During this period of the Marcos Presidency , the CCP Complex played host to major local and international events under the guise of the '' Bagong Lipunan '' ( New Society ) , which would mark the start of a series of major construction projects in the area . When Filipino Margie Moran won the 1973 Miss Universe Pageant , the Philippine Government agreed to stage the succeeding year 's contest , and plans for an amphitheater commenced . Weeks of planning and discussions resulted to the commissioning of the Folk Arts Theater ( Now the '' Tanghalang Francisco Balagtas '' ) , an open-air but roofed structure that could seat up to 10,000 people . Construction of the new theater , which was also designed by Leandro Locsin , was completed in a record 77 days and was inaugurated on July 1972 with the grand parade , '' " Kasaysayan ng Lahi " '' ( " History of the Race " ) . Right after the inauguration of Folk Arts , ground was broken for the Philippine International Convention Center and the Philippine Plaza Hotel , both for the country 's hosting of the IMF-World Bank Annual Meeting in 1976 . Although not owned by the Cultural Center , these buildings were nevertheless built at the complex and designed by Locsin . One of the more infamous additions to the Center was the Manila Film Center , built in 1981 for the Manila International Film Festival . Designed by Froilan Hong , the structure was built on a strict critical path schedule requiring 4,000 workers working in 3 shifts across 24 hours . An accident occurred on November 17 , 1981 , when scaffolding collapsed and sent construction workers into quick-drying cement . Despite this , construction proceeded , and finished some 15 minutes before opening night of the Film Festival . The building 's ownership would be transferred to the CCP in 1986 , when the Experimental Cinema of the Philippines was dissolved . Straying from the brutalist style typical of the buildings in the CCP is the Coconut Palace , a showcase on the versatility of coconut as an export product and construction material , designed by Francisco Mañosa . The financial and human costs of constructing these buildings , in a time of widespread poverty and corruption , was seen as symptomatic of the First Lady 's '' edifice complex '' , a charge Imelda has nevertheless welcomed in her later years
succeeding year 's contest
Miss Universe 1974
Cultural Center of the Philippines