PASAY CITY, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. emphasized the need to expand opportunities for Filipino artists to develop their talents and share their work globally during the inauguration of the Likhang Filipino Theatre on Friday, November 6.
Joined by First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and former First Lady Imelda Marcos, the President led the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new 279-seat performance venue located along Roxas Boulevard.
Marcos noted that while national pride is deeply rooted in local creativity, performers require better avenues to showcase their craft.
“Filipino creativity has always been a source of great pride for our country. What our artists need are more opportunities to develop their talents and share their work with the world,” Marcos said in a social media post following the event.
The newly opened facility is engineered to give performers a dedicated platform to mount productions without the scale and hefty operational demands of a grand theater.
“With the opening of the Likhang Filipino Theatre, we now have another home for our artists and performers, where they can bring our stories to life and inspire a new generation of Filipino talent,” the President added.
According to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), the theater forms part of the Likhang Filipino Creative Lab—an open, shared environment designed to foster collaboration, co-working, training, and resource access for local creatives.
Managed by the Department of Trade and Industry’s Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (DTI-CITEM), the broader Likhang Filipino initiative functions as a year-round marketplace and incubation hub for Philippine-made enterprises.
The launch coincides with the Philippines’ chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this year, providing a prominent stage to highlight domestic arts and culture to the regional community.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by key government officials, private sector representatives, and prominent figures in the arts, including National Artist for Dance Alice Reyes.