Photos by Roel Hoang Manipon

At the Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex, on reclaimed land between Manila Bay and Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City, the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) rises as a monumental composition of concrete. For five decades, it has witnessed diplomatic gatherings, graduation and oath-taking ceremonies, corporate events, forums, exhibitions, concerts and celebrations.

Its exterior is stark and muscular, but its interiors are unexpectedly sumptuous, their monumental scale softened by artworks, warm wood and intricate architectural details. Like the nearby Cultural Center of the Philippines, the complex displays National Artist for architecture Leandro V. Locsin’s mastery of Brutalism—an architecture of massive forms made to appear light, even floating.

Set on a 12-hectare site and encompassing more than 70,000 sq.m. of floor area, the PICC consists of five interconnected modules: the Delegation Building, Secretariat Building, Plenary Hall, Reception Hall, and The Forum. Instead of treating the convention center as a single monolith, Locsin divided it into distinct yet connected zones, linked by bridgeways, courtyards, and reflecting pools. The arrangement allows large occasions and smaller gatherings to take place within the complex at the same time.

The PICC formally opened on September 5, 1976, as Asia’s first international convention center. Its first major event was the annual meeting of the boards of governors of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, held from October 4 to 8 that year.

National Cultural Treasures

The National Museum of the Philippines recognized the PICC Complex and four intrinsic artworks as National Cultural Treasures on June 27, 2019. Their status was formally presented to the public on September 27, 2022, affirming the site’s exceptional historical, cultural, and artistic value.

Through the years, the PICC has remained a favored venue for major conferences and celebrations. It hosted meetings connected with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, while also becoming the setting for graduations, oath-taking ceremonies, weddings and other milestones of generations of Filipinos. It is thus both an architectural monument and a repository of personal and national memory.

Time, however, had left visible wear on the five-decade-old complex despite periodic repairs and earlier renovations.

In 2025, the PICC closed for several months for an extensive renovation in preparation for its 50th anniversary and the Philippines’ hosting of ASEAN meetings in 2026. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. led its reopening on September 30, 2025.

The occasion inevitably recalled the building’s complicated origins. Authorized during the administration of Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. and closely associated with Imelda Marcos’ state-sponsored building program, the PICC emerged from the Martial Law period and has long invited debate over cultural ambition, political power and public spending, amid turmoil and abuses.

Restoration

Its restoration required more than cosmetic renewal but careful conservation of a protected landmark while modernizing and adapting it to contemporary use.

Leandro V. Locsin Partners, led by the architect’s son Andy Locsin, took part in the project, helping ensure that new engineering, security and audiovisual systems remained faithful to the original architectural language. Archival research guided many of the interventions, from the treatment of concrete and marble to the restoration of landscaping and lighting. Cultural agencies were also consulted for the project.

The front lawn, altered by previous renovations, was returned to its 1976 landscape design. Some palm trees were uprooted to make the facade more visible. From it, the five-story Delegation Building appears to hover—a characteristic Locsin illusion of weight suspended above the ground.

The building’s entrance was widened to improve circulation and event flow without compromising security. Inside, the main lobby has regained its glow: all 3,068 droplights were fitted with new bulbs, the ceiling was hand-painted with metallic powder, the marble floors were refinished, and the concrete walls were laser-cleaned.

To the right of the lobby, the refurbished Delegation Lounge offers greater privacy and security for high-level guests. Conference rooms on the third and fourth floors now combine modern amenities with details sympathetic to the PICC’s architecture, while offices on the fifth floor have been redesigned with contemporary layouts and furnishings.

The three-story Secretariat Building contains additional meeting rooms, a banquet hall, exhibition areas, a restaurant and a cafeteria. Its meeting rooms retain their wooden lattice walls and high ceilings but now have LED screens and upgraded audio systems for hybrid meetings and multi-session conventions. The Secretariat Lounge extends these rooms with plush seating and warm, restrained lighting.

Plenary Hall and Reception Hall

The PICC’s best-known venues, the Plenary Hall and Reception Hall, likewise preserve their identities while incorporating new technology. Both now have large LED screens, improved audio systems and dimmable lighting.

Designed for conventions, commencement exercises and stage productions, the tiered Plenary Hall can accommodate more than 3,500 guests in a theater-style arrangement. Its wood-paneled walls, ceilings and doors were refurbished, its seats reupholstered and fitted with new brass numbers, and its lighting and acoustics upgraded.

The pillarless Reception Hall, used for banquets, galas and large assemblies, remains distinguished by its broad red carpeting, high concrete ceiling and uninterrupted sight lines. Thousands of polished globe-like chandeliers illuminate its ornamented ceiling, refreshed fabric walls and refinished woodwork.

At the heart of the complex is the 3,400-sq.m. Courtyard, an open-air counterpoint to the surrounding concrete masses. Natural light, tropical greenery, and water give the monumental architecture room to breathe.

The Courtyard is now an open-air gallery for 20 sculptures donated by APEC member economies and transferred from the front lawn. They are joined by “Anito,” National Artist Arturo R. Luz’s monumental concrete sculpture. Restored to its original pebble-wash flooring, the space also features renewed ponds and landscaping, an infinity waterfall, ambient lighting and a 30-speaker audio system. This area took the longest time to restore, at five months.

New brass signs and improved wayfinding complement the interiors throughout the complex, while high-speed Wi-Fi and upgraded electrical and audiovisual systems support the technical demands of contemporary events.

Art remains integral to the PICC. The National Cultural Treasure designation covers the complex and four works created for and permanently associated with it: Luz’s concrete “Anito” in the Courtyard and steel “Grid” at the Plenary and Reception halls’ lobby; National Artist José T. Joya’s abstract painting “Pagdiriwang” in the Delegation Upper Lobby; and National Artist Napoleon V. Abueva’s carved wooden chairs and lounge furniture distributed through the lobbies and hallways.

More than a hundred artwork

The complex also houses works by National Artists Carlos “Botong” Francisco, Hernando R. Ocampo, Ang Kiukok and Abdulmari Asia Imao, among others. More than a hundred works from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas collection are displayed across its halls. During the renovation, artworks were protected or relocated, and museum-grade lighting and mounts were introduced to bring greater attention to pieces that visitors might once have passed without noticing.

As the PICC celebrates its golden anniversary in 2026, it faces both backward and forward. It remains a monument born of a brutal political era, but it is also an enduring showcase of Filipino architecture, art and hospitality—one continually reclaimed by the public through the memories made within it.

PICC General Manager Nicolette Ann P. Cruz has emphasized that institutional and personal milestones in Filipino life are celebrated at the center.

“We hope to have that continuous honor of being part of the core memories of each and every one of our countrymen,” she said.

The post Concrete memory, golden renewal: The Philippine International Convention Center restored as it marks 50 years appeared first on Lakbay Magazine.

Actress and social media personality Ashley Rivera was revealed as the 2026 calendar girl for White Castle Whisky during a launch program held on December 19 at Rampa Drag Club in Quezon City.

The liquor brand is known for its calendar tradition, widely regarded as the longest-running of its kind in the Philippines. Being chosen as a calendar girl has long been seen as a career milestone, with past muses including Evangeline Pascual, Lorna Tolentino, Techie Agbayani, Carmi Martin, Maria Isabel Lopez, Cristina Gonzales, and Glydel Mercado.

While public interest in the calendar waned for a time, it has experienced a quiet resurgence in recent years. The choice of calendar models has also evolved, reflecting changing tastes and attitudes—from Roxanne Guinoo and Ria Atayde to unexpected picks such as Ninong Ry, Sassa Girl, and Angelie “Pench” Andanar.

Brandon Jon Limpe-Aw, Vice President for Administration of Destileria Limtuaco—the country’s oldest existing distillery and the maker of White Castle Whisky—said the brand has consciously reimagined the calendar as more than a glamour or sexy platform.

“We try our best to leverage our calendars as a platform to raise social issues, such as LGBTQ rights, body positivity, and tattoo acceptance,” he said. “This time, we wanted to take a lighter approach. We wanted to go back to having a classic sexy endorser, but with a good sense of humor. We wanted to have an endorser that could emulate the persona of White Castle Whiskey, especially on social media.”

Limpe-Aw added that Rivera was a natural fit for the brand’s tone, especially online. “If you visit White Castle Whisky’s social media pages, you’ll see that the brand voice is very humorous. Most of our content are memes and funny videos, so we wanted an endorser with the same attitude and personality.”

Destileria Limtuaco Executive Vice President Aaron James Limpe-Aw echoed this direction, noting that the brand has shifted its messaging in recent years.

“Since 2020, we’ve really been trying to use our platform. Susubukan namin gamitin ‘yung (We’ll try to use the) platform of White Castle as a means to get out the message,” he said. “Right now, our message is more on how to find joy in the lighter moments. That’s why we have our White Castle Light. If you look at our social media pages, it’s really more about having fun in everyday life. So we find the most mundane things and we make light of it. So that’s what we’re trying to do. Previously, we tackled more serious issues. But right now, kasi we realized na not everything has to be serious. Sometimes people resonate with something more simple, more relatable. We’re all about having fun now, and that’s what you can expect from the brand… We’re going to continue to champion being lighthearted and being fun.”

Before entering mainstream television, Rivera built a following on TikTok and YouTube through her comedic persona, Petra Mahalimuyak. She then became a Sparkle GMA Artist talent and a regular cast member of the comedy sketch show Bubble Gang. In 2024, she co-launched the podcast “Chicks 2 Go” with fellow comedian and social media personality Hershey Neri, where they share humorous takes on everyday experiences and relationships.

Rivera is now adding being calendar girl to her growing list of career milestones. She cites actress and 1984 White Castle calendar girl Carmi Martin as an inspiration.

“I’m incredibly honored and thrilled,” Rivera gushed. “White Castle Whisky has such an iconic place in Filipino culture. To be chosen as the 2026 calendar girl feels surreal. I’ve been dreaming about this after being inspired by Tita Carmi Martin, and I can’t wait for everyone to see what we created.”

The idea came to her when they were shooting an episode of the sitcom “Happy to Get Her” in Boracay with John Lloyd Cruz and Carmi Martin.

“Tapos sabi nila ulitin natin ‘yung White Castle mo. So doon ako nagka-idea. Sabi ko, oo nga, napaka-classic, napaka-iconic. Sabi ko, oo nga no, kasi not everyone gets the chance or the opportunity to be calendar girl. So na-mention ko lang siya, and I didn’t know na ‘yun pala ‘yung magiging isa sa reason kung bakit ko nakuha itong project na ‘to (Then they said, let’s bring back your White Castle look. That’s when the idea came to me. I thought, yes—it’s so classic, so iconic. Not everyone gets the chance or the opportunity to be a calendar girl. I just mentioned it casually, and I didn’t know that it would end up being one of the reasons why I got this project),” she shared.

Brandon confirmed that Rivera had already been on their radar. “We actually had our eyes on this girl after some of our friends shared a short clip from a podcast featuring her,” he said. “In that podcast, she talked about her dream of becoming a White Castle Girl, which piqued our interest to learn more about her. So, we explored her content and realized that it aligns perfectly with the branding of White Castle Whiskey. Plus, the girl has good looks and personality. So, pasok na pasok sa brand talaga (She is a perfect fit for the brand).”

For Aaron, the decision ultimately came down to authenticity. “It’s really her just being herself,” he said. “That’s what aligns with us. We want to be a brand that’s authentic, engaging, and fun.”

As White Castle Whisky continues its calendar tradition, Rivera’s selection reflects how the brand balances nostalgia with changing tastes, keeping a familiar institution relevant to a new generation.

The post Ashley Rivera is White Castle Calendar Girl 2026 appeared first on Lakbay Magazine.