VI
EN
With a construction budget of $25 million, contractors had less than three months to build the Manila Cinema Center, a design inspired by the Pantheon. 4,000 workers, divided into three shifts, worked 24/7 to complete the project as quickly as possible. Tasks that would normally take six weeks were completed in just three days.
At approximately 3:00 AM on November 17, 1981, the upper floor of the Cinema Center suddenly collapsed. Some workers were impaled by falling steel bars, some were buried under rubble, while others were trapped by falling concrete.
First Lady Imelda Marcos believed that saving the injured workers would only slow down the construction progress. Therefore, project supervisor Betty Benitez ordered the continued pouring of concrete over the victims of the accident. According to accounts, approximately 170 people were buried alive. It was not until 10 hours later that the press and rescue forces were allowed access to the site.
Due to the lack of timely access to the scene, as well as the Marcos government's efforts to suppress media coverage, evidence of the event seems to be limited to the accounts of the workers. A rare video of the accident was only released after President Marcos was forced out of office in 1986. The video shows a worker buried halfway under rocks and earth. A volunteer sings Christmas carols to comfort the worker. Ten hours later, when rescue forces arrived, the man had already passed away. The stretchers carrying the body, encased in cement, can be seen in that historic footage.
As scheduled, in January 1982, the theater was inaugurated in time for the Manila Film Festival, attended by Hollywood stars like Brooke Shields and George Hamilton. The guests, dressed in glamorous attire, were unaware that beneath the dazzling red carpet, they were walking over hundreds of unfortunate victims buried under layers of cement that hadn't yet fully dried.
In an effort to dispel the somber atmosphere, numerous rituals were performed at the Manila Cinema Center. However, many visitors still felt uneasy, sometimes hearing crying or seeing strange figures. During the time it housed the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, staff members were often frightened and claimed to hear strange noises even when no one was around.
The story became even more terrifying when, a few months after the tragedy, Betty Benitez died in a mysterious accident. Many people then fabricated stories that the spirits of the victims of the Manila Film Center accident were punishing her.
In 2001, this infamous building was renovated at a cost of over $15 million. Today, it serves as a venue for performing arts and is a popular tourist destination. However, it is also known for rumors of being haunted.
