With the restoration of the Metropolitan Theater (Met) in mind, the Manila City Council has started its hearings on a proposed city ordinance to impose a P5 increase per movie ticket in all cinemas in Manila for a period of one year.

The amount would go to the projected P300-million fund needed to rehabilitate the Met, which has been deemed by the National Historical Institute as a "national cultural treasure."

Authored by City Councilor Yul Servo, the city ordinance would direct all cinemas, theaters, and movie houses to charge an additional P5 to their tickets. The money would then be managed by the City Treasurer's Office (CTO).

"The CTO shall issue the necessary Official Receipt to the cinema operator concerned, and thereafter, deposit the same to a trust fund account, specifically opened for the Rehabilitation, Renovation, and Conservation Project of the Metropolitan Theater," the proposed city ordinance stated.

“No funds collected through this ordinance may be diverted, converted or appropriated to any other purpose except in line with the rehabilitation, renovation and conservation of the Metropolitan Theater," it also said.

Manila has a total of 40 cinema houses, including those from SM (SM Manila and SM San Lazaro), Robinsons (Ermita), Times Theater, Isetann Super Cinerama, Mayfair Theater, and Dilson Cinema among many others.