, and the MET is proud to be the largest of its kind in the country, and the second largest in Southeast Asia (second to Marina Bay Sands in Singapore).
LED lights have been installed throughout the theater, including the lights in the Main Theater that is said to be the first and the biggest in the whole country.
What kind of events can we expect from the MET?
The Metropolitan Theater completed in the midst of the pandemic. With this, several virtual activities will be launched while we wait for the day when the theater will be open and allowed to have people once again.
Lapu-lapu: Ang Datu ng Mactan was one of the most awaited and celebrated musicale that grazed the MET when it opened. The musical dramatized the expedition which took place 500 years ago that was considered as a pivotal point in world history. The musicale was filled with songs, dances, videos and interviews to propel the story and appeal to different generations of audiences.
MET officials are hopeful that after the pandemic, the theater will then again be a center to preserve our cultural heritage – to house traditional Filipino theater and art forms such as Komedyas, sarswelas, epikos and bodabils; as well as other