Actor and Mowelfund president Rez Cortez on Monday supported Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso’s call to once again establish the Metropolitan Theater (MET) as an accessible creative hub for Filipino artists, stage performers and film workers.

During their meeting at City Hall, Cortez stressed the necessity of reviving the MET as an affordable venue for cultural and artistic events.

“Here in Manila, let’s make the MET the center. Let’s give opportunities to those in the industry,” Cortez said, noting the shortage of affordable venues for awards nights, stage plays, and film-related gatherings.

Domagoso echoed the sentiment, calling the MET one of the most symbolic landmarks in the country’s performing arts history.

“It’s a dream for any stage actor. An artist would really want to shoot at the MET,” Domagoso said, adding, “We just want to operate it, maintain it, and nurture the culture, arts, and skills of our actors and actresses. Because they don’t have an outlet.”