The Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex, also known as the CCP Complex, is an art district managed by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) located along Roxas Boulevard in Metro Manila, Philippines. It is a mixed-use cultural and tourism hub overlooking Manila Bay in south-central Manila, most of which fall under the jurisdiction of the city of Pasay.
Development of the complex was stalled until 2000, when the Supreme Court of the Philippines ruled with finality the CCP's ownership of some of prime real estate in the complex. The property is of land, with the rest occupied by the Government Service Insurance System, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, and the Privatization and Management Office. It is part of Bay City (formerly Boulevard 2000) that spans of reclaimed land along Manila Bay which is occupied by the SM Central Business Park, Philippine National Bank's Financial Center Area, Aseana City, and PAGCOR's Entertainment City, among others.
Description
The complex is bounded by Manila Bay to the north and west, the Philippine Navy headquarters to the northeast, Roxas Boulevard to the east, and Jose W. Diokno Boulevard to the south. It is divided into two zones: the Art Zone, and the Commercial and Entertainment Zone. It features several brutalist structures designed in the 1960s and 1970s by Leandro Locsin, such as the Tanghalang Pambansa, the Philippine International Convention Center, and the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila. Other landmarks in the complex include the Coconut Palace, the Manila Film Center, Star City amusement park, and Harbour Square.
Buildings
Tanghalang Pambansa
The Tanghalang Pambansa () is the flagship venue and principal offices of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Formally called the Theater of Performing Arts, it houses three major performing arts venues; one theater for film screenings; galleries; a museum; and the center's library and archives.
Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (Main Theater) Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (Little Theater) Tanghalang Huseng Batute (Studio Theater)
Designed by National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin, its design was based and expanded upon the unconstructed Philippine-American Friendship Center. The Tanghalan is a primary example of the architect's signature style known as the floating volume, a trait which can be seen in structures indigenous to the Philippines such as the nipa hut. Being a work of a National Artist, the brutalist structure is qualified to be an important cultural landmark as stipulated in Republic Act No. 10066.
Tanghalang Francisco Balagtas
The Tanghalang Francisco Balagtas, more commonly known by its original name of Folk Arts Theater, is a covered proscenium amphitheater where popular concerts are staged. It has a seating capacity of 8,458 in 10 sections. The building was originally built to seat an audience of 10,000 and was commissioned by then First Lady Imelda Marcos in 1974 for the Miss Universe Pageant, which was to be held in Manila. The theater was built in record time of seventy-seven days in time for the pageant and was designed by Leandro V. Locsin.
It was host to many popular musical acts of the 1980s onwards, including Puerto Rican group Menudo, British pop group 5ive, Janet Jackson, Gary Valenciano and Jay R. The Folk Arts Theater is also used by different religious groups. Day by Day Christian Ministries, a large international religious organization, has leased the area from 2005 to 2020. They have dedicated the Theatre as Bulwagan ng Panginoón (). The building is expected to be torn down in the future, subject to the development of the complex.
Other buildings
The CCP Complex is also home to the following: Philippine International Convention Center (owned by the BSP) Manila Film Center (CCP) Coconut Palace (GSIS) Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila (GSIS) MBC Building (Manila Broadcasting Company) Design Center of the Philippines (DTI) Tanghalang Ignacio B. Gimenez (Black Box Theater)
History
The Cultural Center of the Philippines was conceived in 1966 when President Ferdinand Marcos issued Executive Order No. 60, establishing its board and arranging for his wife, First Lady Imelda Marcos to become chair of its board of directors.
The Philippine-American Culture Foundation provided a 90,000 peso grant for its construction, and additional funds were taken from the Cultural Development Fund and the Special Fund for Education. It soon became the premier symbol of what would be called Imelda's "edifice complex".