PBBM LEADS REOPENING OF NEWLY RENOVATED PICC

ASIA’S first international convention center reopens its iconic doors Tuesday, September 30, after undergoing a major renovation to prepare for its 50th anniversary and the ASEAN Summit next year.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. formally reopened the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), calling the historic landmark a venue for the nation’s past and future milestones and “a home of the Filipino spirit.”

President Marcos was accompanied by First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos and former First Lady Imelda Marcos during the grand reopening.

“As we open the newly renovated Philippine International Convention Center, we are revisiting a chapter of our nation’s history. We are gathered in a place where history was written, lives were celebrated, where the future will once again be shaped.,” President Marcos said in his speech.

“Every brick, every beam, every hall of the building carries with it nearly five decades of stories,” the President added.

The Chief Executive recalled that within the halls of the PICC, the world’s eyes turned to the Philippines as the country hosted the Miss Universe pageant in 1994.

The leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) also gathered in 2017 at the PICC to build the future of the region, the President said.

“But what makes the PICC truly special is not only the big moments that made the headlines. It is also the smaller, more personal moments—the ones that never made it to the front page but stayed forever in the hearts of the people,” President Marcos pointed out.

The President said countless parents have shed tears of joy as they watched their children receive their diplomas during the graduation ceremonies at the PICC.

Countless young professionals also stood tall at the PICC stage to swear their oaths, carrying with them both pride and responsibility, the Chief Executive said.

The President also emphasized that artists have poured their hearts out in music, dance, painting, and performance within the walls of PICC, while the audience gave their appreciation, encouragement and love in return.

President Marcos also acknowledged how the PICC has witnessed couples who began their journey together as husbands and wives, and friends and family who filled the place with laughter, and sometimes, even tears of joy.

“These are the memories that give life to PICC. These are the stories that turn a hall of concrete into a home of the Filipino spirit,” the President said.

The PICC was temporarily closed last March for a major renovation in preparation for its 50th anniversary and the Philippines’ hosting of the 2026 ASEAN Summit.

PICC formally opened on September 5, 1976 to host the IMF-World Bank meeting in Manila.

Designed by the late National Artist Leandro V. Locsin, the building is widely considered as an architectural marvel and a national cultural treasure.