Fond of ghost hunting? Well, not me. Swear to God I’m a big scared-y cat until now. I think this is the effect of people around me watching to much horror movies, especially when I was young and Shake Rattle & Roll will be broadcast on local channels..
Anyway, I’m already sweaty and tired but go lang ng go! Our next destination is the Metropolitan Theater, which is across the Liwasang Bonifacio.
Manila Metropolitan Theater (or better known as MET) is an art deco building designed by Juan Arellano, one of the great Filipino architects in our history, is tagged as the “grand dame” of Manila’s theaters. It has gone through renovation but it hasn’t been restored to it former glory.
This is how MET used to look like:
Sir Lawrence told us that the theater became an ice cream parlor, boxing arena, a gay club and a squatter’s colony of around 50 families before it was rebuilt. Ms. Vilma Santos used to host a popular variety show there in the 1980 to early 1990s and several top Filipino celebrities debuted their respective careers in the same stage.
One of the four Siamese dancer sculptures. This one is specifically in the front.Off we go inside~ Flashlights on everyone!
Where we entered. Hallway on the first floor. Costumes poorly stored :/ [my camera’s lens seem dirty The First Manila Contemporary Dance Festival, 1991We went to the stage area of the Conchita Sunico Hall but I don’t have photos of that area. It was too dark that my point and shoot camera can’t handle, even with flash. 🙁
Main Entrance HallHere’s what everyone has been waiting for: going to the top of the MET. I was about to stay on the third floor, because I saw how steep the stairs is and I was too tired to move. But thinking that I will be there alone and it was close to getting dark, I went upstairs, even if I had to do it slowly and get dirty in the process :))
LRT 1 Train approaching Central Station.We stayed there for 10-15 minutes. I got some pictures of me taken by my new friend Ate Bebang but I’d rather not post them 😛
Has the tour already ended? There’s more! 🙂
You had me at ghost. => It’s nice to get a peek of the heritage sites through your blog.
Hehe, I’m relieved to have finished touring the place. It really feels creepy to me :))
Thank you! 🙂 ♥
this is very interesting thanks for sharing
You’re welcome! And thank you too 🙂
been to the area..but not really on the inside of the theater..
..at least, they preserved it.
There’s still a lot of restoration to be done. Looking forward to that day that it’s completed 🙂
gosh imaging going ghost hunting there, really nice idea, last time i went ghost hunting was at Antipolo abandoned hotel/hospital whew! 1st and last ac2ly lolz
Haha, no~ I want to sleep peacefully at night 😛
Try nyo, kaso there’s permits and all that paperwork pa. 🙂
Wow! I’ve been passing by the Metropolitan Theater many times already. BUt I’ve only seen the interiors just from your photos. And yes, ghost hunting! Would love to hate that! Hahaha.. I’m also a scaredy-cat but I still watch scary shows any way. :p
I don’t have pictures of the stage and the viewing areas. Sayang. Haha, how ironic for us, I watch scary shows too. Trying to overcome the feeling :))
aww. il think twice if i have to do it. hehe
Me? I didn’t have a choice at the time. Don’t want to be left behind :))
I also joined the postal heritage tour back in May I think it was and I waited for ghosts to come out that afternoon. Nothing showed up. But seriously I hope the local government will look into this. Sayang kasi ang ganda pa naman but I heard nga about horror stories here.
Haha, pag lumabas sila that time, I would really freak out or cry 😛
Looking forward to the day it’s restored to its former glory 🙂
wow! history!
you made it fun!
Eh, really? Did I? Thank you for that 🙂
How ironic in a sense that I don’t like studying history back in school. Spell B-O-R-I-N-G 😛
I guess that’s because I’m more of a visual person who loves to explore.
in school maybe. Appreciate!! =)
Ang ganda naman, pero sayang at wala ng nagtatanghal sa lugar na iyan…tsk..tsk..tsk..
Hindi ko ata naabutan ung panahon na may mga pag tatanghal pa dyan. Kung naabutan ko man, napakabata ko pa noon. Hehe 🙂
I hope that the Metropolitan Theater should renovated and preserve as a cultural treasure. I feel so sad that the Grand Manila Opera House and Teatro Zorrilla was lost. =(
The government has a lot of restoration to do. They should act fast before we lose it all 🙁
i never places like this!! but the photos looks creepy but really great!! nice tour! xx
I tried the mind over matter thing when I was there. It is creepy when it’s dark X_X
Whoa! I wanna go there during night time to hunt some ghosts! Haha crazy idea
Hehe, crazy for me in a way that there’s lots of paperwork to accomplish before you can do that 😉
I had a tour here also i think that was 2 years ago but it is more on the art deco tour.. when the time the metropolitan theatre was built it was grand at that time.. the details on its architecture was great and you could not even see it now being use.. do not look at it as if it is a ruin but imagine it like you are in it at the time of its peak.. just too bad our government did not even really bothered to renovate it or refurbish it
Sir Rence discussed in detail the various artworks and art deco of the theater and it was nice to imagine it in its former glory. I believe it was a beautiful place.
Only the chairs are replaced as of now. 🙂
The Metropolitan Theater should be restored. During the 1930s, it showcased Manila as an architecture biggie not just in Asia but the rest of the world.
Looking forward to the day the government finishes that. 🙂
beautiful pics! thanks for sharing! in fairness, i’ve never been here yet! kahit feeling ko nascour ko na most heritage sites sa manila.
Thank you and you’re welcome po! 🙂
I guess this was a few Sundays? ^_^
3rd Sunday of April 🙂
great feature post!
So much to discover about edifices in Manila
some had already fallen to disrepair, but there are others that stood the the test of time.
Thank you! I hope this one still stands 50 years or so from now 🙂