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HOW WE BEGUN

The proposed “DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND SURVIVAL AWARENESS CENTER” otherwise known as EXTREME or the EXPERIENTIAL TECHNICAL RESCUE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT & EDUCATION facility was conceived in 2015 when three parties gathered at the Manila Film Center at the staging of an Amazing Arts Group show then on its 2^nd year.

The three parties namely the Center for Philippine Arts and Cultural Entertainment Association, Inc. represented by Casie Villarosa and Eugene Baroña, TRAVERSE OUTDOOR represented by Johnny and Jess Tana and Period 8 Travel and Tours represented by Rommel Teoxon.

The Center for Philippine Arts and Cultural Entertainment Association, Inc. was the producer and venue provider of Amazing Show in Manila and the Amazing Arts Group. TRAVERSE OUTDOOR is the facilitation provider of well-known team building venues in the country. And Period 8 is one of the more affluent marketers of shows and venues of educational tours and field trips.

The three parties envisioned a Manila-based facility/venue virtually unaffected by the seasons. A facility that could operate rain or shine and day or night where the target market would be diversified free from given limitations of other venues in terms of team-building activities.

A Manila-based facility would be more accessible and cheaper for the target clientele and the clients could choose packages that would not require them traveling to far locations or simply stated, the clients could insert the activity within their busy schedules.

THE CONCEPT

At the early stages, the three were thinking of the usual run-of-the-mill team building activity facility already existing in other venues. What the basic target was that segment of the market who could not afford the packages available at the time to the lower market segments as well as those as stated above who did not have the luxury of time to avail of these services.

For two years, they held on to this idea as they struggled to seek for a financial partner that would help them realize this endeavor. It was then at this time that Johnny Tana then proposed to address the issue of the “BIG ONE” or what The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) confirmed that ‘big one’ earthquake might now strike anytime due to irregular movements of west valley fault.

The idea sold instantly as the “BIG ONE” was well publicized by the media as well as the concept providing the niche needed for better market viability.

EXTREME was niched December of 2017 after 6 months of brainstorming, drawing up plans and designating team members into committees in charge of the development of the venue as well as a marketing plan.

THE STRUGGLE

At the onset, it was anticipated that the Center for Philippine Arts and Cultural Entertainment Association, Inc. will be the capital provider given that the Manila Film Center is leased by the said entity. Two years of budget plan cut meetings, uncertainties and expectations when the Center’s Chairman declined the capitalization.

The two-year setback however will not be a deterrent to this well-meaning project and thus the search for a co-visionary that will allow the group to realize EXTREME.  

WHY THE MANILA FILM CENTER?

The Manila Film Center has been home to the Amazing Show since October of 2001. The primary reason for the selection of the MFC is its very strategic location, the majestic size of the structure and availability of parking spaces for its clientele.

The reason we believe that the MFC is most viable for the EXTREME Project is primarily for the stated reasons above.

From the beginning, the group was already thinking of how to better maximize and make productive the spaces at the Manila Film Center. In 2013 the Amazing Show together with the Amazing Arts Group transferred shows to a newly-built show facility at the back of the MFC leaving the 1,200 seating capacity, almost 3,000 sqm main theater behind.

This dead space is currently in a state of disarray and disrepair. Returning it to its original condition will entail a lot of cost. However, given the premise that EXTREME will be a post-apocalyptic doomsday disaster preparedness and awareness center, it will be perfect for this project. This is considering that theme parks spends a lot of resources making dreadful what is pristine. A quick look at the main theater will instantly spell post-apocalyptic.  

The build will also be relatively simpler given that the facility design is based on the main theater of the MFC. In CPACEAI’s 17-year stay at the MFC, the people behind their builds are already familiar with the structure and has inspected all the nook and crannies of the building.

If we are to state that the target market are those in Metro Manila public and private schools, corporate accounts and organizations, the National Capital Region teems with this market segment.

In the years past, the “field trip” business has been plagued with numerous issues that prompted the Department of Education to issue moratoriums on such trips because of accidents on such trips. All of these accidents occur on trips outside of the National Capital Region. The location of the MFC will allow the targeting of educational institutions and business organizations within the immediate vicinity for us to do a soft opening and thus gain a reputation without the need for our immediate clientele to skip town.

In a nutshell, our immediate target would be the “staycation” market given that we will be soft-opening beyond the usual marketing timeframe of the “field trip” season.