Fifty years ago doesn’t seem too long ago if one thinks of the thousands of performances presented by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). But yes, it has been quite a while from the early days if one realizes the many transformations the country’s performing arts center has undertaken.

Last 20 September was such a special night with the country’s culturati coming together at the CCP to watch “Bulawan: The CCP 50th Anniversary Gala,” which kicked off the fund-raising drive intended for the renovation of this premier institution, once upon a time the best in Asia-Pacific and a trailblazing one, considering that other countries built their own similar cultural centers only years and even decades later.

A HALF-CENTURY of showcasing the best of Philippine folk dances.

The men and women behind this fund-raising undertaking envisions “to rehabilitate the iconic but ageing building and bring it up to standards of the 21st century, placing it at par with the world’s best art venues such as the Lincoln Center, the Sydney Opera House and other theaters worldwide which have become iconic landmarks in their respective countries.”

Must I mention here Imelda Marcos, a most controversial lady who had been criticized for this monumental project termed by the oppositionists as “elitist” and a waste of money?

CCP artistic director Chris Millado with Lorna Kapunan of the CCP Board of Trustees.

Of course, it has been proven through the years that it was, after all, one monolith that this country could use, although I am not here to take sides. When CCP was inaugurated on 8 September 1969, the guests of honor were California Governor Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy, who watched the premiere of The Golden Salakot: Isang Dularawan, the inaugural performance.

Somewhere in this humungous structure, the young artist David Medalla unfurled a poster that said, “Down with the Philistines.” Again, time has told if he used the right term, although I am not sure who he was addressing.

MANILA’S cultural elite with CCP chairman Margie Moran-Floriendo (in red). From left: Rita Dy, Doreen Yu, Maritess Pineda, Cecile Manikan and Mav Rufino.

The Bulawan gala night had the country’s cultural and social elite all dressed up for the occasion in their best Filipiniana while artists from the South, headed by Patrick Steven Fernandez, were in their indigenous costumes, proving the national reach and relevance of CCP.

Three artists of the highest rank graced this once-in-a-lifetime event: National Artist for Dance Alice Reyes, National Artist for Music Ramon Santos and National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab.

The show succeeded in that it gave the audience a review of the first 50 years of the CCP, with veteran actors Celeste Legaspi, Nonie Buencamino, Shamaine Buencamino providing an oral narrative of the last half-century of the institution.

FORMER CCP president Raul Sunico performs before his stunned audience.

Margie Moran, chairman of the CCP Board of Trustees, related to the audience the CCP story while thanking them for their initial assistance to this huge task of rehabilitating the foremost cultural institution of the country.