Japanese smart lighting technology is being installed at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) to illuminate four major Filipino artworks, combining modern lighting controls with heritage preservation ahead of the country’s hosting of the 49th ASEAN Summit.
The Department of Tourism (DOT) has partnered with Japanese electronics manufacturer MinebeaMitsumi to introduce its Smart Adjustable Light for the Internet of Things (SALIOT) system, which allows technicians to remotely adjust lighting without physically accessing high-mounted fixtures or altering the building’s architectural features.
The installation will showcase Pagdiriwang by National Artist Jose Joya, The Grid by Arturo Luz, Dambana ng Pasko by Napoleon Abueva, and Balanghay by Toym Imao.
Each artwork will have a customized lighting setup designed to highlight its distinct features, from the layered colors and abstract textures of Joya’s mural to the geometric forms of Luz’s composition, the natural wood grain of Abueva’s molave sculpture, and Imao’s contemporary artistic expressions.
The project is part of the PICC’s preparations following a comprehensive restoration. Designed by National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin and inaugurated in 1976, the convention center is a landmark of Philippine modernist architecture, known for its imposing concrete forms and expansive interiors.
SALIOT allows remote adjustments to brightness, color temperature and beam angles. For Pagdiriwang, adjustable color temperatures are intended to bring out the mural’s layered colors and textures. Motorized beams can emphasize the geometry of The Grid, while warm, low-ultraviolet lighting is designed to highlight the natural grain of Abueva’s wood sculpture. The system will also provide focused illumination for Imao’s works displayed along the corridors.
Beyond presentation, the technology is expected to reduce the need for scaffolding and repeated manual adjustments to high-mounted fixtures, limiting maintenance risks to personnel and potential disturbance to the artworks.
“Seeing the PICC renovated to its full glory, paired with MinebeaMitsumi’s SALIOT system, bridges our rich architectural heritage with modern operational efficiency,” Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay said.
MinebeaMitsumi Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Yoshihisa Kainuma said the installation seeks to protect the PICC’s restored brutalist architecture while drawing attention to its artistic features.
Facilitated through the DOT’s Philippines-Japan tourism investment initiative, the partnership also supports efforts to strengthen the country’s meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) sector.
With the ASEAN Summit approaching, the PICC is being prepared not only as a venue for diplomatic meetings but also as a showcase of Filipino architecture and art, with Japanese technology providing a new way to present its cultural assets.
