The newly opened Batangas Province Events Centre (BPEC) has become the first live sporting venue in the Philippines to feature an L-Acoustics professional sound system installation.
Unveiled by Governor Dodo Mandanas in March 2025 as the province's "new crown jewel," the state-of-the-art facility represents a significant milestone in modernising spectator sports facilities across the Philippines.
Located within the Provincial Sports Complex in Batangas City, the 6,000-capacity BPEC multi-purpose indoor arena features retractable spectator seating, movable stage configurations, high-performance sports flooring, fully air-conditioned facilities, VIP lounges, and a central LED display system.
Designed to host basketball games, medium-sized live concerts, conferences, and community events, the BPEC required an audio system that could adapt seamlessly between sporting events and live entertainment programming.
L-Acoustics certified provider and distributor Meta-Tech Solutions and Systems Corporation was recommended to the venue's project architect and general contractor by a local partner.
To compete for the project, Meta-Tech system engineers utilises L-Acoustics Soundvision 3D-modelling software to create detailed acoustic predictions and visualisations. This advanced modelling capability allowed them to demonstrate precisely how the proposed system would deliver optimal coverage across all seating configurations and event types, providing venue management with clear, data-driven proof of the design's performance before installation.
Wayne Gutor, Meta-Tech’s vice president for engineering and technical services division, commented: "In multi-purpose venues like the BPEC, every system component must serve dual functions without compromising performance. A flexible and versatile system would deliver the vital sonic impact of both sporting event operations and entertainment programming success."
Meta-Tech proposed the L-Acoustics A Series as the optimal solution based on project budget requirements and venue size specifications. The final design was validated by L-Acoustics APAC application engineers before presentation to the project architect and general contractor.
The system design process needed to address unique challenges of the indoor arena environment. Tubular air conditioning ducts required speaker rigging points to be positioned higher to achieve optimal SPL and direct sound for spectator seats. Additionally, highly reflective surfaces throughout the space necessitated acoustic treatment installation on the arena's walls and ceiling before the sound system design could be finalised. Meta-Tech system engineers directed sound energy to audience areas rather than reflective surfaces, significantly improving intelligibility and impact.
The BPEC employs a dual-system configuration addressing both sporting events and live entertainment requirements. Four hangs of one KS21i subwoofers and two L-Acoustics A15i Focus and two A15i Wide down are flown at the four corners of the arena's centrally positioned LED scoreboard, providing consistent 360° coverage for basketball games and sporting events.
The venue's FOH system for concerts and live events utilises flown trusses that can be lowered during entertainment programming and raised to allow unobstructed viewing during sporting events. The FOH system consists of left/right hangs of three A15i Focus and one A15i Wide down per side, with a centre cluster hang of six KS21i subwoofers for low-end reinforcement.
The L-Acoustics system infrastructure utilises AES67 protocol with analogue redundancy, ensuring reliable performance during critical sporting events and live entertainment. The system integrates the facility's main PA for sporting events with the concert performance FOH systems, creating a unified audio environment throughout the complex.
Gutor said: "Soundvision proved invaluable in achieving even sound coverage throughout the entire area. The software helped us solve the venue's acoustic challenges by directing sound energy to audience areas rather than reflective surfaces, significantly improving intelligibility and impact."
Gutor concluded: "When you're creating the Philippines' first major sports venue with L-Acoustics technology, the technical excellence we delivered was essential in establishing new performance standards. The L-Acoustics A Series ensures that every announcement, every musical moment, and every crowd experience reaches audiences with the clarity and impact that widely anticipated Filipino sporting and entertainment events deserve."