Major changes are taking shape at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) as it spruces up for two milestone events next year – its 50th anniversary in September and the Philippine hosting of the ASEAN Summit.
All eyes are on newly appointed General Manager Nicolette Ann P. Cruz, who took over early this year from Renato Padilla, the long-serving PICC head who retired after 20 years in office. As Cruz leads the institution through a period of transition, the pressure is on to meet both legacy expectations and future ambitions.
A legal mind leading an icon
With over a decade of specialization in infrastructure law—and recognized as the country’s youngest and most senior reclamation law practitioner—Cruz brings a fresh perspective to PICC. This iconic venue, Asia’s first international convention center, is not just a government-run MICE facility but also a National Cultural Treasure known for its brutalist architecture by National Artist Leandro Locsin and priceless art pieces that add not just charm but history and intrinsic value to the venue.
Her task: to modernize the PICC the best it can be without compromising its rich cultural heritage, and place in the Philippines’ political, economic, cultural and social setting.
Cruz’s legal experience is deeply rooted in large-scale infrastructure projects. She served as project counsel for the proposed Sangley International Airport, the Century Peak reclamation project in Cavite, and the Cavitex Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway—all of which provide her a solid foundation for managing the ambitious PICC renovation.
Her future plans include exploring the possibility of building a permanent exhibition hall within the PICC complex.
Renovation like never before
First off, a sweeping renovation—the most extensive in PICC history—is already underway. The firm of Leandro Locsin Jr., son of the original architect, has been awarded the architectural and engineering design works. Plans have been vetted by the National Historical Commission “to ensure that the beauty of the Brutalist architecture and integral elements of that will in no way be compromised,” Cruz said.
The extensive works include the renovation of the kitchens, ceilings, internal and external refinishing, and a covered walkway, and many other enhancements to be completed in phases.
These are strategically divided between those that must be finished before ASEAN 2026, and those that will follow after, as the venue must be event-ready with no visible construction during the summit.
Alongside physical improvements, PICC is beefing up its technology and security systems. Plans include upgrading: audio visual equipment, wi-fi, procuring more TV equipment and enhancing the security system to meet the growing requirements of MICE clients.
PICC to play key role in ASEAN 2026
An estimated 600 meetings under the ASEAN 2026 umbrella will take place across the country, with Manila and Cebu identified as the main hubs. The ASEAN National Organizing Committee will plan and decide how these meetings will be spread out, “but usually PICC gets its fair share of those meetings in the hundreds so it’s still a big task that we have to prepare for,” Cruz pointed out.
Revenue goals despite civil works
PICC aims to hit ₱410 million in revenue from 670 events in 2025, a 10% increase from the previous year’s ₱370 million and 618 events. Cruz acknowledges that this is a “very challenging” target due to the ongoing civil works slated for the building while conducting business activities and hosting events, but she’s optimistic. An action plan is in place to schedule works during off-hours and after events, with additional manpower to keep operations running smoothly.
Strengthening the institution beyond infrastructure
Beyond physical upgrades, Cruz is keen to strengthen PICC as an institution—its people, competencies, and relationships with both government and private sector clients which“can very well be achieved simultaneously with all the physical works that we are doing”.
Saying that “one of the challenges of any long standng business is complacency,” Cruz pointed out that PICC will survive even if it didn’t engage in periodical target increase exercises as it already has long standing clients like the government, educational institutions, associations and private corporations.
Competing in a new convention landscape
With new convention centers rising across the country, Cruz believes PICC must stay agile to capture new markets, especially internationally. “We have to continuously be on our toes,” she emphasized.
International would be a good place to start, she said, requiring networking, forging relations, issuing invitations. She would also want to secure more memberships in both international and regional associations to tap previously untapped, or maybe set aside, certain markets.
On the domestic front, Cruz is targeting “wider forging of relations for government event holders” to capitalize on an existing presidential directive encouraging government offices to hold their venues in PICC. “There is national government support. We have to capitalize on that, we have to be more active in reaching out to them,” she explained.
She has the same approach for private corporations. “We just have to be more active in touching base and fostering relationships with them”. Recognizing the importance of social media, she is out to revamp PICC’s social media platform to reach out to the rest of the country.
While the influx of quite a number of new convention centers will impact PICC’s market share, the latter has something that no one else has. “PICC is a National Culture Treasure. No one else can claim that,” she pointed out.
What makes PICC irreplaceable
While newer venues may offer cutting-edge design and modern facilities, PICC stands apart.
“PICC is a National Cultural Treasure—no one else can claim that. We all serve very specific markets and audiences. And we are still the only government MICE venue with such a rich cultural and architectural background. Modern isn’t always best,” she emphasized.
Finally, Cruz is also setting her sights on sustainability certifications—not just ISO standards, but green certifications aligned with global trends in MICE and infrastructure. “This is the direction for all future-ready developments,” she noted.
