Philippine International Convention Center. The very first international convention center ever made in Asia.
PICC was built on July 23, 1975 during the Marcos regime under the Presidential Decree no. 520. Former President Ferdinand Marcos mandated Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas(it was called Central Bank of the Philippinesback then) to build a convention center for the Philippines to host the 1976 International Monetary Fund-World Bank Annual Meeting. He envisioned it to be a “hospitable meeting place of people and nations, where they may debate their ideas.”
National Artist for Architecture, Leandro V. Locsin was appointed to make this vision a reality. He used and applied Brutalist architectural aesthetics which was popular that time and on September 5, 1976, PICC was formally launched.
It’s actually my first time to set foot on PICC. I usually go to nearby establishments there, but I have only seen PICC from afar or just passed by it. When I got the chance to tour around(even just patrs of it) I did not miss the opportunity.
When I enter the main hallway, I was able to appreciate these warm and artistic lightings. I find it very interesting and different, because I have never seen this kind of lighting design before. Ever. It’s a vision. Considering how long the establishment has been, I never imagined that it can be this beautiful and well maintained.
PICC as a venue for ALL occasions.
As you may know, PICC houses different venue facilities suited for each occasion(45 venues to be exact) where it can host from 10 up to 10,000 guests. WOW! Name it, and they’ll have a venue for you. From meetings, to conventions, gala, assemblies, summits, break out sesions, exhibits, seminars, symposium, company parties, concerts and shows, trade fair, graduations, and even personal events such as debuts, birthdays, and weddings. They even have venues for outdoor events. Everything!
For meeting rooms, all are equipped with Simultaneous Interpretation System (SIS) which can cater 2 to 7 different languages. This is good if you have international delegates.
Soon, a 5,700sqm. PICC Trade and Exhibit Hall will rise in the vicinity. This is to replace the old tent-style exhibit venue with a newer and stronger structure.
One of the events which happened in one of PICC’s venues(Plenary Hall) which I attended recently was with the international stand-up comedian, Russell Peters. He made his stop here in the Philippines as part of his DEPORTED WORLD TOUR. Even though the venue is quite far from my home(I live in Rizal), I had a great experience. It was really a great show. Never a dull moment with Russell. He was really worth watching. Too bad I can’t take videos of him, but I totally understand because he has new set of jokes meant only for those who are watching his shows. Will just wait if they are going to put it online haha!
For social media-savvy like me, internet connection is important. For us bloggers…”Internet is life”????. Thank God PICC has FREE WIFI and there’s no time limit! So if you need to connect to the internet to post on social media and surf, no problem! There are I think 3 open wifi networks available in the building. This is for the general public within the common areas inside the building. But if you have an event in a meeting room or function room, PICC has a dedicated wired and wireless local area network for an allocated internet connection specifically and exclusively accessible by those in the room.
On the other hand, if you happen to look for something to eat before going to a meeting, or while waiting for a show to start, you may head on to PICC’s Cafeteria located on the 2nd floor(Via Mare is PICC’s official food concessionaire). If you want to eat on a fine-dining set up, you may dine at Amorsolo.
PICC as a house for Arts
If you are the type of person who loves art, you would definitely appreciate PICC’s wide-array of art pieces made by local and international artists. It’s like you are inside a big art museum.
And speaking of museum, soon, one museum will rise(construction is actually ongoing) in the vicinity of PICC called MUSEO NG BANGKO SENTRAL NG PILIPINAS. The said museum is envisioned to be the symbol of the regeneration of the whole complex. It would feature money and art collections owned by BSP(Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas). This is really exciting right? I want to see old Filipino money used way before I was even born. Another cool destination for tourism and education within Manila.
Maybe you are wondering why BSP Museum. For those who did not know, Philippine International Convention Center is owned and maintained by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.( I just learned recently when I had a tour there.)
For four decades, Philippine International Convention Center has witnessed and hosted several momentous events in the Philippines such as Miss Universe 1994, Catholic Mass Media Award 1995-which was attended by the late Pope John Paul II, and the APEC Economic Leader’s Meeting 2015 just to mention a few. Up to now, it is standing strong and continues to render it’s services to present and future generations.
Events. Venue. Food. Art. History. Education. Tourism. ALL IN ONE PLACE!
For inquiries and bookings on Philippine International Convention Center, you may contact:
Phone No: (632)789-4789
Fax No: (632) 789-4740
Email: info@picc.gov.ph
Website: www.piccgov.ph
Address: 1307 Pasay City, Metro Manila. Philippines.
