Theater, 18-year dream come true

After 18 years, the Cebu Performing Arts Center, which is now called the Cebu Cultural Center (CCC), has finally opened yesterday.

Cebu Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale described the center as a product of kindness.

She said the nearly two decades that it took the CCC to be completed was “a proof that the Cebuanos could flex, blend and bend in going against the wind just to reach their destination.”

The theater, located in the campus of the University of the Philippines Cebu College, was started in 1993 during the term of Gov. Vicente de la Serna. It had gone through several contractors and stop-and-start work.

During yesterday’s soft opening Magpale, in her welcome remarks, said she saw the realization of the dream that started with one governor (De la Serna) then to former governor and now Deputy House Speaker Pablo Garcia.

A ceremonial cutting of the ribbon was led by Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia. The opening was graced by Ilocos Norte officials led by Gov. Imee Marcos and Rep. Imelda Marcos. Also present was Fred Pascual of the University of the Philippines-Visayas (UP- Visayas). The blessing was done by Msgr. Boy Alesna. Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama also attended the event.

Rama, in a separate interview, said this was what the city needed.

“It was more of a struggle before. Continuing rough sailing later. And now rejoicing has come,” Rama said.

Russian artist Gregory Pototsky, who attended the event, unveiled his masterpiece, the Monument of Kindness—“Dandelion.”

Pototsky in his website Pototsky.ru said the monument symbolizes the fragility of friendship, love and kindness, which could help cement relations between countries.

His masterpiece, the “Dandelion,” was donated to the province of Cebu and was installed yesterday at the front landscaped lawn of CCC.

The CCC has a seating capacity of 1,600.

The balcony portion and the upper part of the theater still needs to be finished.

Last month, Garcia visited the site with architect Tessie Javier, and provincial engineer Eulogio Pelayre to check on progress with Karen Fiel-Tio.

Garcia also promised UP alumni during UP’s centennial celebration in 2008 that she would make the Performing Arts Center the “most beautiful” one of its kind in the Visayas.

She said it would complement the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) in Mandaue City, which was built in 2007 for the Asean Summit.

“CICC has become a favorite venue for many activities … there would be a need for a more specialized venue,” she said.

The Capitol bid out the work to complete the Sugbo Performing Arts Center for P13 million.

The project was originally part of a plan by then Governor de la Serna to build a students dormitory and a cultural center on the province-owned lot in UP campus.

During the next term of then governor Pablo Garcia, the dormitory was bought by the UP administration and used for classrooms of the Arts and Sciences Department.

The cultural center was in limbo after negotiations stalled with the Cebu City and provincial governments over who would manage it. The Capitol finally agreed to take over.