Behind the Scenes: Finalizing Details at the PICC

Things are getting interesting as we gear up for WordCamp Asia 2025. The Organizer team was spotted earlier this week in Manila at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) busy planning various aspects of the event.

The team spent time to iron out venue details, finalize logistics, and speak to production companies.

But, why PICC you may ask?

This isn’t just any venue — it’s an architectural masterpiece designed by Filipino National Architect, Leandro V. Locsin. PICC is an icon of brutalist architecture, a striking blend of concrete, glass, and geometric shapes!

Image credit: @marvinortego

PICC opened its doors in 1976, and hosted the International Monetary Fund (IMF) – World Bank (WB) Joint Board of Directors meeting in the same year. The setting for over 15,000 events since, right from the Miss Universe pageants to APAC and ASEAN summits, concerts, and even academic commencements, its historic halls have seen it all. 

We had to choose the most premier event space in the Philippines as the venue to host the most premier open source web summit of Asia!

The reception hall is welcoming and huge, while the various session rooms throughout PICC will be buzzing with workshops, session talks, sponsor booths, community center, and even a dedicated KidsCamp area.

The sprawling campus of PICC allows enough space for all of us to engage, and have meaningful deep dive conversations around WordPress and the community at large.

Apart from hosting major events, the complex is also home to iconic artworks by celebrated National Artists. We were in constant awe while we toured the venue filled with stunning murals, sculptures, and tapestries. 

There are 161 heritage objects and spaces declared as National Cultural Treasures in the Philippines! PICC was declared one of them on September 27, 2022 but that’s not all, four original artworks, permanently installed on-site, also hold the National Cultural Treasure designation.

One of these is the gargantuan Pagdiriwang painting by national artist Jose T. Joya, which had to be painted on-site. Our sneak peek photos really can’t justify how great these masterpieces are. You have to see it for yourself!

We can’t wait for you to experience this unique space and feel the energy as thousands of WordPress enthusiasts gather here next year at WordCamp Asia 2025. Why not add treasure hunting to your list and search for the other three on-site masterpieces within PICC? 

The local WordCamp community is massive and growing rapidly in the Philippines. Local meetups alone, like WordCamp Cebu in August 2024, are expected to have over 350+ attendees. We’re thrilled to have support from government agencies and other open-source communities across the country.

We wrapped up the visit at a coworking space, where we concluded our decisions, while sipping on the locally-brewed Barako coffee.

This venue visit marks a pivotal moment in our WordCamp Asia 2025 preparations. We can’t wait to see what you all think of the venue when we meet next year!