The Capitol is looking for a firm to run the Cebu Performing Arts Center, which is now called the Cebu Cultural Center (CCC).
The newly refurbished center on Gorordo Avenue is scheduled to have its grand opening in November.
The Capitol is outsourcing the management of the center to the private sector based on public bidding.
Elizabeth Francia, Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia’s chief of staff, said yesterday that although the governor first asked Philippine Exhibits and Theme Parks Corp. (PETCO ) to manage the center, but the Capitol was still to bid it out.
A soft opening last August 12, attended by former First Lady Imelda Marcos, was held to unveil a sculpture by a Russian artist.
Francia said the center would be completely operational after its grand opening in November 25.
She said the opening would feature presentations of the “seven art forms” such as dance, music and the visual arts.
Provincial Engineer Eulogio Pelayre told CDN that work was completed last month and that no part was hurriedly done even for its soft opening last August 12.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was led by Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia last month with Ilocos Norte officials led by Gov. Imee Marcos and Rep. Imelda Marcos.
Also present was Fred Pascual of the University of the Philippines Cebu College and Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama.
The completion of the theater, located in the UP Campus, was a promise made by Governor Garcia during the centennial celebration of UP after years of the project’s idle status as a white elephant.
The project started in 1993 during the term of Gov. Vicente de la Serna, who planned to build a students dormitory and a cultural center n the UP lot, but these were not continued by the next administration. The project went through several contractors and stop-and-start work.
The Capitol bidded out the work to complete the Sugbo Performing Arts Center for P13 million. /Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus