RESTORATION

the act or process of returning something to its earlier good condition or

position, or to its owner: The first task following the disaster was the restora-
tion of clean water supplies. Restoration work on the Sistine Chapel ceiling is
now completeof the environment, such as nutrient cycling

Manila Metropolitan Theater
The first grand opening of the Manila
Metropolitan Theater was held in Octo-
ber 1931. Juan M. Arellano became an
architect of the building. After World
War I that made people know grief, ev-
eryone wanted to feel a sense of holi-
day, freedom of desires, and have a
limitlessness of opportunities. Con-
struction of the Metropolitan Theater
became a kind of psychological reac-
tion to liberation from austere living
that prevailed during the years of the
war.
However, the triumph of peace and
holiday did not last long: in 1945 during
the battle of Manila the building of the
theater was significantly damaged.
Some parts of the roof and walls were
ruined. After the war, Americans made
a reconstruction of the theater. Then
again, the theater was neglected.
In 1978, the building was restored
again. However, the theater was still
‘ arena, a motel, gay bar, basketball court and as a home for squatters.
n 2013, the building became a subject
of the GMA documentary series I-Wit-
ness which also alleged paranormal
activities in the theater.
In May 2015, the Department of
Budget and Management released
Php 270 Million from the National En-
dowment Fund for Culture and the Arts
for the sale of the theater from its
owner, the GSIS. In June 2015, the
GSIS transferred the right of ownership
of the theater to the National Commis-
sion for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) to
start the rehabilitation process of the
MET.
In mid-2021, the name of the theater
was changed to the NCCA Metropoli-
tan Theater after the government cul-
tural agency which acquired the the-
ater in 2015. The name change was
met with controversy in the Philippine
arts and heritage conservation commu-
nity due to the lack of historic connec-
In 1862, the Teatro del Príncipe Alfonso XII was built within Plaza Ar-
roceros, near the present-day Metropolitan Theater. This theater
stood until the late 1860s or early 1870s, when the old theater was
burnt down.
It was in 1924, during the American Colonial period that the idea of
constructing a theater in Manila came about. The Philippine Legisla-
ture then approved Senator Juan Alegre's proposal to build a theater
within the Mehan Garden (now Sining Kayumanggi). The construction
began in 1930 under the supervision of the architecture firm of Pedro
Siochi and Company in an 8,239.58 square meter area of the park. It
was inaugurated on December 10, 1931. This new theater housed dif-
ferent performances from zarzuelas, dramas to translations of foreign
classics.
Juan Arellano, one of the first pensionados in architecture, also
known for his other major projects such as the Legislative Build-
ing and Manila Central Post Office Building, designed the Manila Met-
ropolitan Theater in January 1930. He was sent to the United States
to be guided by one of the experts in designing theaters, Thomas W.
Lamb of Shreve and Lamb.
The theater's roof and walls were partially destroyed during World
War II. During the post-war period, it was repurposed as a boxing
In 1978, a restoration of the theater was initiated by the then Gover-
nor of Metro Manila Imelda Marcos which was headed by Otilio, the
nephew of Juan Arellano. Its prestige as a cultural center was re-
deemed but proved to be short-lived. It closed down its doors again in
1996 because of conflicts of ownership between the Manila City Ad-
ministration and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).
In 2010, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Manila mayor Al-
fredo Lim tried to revive the theater but to no avail. On June 23, 2010,
Arroyo led the unveiling rites for a marker which recognized the build-
ing as a National Cultural Treasure.
The theater was used again once for a Wolfgang concert in 2011. But
since 2012, the theater was closed again due to decays inside the
building.[citation needed] The structure continued to deteriorate de-
spite numerous small efforts to maintain the building's condition.
The concept of the theater was explained by
Juan M. Arellano, the architect, during one of his
interviews in January 1930.
The Philippines needed a modern cultural center
for operas, concerts, and plays, and he planned
to achieve a monumental one through its dimen-
sions, elevations, and splendid decorations, and
through its harmonious liens it would symbolize
an organ or a cathedral.[citation needed]

Arellano was influenced by early Filipino art

which uses local motifs and diverse imagery of
Philippine flora. Aside from his knowledge on Fil-
ipino art was the factor of economy which both
helped the architect in having a modern design
approach to the theater. Meanwhile, the phrase Standing at the back is the fly tower decorated on the sides by geometric motifs. The ceiling profile of the auditorium
was reflected in the exterior through stepped vaults.
“on wings of song” gave the structural configura-
There were different artists who collaborated in this project especially inside the theater. Located at the main lobby
tion, a box-shaped auditorium flanked by pavil-
Molo Mansion
One of the most remarkable old houses in the Philippines is the Molo Mansion, often
called the Yusay-Consing Mansion. Its tall ceilings, Neoclassical balustrades, and artistic
carvings are among of its most distinctive characteristics. It is located in the Molo neigh-
borhood across from St. Anne Parish Church and the town square. The mansion was
constructed in the 1920s and was first occupied by Dona Petra Lacson, who married Es-
tanislao Yusay, Manila's judge of the Court of First Instance at the time. They eventually
welcomed ten children together. The Yusay-Consing Mansion, often known as the Molo
Mansion, is located just across the Iloilo City town square. Its architecture is clearly
American Colonial, with hints of neoclassicism and art deco. This historic home was pur-
chased by the local business SM Group in 2015, who then restored it to its former splen-
dor. It was intended to highlight Ilonggo culture at the APEC Meeting.

Timoteo Consing Sr., a former governor of Iloilo, occupied the residence after the family
left. Two Filipino Presidents, Manuel L. Quezon and Sergio Osmena, stayed at the resi-
dence over the years while they were in Iloilo on business. Regrettably, after years of
neglect, the home was acquired from the Consing family in 2014 and afterwards re-
paired by a private firm. The mansion has been transformed after it underwent repair
into a historical museum with a gift store that also offers regional goods and cuisines.

Doa Petra Lacson and Estanislao Yulo Yusay, a well-known lawyer and judge from
Molo, erected the palace in 1926. Together, they have 10 kids. One of the couple's ten
children, Rosario Yusay, received the house after Estanislao's passing in 1940. Timoteo
Consing Sr., the governor of Iloilo from 1934 until 1937, shared a home with Rosario.

Timoteo Consing Jr. and Nieva Ramirez-Consing, one of the proprietors of the sugar mill
business Passi Sugar Central (bought by the Universal Robina Company in 2007), re-
ceived the land from the governor .

In 2014, the Consing family sold the building to SM Group