The Manila Metropolitan Theater

"The Manila Metropolitan Theatre is an art deco building designed by the Filipino architect Juan de Guzman Arellano, and inaugurated on December 10, 1931, with a capacity of 1670 (846 orchestra, 116 in loge, and 708 in balcony). During the liberation of Manila by the United States and Filipino forces in 1945, the theatre was severely damaged, losing its some of its roofing and walls battered. After reconstruction by the Americans it gradually fell into disuse in the 1960’s. In the following decade it was meticulously restored in 1978 but again fell into decay." wikipedia

We were fortunate enough to go inside the Metropolitan Theater last Sunday. I was a bit taken a back at how dilapidated the place looked. I remember watching "Ibong Adarna" here in 1995. The building was already falling apart then but I did not expect that it would be totally abandoned in 1996.

How it looked before - a 1930's postcard of the Met during its glory days

Aerial shot of the theater during 1945

Heavily damaged during the war in 1945

Earliest photo of the Metropolitan that I found online. Caption says "Philippine Night" given by the Filipino Blue Jackets of U.S.S. Henderson in September 12, 1934. Photo was taken in one of the theater's ballrooms.

76 years after

How the ballrooms look today

The view of the stainglass window from the inside

Ninoy!

I can almost imagine how grand this place must have been in the past

A few folks have made this place their home... complete with pet chickens and dogs

Others come here to rest under the shade

Save the Met!

Thankfully, the restoration project is in full swing now

Soon the Metropolitan will be restored to its full glory

*Old photos sourced online most through Skyscraper.com