Stop Over at the Cultural Center of the Philippines

Our escapade began at Gil Puyat LRT Station where we started walking until we reached the Manila World Trade Center then turned right to the Manila Bay area. The heat of the early morning in Manila was more than enough to extinguish the strength of Laguna travelers and so we opted to make a short rest at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

* the Cultural Center of the Philippines with the wide lawn fronting it

* a closer look at the Cultural Center of the Philippines

* side walk up the Cultural Center of the Philippines;
I see this as a good place to do downhill on skateboards

* the façade of the Cultural Center of the Philippines

* Trailer Pransis striking another serious pose;
heat plus thirst are the best ingredients for such a pose


* the wave-like pillar ceiling supports of the Cultural Center of the Philippines

* a close-up view of CCP’s exterior

* CCP fountain at the front

* another view of the fountain

The Cultural Center of the Philippines or CCP for short was created in 1966 through the issuance of Executive Order No. 30 by then President Ferdinand Marcos. Its formal inauguration however happened on September 8, 1969 along with a three-month-long inaugural fest. The inauguration was attended by then California Governor Ronald Reagan and his wife to represent US President Richard Nixon.

Today it is affiliated with the Office of the President and the National Commission for the Culture and the Arts (in connection with policies and programs). CCP is in fact one big complex, composed of different areas for performances (most notably the Tanghalang Pambansa or the CCP Main Building, the one we usually see in photos), exhibit halls, and other satellite venues. There is also the CCP Museum or Museo ng Kalinangang Pilipino which opened in 1988.

Digging into all these information, I see that I still have a lot to see at CCP aside from its Main Building. And the place must be more than an art haven, as its scope goes beyond the visual arts. Dance, music, plays, etc. Let us all discover CCP!

* World Trade Center in Manila

* a white-breasted sea eagle

* another bird we saw resting over a concrete

* a tower from Star City as seen from the grounds of CCP

* "Go Navy! Fleet Marine Team"; a billboard of the Philippine Navy

* Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas o BSP found just across CCP

Other Sights Around CCP

The photos above are some of the sights one can behold as one approach or look around CCP. Actually, this reclaimed part of the Manila Bay has many areas that you can visit. Hopefully next time, armed with a fully owned camera, I would be able to roam the place and snap photos!

[How to go to the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP): From the Gil Puyat LRT Station, the fastest way to reach CCP is to hail a taxi. But do not engage in any pre-arranged fare price. I did this for a number of times before I realized that it was too costly. Aside from that, I actually do not know any public vehicle route that would pass by CCP.]