WorldBEX 2011

World Trade Center in Pasay City boast of world class exhibition center  and  trade shows

World Trade Center- The Philippines largest construction , building , architecture and trade exposition had open its doors for the public from March 16 to 20, 2011 at the magnificent World Trade Center and Philippine Trade Training Center compound .

Entrance to the WORLDBEX 2011

Worldbex is the only show in the Philippines that always adds new dimensions and directions to the construction industry.

a man on stilts greets the visitors to the venue – he is promoting Neltex  Company

It assembled the widest array of new and interesting products, which represents the greatest advances in materials tools or equipment.

Matimco House at the main entrance of the World Trade Center – Main supplier of wood materials

Profile for exhibit include Building material, equipments and services, Construction materials, equipments and services, Interior Designs, Renovation Products, Mechanical Engineering Systems, Electrical Engineering Systems, Construction Promotions, Information Technology, Telecommunications, Real Estate, Housing etc.

Matimco House landscape exhibit executed by King Louis Ornamental Plants

Kraut Art Glass Company exhibit

Kraut Art Glass is stained glass. In 1911, family patriarch MATTHIAS KRAUT, born in Saarbreuchen, Germany, arrived from Switzerland as a representative of Moore Paints, distributed in Manila by Sprungli & Co.

Within a year after his arrival, the enterprising Matthias made a name for himself as a house painter among the illustrados of Central and Southern Luzon through the Standard Paint Co., and was widely known as “The Standard Painter”.  It was soon later that he diversified into artistic glass windows after purchasing equipment from a compatriot’s short-lived attempt at a stained glass business. It was in 1912 when he put up the first KRAUT stained glass studio in Bilibid Viejo, Quiapo. This was where he met, and eventually married, the lovely Pilar Gonzalez. Before long, Matthias was selling a novel decorative concept: interiors planned not just paints, but colorful windows as well.

proprietors of Kraut Glass Company

The company is known to have been the contractor of several stain glass  projects  from Metropolitan Theater, Santo Domingo Church in Quezon City and to  various family mausoleums .

Kraut Glass Company
1874 Dominga St. Pasay City Philippines 1300
Tel : +63 2 521-64-88
+63 2 525-43-37
Telefax +63 2 523-24-32

Advanced Materials Corporation was founded in 1996 by a group of highly skilled and dedicated chemical engineers. Since then, it has expanded to become one of the leading manufacturers of building & construction materials using innovative technologies available around the world.

Novtek Company mascot

Novtek experience in the construction industry encompasses a multitude of products. These include Tile & Stone Care Product (NovTek), Tile & Stone Setting Products, Surface Preparation Products, Mortar Products (NovCrete), Waterproofing Products (NovSeal), Adhesives (NovStik), and Tools & Accessories (AMC). They gave interesting key chains and handouts to the visitors of their exhibit booth.

Eglo Light Company exhibit

Eglo Light Company is a Global Company which provides upscale lighting equipments , The company is present in over 70 countries and territories  and Philippines is one of the emerging markets in the Asia-Pacific region.

The company was started by Mr. Ludwig Obwieser creates the enterprise „EGLO Leuchten in 1969. The company then started its expansion in 1976 with the building of the first business premises in the Tyrol (Austria).

Comical characters are infused with lighting fixtures

In the mid 1980’s EGLO was finally established as one of the leading light manufacturers in Europe. Expansion into new markets became priority and the opening of the first sales division in Germany laid a solid foundation for international business dealings. Consistent development of new markets opened the opportunity to establish more than 70 business premises all over the world.

EGLO Lifestyle Lighting

Exclusively distributed by:

Collins International Trading Corporation
412 Amang Rodriguez Avenue, Manggahan, Pasig City

Telephone # (632)  467-9043/( 632) 681-61-61

Baba Plastic Pot Company exhibit booth at the WorldBex 2011

According to one of the  booth managers  , Materials used  in producing its pot are environment friendly , noting that non-recycled plastic is used in making their line of pots and gardening utensils.  Some of their  plastic pots are exported to Middle Eastern countries where there is extreme temperature fluctuations and heat from the sun may cause other plastic pots in the market to fade their colors and even break .   “The other brand faded in a matter of months when exposed to sunlight,” she notes, “while Baba’s retained its color.”Their pots can withstand extreme temperature from negative  17C to 48C.

grey and terracotta colored plastic planting boxes

The company has over 50 copyright protected designs of its polypropylene plastic pots. The pots, previously unadorned and sporting the terracotta like color  pots, are now hand-coated to resemble stone and are painted to match furniture. The company also came up with “drop-in” pots, hole-less decorative pots that serve as shells for potted plants and which help decorators change the look of a plant without the need for re-potting.

“You can tell by looking closely at the item.  If you see black flecks on it, it means that it used recycled plastic,” she reveals, noting that Baba’s plastic items do not have such a characteristic.

Spathiphyllum plant in a Tenen water  solution with no media present

The company had  introduce to the country a line of fertilizers and insect repellents that’s especially suitable for indoor gardening.  Marketed  as  Tenen line, the products come in 20k and 50 k solution that  are non-toxic and safe for use, and guarantees healthy plants even with less  sunlight. With this new product line , There is a  boost the use for indoor plant growing , considering that indoor gardening entails rotating potted plants for their dose of life-giving sunlight.  With their new line, such a time-consuming exercise is virtually eliminated.

According to one of the sales staffs, Some of the top importing countries of their water based solution are  Australia , New Zealand , United States , Japan and Singapore .    At present, Baba is into advocacy of sorts as well in educating plant enthusiasts about the usefulness of some decorative plants in purifying indoor air.  They are in fact publishing and giving away bookmarks printed with plant facts that are especially suited for indoor gardening.  Already out are information regarding the Dracena fragrans (corn plant)  and  Spathiphyllum (white anthurium)—which are great for purifying air; and the sanseveria locally known as the buntot tigre or mother -in law’s  tongue which doesn’t only purify air by which is rich in so-called anions that are beneficial to the human body.

The products is locally distributed in major garden centers such as Manila Seedling Bank outlets , ACE hardware store.

Ms. Elaine Daclis a cactus and an ornamental grower from Benguet is a regular trader at the WorldBex , She had a plant stall at the Flower mart Center at the Manila Seedling Bank

There are also well-known plant traders ,  landscaper like Professor Serapion Metilla, King Louis Ornamental Plants, Ms. Elaine Daclis ,  Ms. Mable Chua’s – Flower Box among others.

 

King Louis Ornamental Plant

The organizers organized the 13th WorldBEX seminar had also conducted a 3-day seminar which various speakers from different countries like Singapore , Malaysia and notable Filipino architectsand urban planners like Arch. Nathaniel Vonm Einsiedel, Arch. Micheal Tomeldan, Arch. Felino Palafox, Jr., Arch. Emelito Punsalan,  Engineer Gloria Correa, Arch. Augusto Villalon and Arch. Amado de Jesus of the University of Santo Tomas and environmentalist Mr. Jose Maria Lorenzo Tan .

At the nearby PTTC , there is a gallery of various architectural firms like Palafox , Luis Associates among others.

Palafox Associate gallery of their architectural works  from different parts of the country and the world.

There is also an interior design contest dubbed as ” OBRA MAESTRA” which were participated by  Mapua Institute of Technology , University of Santo Tomas, University of the East, Saint Scholastica’s College , Eulogio Amang Rodriguez Institute of Technology , University of the Philippines and Polytechnic University of the Philippines

Mapua Institute of Technology students executed this design (dining room )

University of the East students executed this design ( children room )

living room interior designs by the students of University of Santo Tomas

According to one of the students of  UST, they had to used a lot of recycled materials in order to execute this magnificent living room- proof is the plastic spoons which were recycled and turned into a fanciful chandelier light. While old books served support  for the glass centerpiece.

University of the Philippines

The aim of this show is not just to showcase Filipino architects and promoting business but also pioneering students to showcase their talent in interior decoration. This is open to the public , but visitors to the trade show must bring their business card or professional license cards ( PRC) like those of Architects , Engineers, Public Accountant in order to enjoy some perks like free drinks and snacks.

vintage pop art design with matching furniture

 

an quotation from Mr. Andy Wartol “They always say time changes things., but you actually have to change them yourself “

According to one of the exhibitors , average  crowd estimate is  from 8,000 to 10,000 visitors in the three day event.

Reopening of Manila Metropolitan Theater

April 29, 2010 ( Thursday) Officials of the city government  said that the Met—fondly referred to as the “grand dame” of Manila’s theaters—is on its way to being restored to its former glory.

group photo of the stakeholders within the  Metropolitan Theater

According to old historical records, There used to be an old theater during the Spanish colonial period ( Teatro del Prinsipe Alfonso XII ) which was built near the present day Metropolitan Theater . The old theater was the main focal building within the large and sprawling Plaza Arroceros in 1862.

In 1862, the Teatro del Principe Alfonso XII was opened to the public and several foreign companies were hired to perform operettas, zarzuelas and three-act plays. On June 11, 1865, “La Conquista de Jolo” was staged there and it glorified the military campaigns of Governor Antonio Urbiztondo in the south, in 1750. Another play dedicated to the Spaniards who waged war in Jolo, Sulu  “Una Pagina de Gloria” was presented in April, 1876.

Unfortunately, the Teatro del Principe Alfonso burnt down a few months after that but it was never proven that an irate Muslim had put it to torch.

Japanese tourist posed at the Mehan Garden circa 1900’s – from the private collection of Mr. Centeno

Several years later,  During the American colonial period in 1924 , When  a member of then Philippine legislature proposed that a theater to be constructed near the Mehan Garden formerly Jardin Botanico de Manila established in 1858. The botanical garden was considered to be one of the oldest botanical institutions  in  Asia after the  Indian Botanic Garden in Horah established in 1787 by Lieutenant Colonel Robert Kyd.  Buitenzorg Botanical Garden (now  Bogor Botanical Garden) Indonesia  was established in 1817 .   Singapore Botanic Garden was established in 1859 about a year after the establishment of Jardin Botanico de Manila .

No one lambasted him for being a profligate elitist with misguided priorities . The proposal was first conceived in 1924 when Manila was not only known as ” Pearl of the Orient” but also dubbed” Milan of Asia” , reputed to be as charming as Paris . This city embraced four cultures Asian, European , North American( American colony ), Latin American  through Spain and Mexico  .

It took another 6 years to lay the corner stone of the theater on a selected spot within the 8,000 square meter Mehan Garden . Finally on December 10, 1931 the art deco inspired architecture of  brothers  Mr. Juan Arellano and Mr. Arcadio Arellano following the American architectural planner Mr. Daniel Burnham lured by the unique opportunity of designing in tropical Asia these proud edifice would symbolized the power and glory of the American colonial administration.

The tiara domed  with stylized minarets, sensuous female figures in exotic drapes, an exterior with whimsical rope designs, friezes and curly cues, the clashing ethnic -like chimeras and asparagus turrets, the total effect of the architecture is totally different from the other colonial buildings.

Adam sculpture by Monti

The sculptures in the façade of the theatre are from the Italian sculptor Francesco Riccardo Monti , who lived in Manila from 1930 until his death in 1958, and worked closely together with J.M. de Guzmán Arellano. Highly stylized relief carving of Philippine plants executed by the artist Isabelo Tampingco decorate the lobby walls and interior surfaces of the building. Murals by National Artist Fernando Amorsolo, namely “The Dance” and “History of Music” adorned the lobby. ( now kept at the GSIS museum for safekeeping).

The stained glass facade was commissioned by Kraut Art Glass established by family patriarch Mr. Mattias Kraut . Kraut  company is famous for their art glasses since 1912 and the proscenium was done by the House of Pre-Cast.

a gallery of Filipino artists

The venue played host to vaudevilles , zarzuelas , performances by world re known artists like Jascha Heifetz, violin virtuoso were also also held within the theater.  Indisputably , the Metropolitan theater was the masterpiece of Architect Juan Arellano . He did it in Art Deco style which was the rage in the United States.

During its heyday, the theater could accommodate 1,670 people: 846 in the orchestra section, 116 in the loge and 708 in the balcony areas.

Manila Metropolitan Theater after the war circa 1945

Badly damaged during World War II,The theater became an ice cream parlor, boxing arena , garage, motel ,  gay club and eventually a squatter colony of about 50 to 70 families before it was rebuilt in 1978 by former First Lady Imelda Marcos.

Popular variety television show hosted by Ms. Vilma Santos in the 1980’s to early 1990’s aired on GMA channel 7 provided the entertainment every Friday to the crowd . While several top Filipino celebrities made their debut at the grad dame, Its condition deteriorated in the ’90s due to several factors . First is the  water seepage  on Met’s roofing , Second is the strong  Bagyong Rosing  ( Typhoon Angela) which hit the capital city in November 1995 causing further destruction on the theater’s outer roofing.  The category 5 typhoon  wreaked havoc over Metro Manila, Calabarzon Region and Bicol Region.

The Met fell into decay and finally closed down in 1996 following a long-running dispute between the Government Service Insurance System and the City of Manila over its ownership and management.

In 2004, the GSIS and city government finally agreed to set aside their differences, and, with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, signed a tripartite agreement on a work action plan for the structure’s restoration.

Higantes provided a colorful backdrop to the festive atmosphere

Coincidentally , the Metropolitan theater was also featured in Philippine stamps ( Architectural Heritage series ) in 2003.

Almost P90 million, including P50 million released by President Macapagal-Arroyo, has been spent for the project.

Television host German Moreno has vowed to initiate fund-raising efforts for the Met , said Araneta. Lim added that they are also waiting for another P50 million promised by the President.

Author’s note: The author through the Filipinas Stamp Collectors’ Club in cooperation with Manila Cityhall , Museo ng Maynila , National Press Club , Intramuros Administration and Philpost conducts a regular free guided tours within the Metropolitan Theater grounds every third sunday of the month . Pre-registration is required  to those people/ groups who wanted to join the free guided tours.

For contact : (0919-3901671 )

Email: L_rence_2003@yahoo.com

Land line: Mrs. Josefina Tiongson -Cura (+632) 735-5001 monday to saturday 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM only !