First Lady Liza Marcos did not hold back in expressing her frustration over the deteriorating state of the Philippine Film Heritage building in Intramuros, Manila—an unfinished government project meant to honor the country’s cinematic legacy.
The first lady took to Instagram to air her disappointment after personally inspecting the site, which reportedly cost nearly P200 million. The building, envisioned as a home for Filipino filmmakers and artists, turned out to be far from what was promised.
“Instead, what did we get? Leaking roofs, cracked walls, unfinished theaters, ceilings already stained with water—all in a building that hasn’t even opened,” Marcos wrote, alongside photos showing the building’s poor condition, including broken toilets and a subpar air-conditioning system.
Marcos revealed that the construction project, under Great Pacific Builders and General Contractor Inc., cost P111.9 million for its first phase. The company is linked to Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya and Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya, who are currently under investigation for alleged irregularities in flood control contracts.
“Seriously?! Mahiya naman kayo! Pati ito, ninakawan niyo ng dignidad,” the first lady exclaimed in her post, criticizing what she described as a gross disrespect toward Filipino artists. “They deserve respect—not this rotten monument of incompetence.”
However, the Discayas’ lawyer, Cornelio Samaniego, responded by clarifying that his clients’ firm only handled the first phase of the project, which was reportedly completed and turned over in December 2024, with a certificate of completion issued. He said a different company was responsible for the second phase.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro countered this claim, suggesting the couple revisit their contracts with the Department of Public Works and Highways. “They might have forgotten their commitments, considering the numerous projects that they got from the government. Wrong information given to the media may cause confusion to the people,” she said in a report by the Philippine News Agency.
The Philippine Film Heritage building is a joint effort by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), the Department of Tourism, and the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority. It was meant to be a state-of-the-art facility housing restored films, memorabilia, and the Philippine Film Archive, and to serve as FDCP’s new headquarters.
The project broke ground in October 2023 and was expected to be completed by October 2024.
