PICC Guide: Halls, How to Get There, Parking & What's On
The Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay is the country's first purpose-built convention centre, opened in 1976 and designed by National Artist Leandro Locsin. It sits inside the CCP Complex on reclaimed land along Manila Bay, and it is where the Philippines holds the events that need a formal room rather than an arena: international summits, industry conferences, graduations, awards nights, recitals, and the occasional concert or theatre run.
If your ticket says PICC, the first thing to establish is which hall — the complex has several, they are far apart, and turning up at the wrong one costs you fifteen minutes of walking.
See what is coming up: upcoming events at PICC →
Quick facts
| Address | CCP Complex, Vicente Sotto St, Pasay City |
| Opened | September 1976 |
| Architect | Leandro V. Locsin (National Artist for Architecture) |
| Main hall | Plenary Hall, ~4,000 seats |
| Other halls | Reception Hall, Summit Hall, Delegation Building meeting rooms |
| Website | picc.gov.ph |
The halls, and which one you want
- Plenary Hall — the big one, seating roughly 4,000. Summits, large conferences, awards shows, and concerts that want a seated, acoustically controlled room rather than an arena.
- Reception Hall — a large flat-floor function space used for banquets, galas, and exhibitions.
- Summit Hall — mid-size, common for conventions and trade events.
- Delegation Building — the warren of smaller meeting rooms used for breakout sessions and smaller conferences.
Your ticket or invitation will name the hall. Check it before you leave, because the complex is large and the entrances are separated.
How to get there
- By car — enter the CCP Complex from Roxas Boulevard or from the Macapagal Boulevard side. PICC is signposted within the complex. Traffic along Roxas Boulevard is heavy in the afternoon peak.
- By train — the nearest station is LRT-1 Vito Cruz, roughly 2km away, followed by a jeepney or short Grab ride. It is walkable in cool weather but the route is not pleasant on foot at midday.
- By bus or jeepney — routes along Roxas Boulevard drop you within walking distance of the CCP Complex.
- By Grab or taxi — pin PICC rather than the CCP Complex generally, and tell the driver which hall if you know it.
Parking
PICC has substantial on-site parking, and by Metro Manila standards it is one of the easier large venues to drive to. For a full Plenary Hall event the nearest lots still fill, but the complex has enough overflow that you are rarely turned away — you may simply be further from your door than you would like.
What it is like inside
The building is a genuine piece of Philippine modernist architecture and worth a few minutes of attention on the way in — the sculptural concrete forms and the vast lobby are Locsin at his most confident. The Plenary Hall itself is a proper auditorium: raked seating, good sightlines from almost everywhere, and acoustics built for the spoken word, which makes it excellent for talks and orchestral programmes and slightly polite for loud rock.
Dress tends to be smarter here than at an arena, particularly for galas and awards nights. Business or smart casual will never be wrong.
Tickets
There is no single ticketing outlet for PICC. Because it is a venue for hire, ticketing is set by whoever is running the event — TicketWorld, SM Tickets, an organiser's own portal, or delegate registration for conferences. Always follow the link in the official event announcement rather than searching for "PICC tickets", which is a common route to a resale site.
FAQ
Which PICC hall is my event in? Check your ticket or invitation. Plenary Hall is the large auditorium; Reception and Summit Halls are function spaces; the Delegation Building holds smaller meeting rooms.
How many people does the Plenary Hall seat? Around 4,000.
Is there a train station near PICC? LRT-1 Vito Cruz is the nearest, about 2km away, then a short ride.
Is parking available? Yes, on-site and generally adequate — one of the more car-friendly major venues in Metro Manila.
What is the dress code? Set by the event. Smart casual is a safe default; galas and awards nights lean formal.
Can I buy tickets at PICC itself? Only if the organiser has set up a box office there. Ticketing is per-event, not per-venue.
Is PICC the same as the CCP? No. They are neighbours in the same complex — the Cultural Center of the Philippines is a separate building with its own programme.
Last verified: August 2026. Halls, parking arrangements, and ticketing all vary by event — confirm with the organiser and picc.gov.ph.
More nearby: events in Pasay and the wider guide to Metro Manila's concert venues.
