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Exercising its right of first refusal on the sale of national cultural treasures, the National Commission of Culture and the Arts (NCCA) is preparing to match the PHP267.15 million bid that the Manila city government made to GSIS on the Manila Metrpolitan Theater.
In a letter sent to Manila mayor Joseph Estrada on April 15, NCCA President Felipe de Leon said that while the NCCA lauds the efforts and plans of the city government on the Met, the organization has also decided to exercise the right of first refusal.
The right of first refusal is included in the 2009 National Cultural Heritage Act.
According to an Inquirer report, “The NCCA has also asked Budget secretary Florencio Abad to allow it to use part of the agency’s National Endowment Fund for Culture and the Arts to fund the purchase and the subsequent restoration.”
The city government, meanwhile, is looking to fund the bid by way of the city budget as well as a PHP767 million loan from Landbank.
Estrada’s plan, should the Manila city government win, is to use the Met as home for the Universidad de Manila’s Institute for Performing Arts.
The Manila Metropolitan Theater was designed by Juan Arellano, who also designed the nearby Manila Post Office and the National Museum Building. It was built in 1930 and was launched a year later.
Photo: Karla Mae Brazil/Wiki
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