Makati City's cost of living is significantly higher when compared to neighboring Filipino cities, owing primarily to its skyrocketing real estate value and relatively upscale commercial and residential selections. However, compared to other major cities of the world, Makati City offers service, accommodations, and value that are dirt-cheap. Furthermore, bargains comparable to other Philippine cities may be found in certain areas in Makati - Makati Cinema Square and Guadalupe Mall, for instance - that even for the most jaded backpacker will make a stay in Makati more than economical.
Originally founded in 1670 as a visita of Sta. Ana de Sapa under the jurisdiction of the Franciscans, Makati City was first dismissed as "worthless" swamp land by the Spanish conquistador Juan Miguel de Legazpi in 1571.
Yet over the centuries, this small community would leave large imprints in social, economic and cultural history. The friars established two of the earliest churches in the Philippines - the Nuestra Senora de Gracia in Guadalupe and the Church of Sts. Peter and Paul - in Makati, drawing pilgrims from all over the country.
At the turn of the century, the Americans established Fort McKinley in Makati, and in 1901, San Pedro de Makati, with a population of 2,500, was incorporated into the province of Rizal. On February 28, 1914, the Philippine Legislature passed Act 2390, shortening the name San Pedro Makati to Makati in the 1930s, the first airport, Nielson Airport, opened in what is now the Ayala Triangle. The first centrally planned community was established in the 1950s, and since the 1970s, Makati has been the undisputed financial and commercial capital, the once worthless swampland becoming prime real property.
Makati has also figured prominently in the political history of the Filipino. The community was one of the cradles of the revolt against Spanish colonial rule, and following the assassination of Ninoy Aquino in 1983, the epicenter of the protest movement against the dictatorial rule of Ferdinand Marcos. On January 2, 1995, the Makati became an independent city by virtue of Republic Act 7854.
For more information, see the [http://www.makati.gov.ph/portal/index.jsp Makati City Portal] History section.
The main language choice for communication in this affluent Philippine city is English, making the stays here of international travelers and businessmen a relatively enjoyable experience. A knowledge of Filipino, the local language, which is, in turn, a hodgepodge of various indigenous dialects, mostly from the Tagalog regions of the country, can benefit any traveler here.
Makati City has some of the strictest traffic rules in Metro Manila. Traffic marshalls actively enforce rules. This means that you can't tell your bus to let you on or off anywhere within its route except at designated stops. Moreover, the colour coding scheme is active all day unlike in other neighbouring cities when they are only enforced during rush hour.
This is a quick and inexpensive way to get into the city. The cost of an MRT ticket ranges from 11 to 14 pesos. love
Two of Metro Manila's main arteries pass through Makati. The Epifanio De los Santos Avenue (EDSA) pass along the southeast part of Makati and connects the city with Mandaluyong City and Pasay City. The South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) runs through the western part of Makati and connects the city with Manila to the north and with southern Metro Manila. The Skyway, an elevated highway built on top of SLEX, provides residents coming from southern Metro Manila a fast way to reach Makati. SLEX and EDSA intersect at the Magallanes Interchange, which is the most complex system of elevated roadways in Metro Manila.
Other major roads in Makati include Buendia Avenue, also called Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, which connects EDSA and SLEX in the north; Ayala Avenue, an important street that runs through the Central Business District; and Makati Avenue, which connects Ayala Avenue with Buendia Avenue, also extending north to cross the Pasig River to Mandaluyong City. At the center of Makati is the Ayala Triangle, a park built on the former Nielsen Air Base.
Buses plying the Epifanio De los Santos Avenue (EDSA) route from Baclaran in Paranaque to Quezon City and Caloocan City pass through the Central Business District daily. As mentioned above, you can't load or unload just anywhere, you have to wait or go to the designated stops. There are separate loading and unloading zone which you must observe.
One can easily walk around the business district by way of the sidewalks or the new pedestrian underpasses. Driving around the city is also possible. Some areas in the central business district are connected with overpasses where pedestrians can walk above the streets.
The Sta. Ana Racetrack, which actually part of the City of Manila, beside Pasig River in the northern part of the city, is one of the two centers of horseracing in the country. The other is in the San Lazaro Leisure Park in Carmona, Cavite. Along the south-eastern border of Makati beyond Forbes Park is the Manila Golf Club and the Manila Polo Club. The Manila Golf Club features an 18-hole golf course amidst the lush greenery of the city. The Manila Polo Club counts among its polo enthusiasts some of the country's wealthiest people. The Makati Sports Club in Salcedo Village is another popular place for sports people. The Makati Coliseum is another famous sports landmark in the city, where some of the biggest sports gatherings are held.
The Ayala Center also features aside from its shopping malls the Ayala Museum. This museum is most noted for its series of dioramas depicting major events in Philippine history, from the Battle of Mactan, to the EDSA Revolution.
Makati has many Spanish-era churches, such as the Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Nuestra Senora de Gracia (Our Lady of Grace) in the old town. At the Greenbelt Park stands the modern-style domed chapel of the Sto. Nino de la Paz. Between Forbes Park and Dasmarinas Village is the Santuario de San Antonio, a popular church for weddings in the Makati area. The National Shrine of the Sacred Heart is located in San Antonio Village. At the northern part of the city is the 25-hectare Manila South Cemetery. Every All Saints Day, thousands of people flock to the cemetery to pay their respects to their deceased loved ones.
Makati City is home to the [http://www.aim.edu.ph/index.asp Asian Institute of Management (AIM)]. AIM, located along Paseo de Roxas across Greenbelt began as a collaborative project of the Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University-Manila. The Ateneo Professional Schools, a unit of the Ateneo de Manila University has facilities in Rockwell Center and Salcedo Village. The Rockwell campus houses the Ateneo School of Law the Ateneo Graduate School of Business, and the Ateneo School of Government. The Salcedo campus houses the Ateneo Information Technology Institute. De La Salle University's Professional Schools also operates in RCBC Tower along Ayala Avenue.
Other notable colleges and Universities in Makati are the Centro Escolar University which has two main campuses ( Gil Puyat & Salcedo Village ), Asian Seminary of Christian Ministries (ASCM) [1], Assumption College, Colegio San Agustin, Asia Pacific College, the University of Makati. Assumption College, in San Lorenzo Village, is an all-female college. The University of Makati (officially, Pamantasan ng Makati) is a university run by the city government. Also in the city are the Makati Science High School and Benigno Ninoy Aquino High School, both city-run high schools. Makati is also home to RTRMS-Medical Center, a nursing school.
The Central Business District (CBD) is where most of Makati's financial resources is concentrated. This is an informal district bounded by Gil Puyat Avenue (formerly Buendia), Makati Avenue, Ayala Avenue, Arnaiz Road (formerly Pasay Road), and Chino Roces (formerly Pasong Tamo). It mainly encompasses Legaspi Village, Salcedo Village, and parts of Bel-Air. Much of the area is owned by Ayala Land, Inc and administered through Makati Development Corporation, its subsidiary.
Many skyscrapers rise in this area. PBCom Tower along Ayala Avenue is the country's tallest building and reaches up 265 meters. It is the headquarters of the Philippine Bank of Communications, or PBCom.
One of the trading floors of the Philippine Stock Exchange is housed in Ayala Tower One and at the old Makati Stock Exchange Building, both also along Ayala Avenue. The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), the country's oldest bank, has its headquarters at the corner of Ayala Avenue and Paseo de Roxas.
Other companies that have their offices and country/regional headquarters within Makati City, most within the CBD, include IBM, Procter & Gamble, Citibank, Ayala Corporation, Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), Metrobank, Intel Philippines, Nestle, Syngenta, Shell, Convergys Corporation, PeopleSupport, Pan Pacific Computer Center, Inc. (PPCC) and JG Summit.
Ayala Center, along EDSA and Ayala Avenue is the most known commercial center in the city. Developed by the Ayala Corporation, it contains two shopping malls, Glorietta and Greenbelt, five hotels, and an office building. The larger of the two shopping malls is Glorietta, which itself is a cluster of malls. Rising from Glorietta 4 is the Ascott Makati (formerly Oakwood), a luxurious hotel-apartment residence at the heart of the center. Along the periphery of Glorietta are three department stores: SM Department Store Makati, Rustan's, and the Landmark. Across Makati Avenue from Glorietta is Greenbelt. This is one of the most sophisticated, modern, and expensive malls in the country. Greenbelt features dozens of coffee stores and restaurants, all overlooking a well-landscaped green park at the center where a domed Catholic chapel dominates the skyline. Other hotels in the vicinity of Ayala Center are the Makati Shangri-la Hotel, the Manila Peninsula, the Dusit Hotel Nikk?, Manila Garden, the Hotel Intercontinental Manila, and the New World Renaissance Hotel, the Carabao Hotel
Rockwell Center is the other first-class shopping center in Makati. Rockwell features the large Power Plant Mall popular with expatriates. At the periphery of the center are many high-class residential condominium towers, the Asian Eye Institute, and the Ateneo Professional Schools main campus, which houses the Ateneo School of Law, the Ateneo Graduate School of Business, and the Ateneo School of Government.
Other shopping centers. The Cash and Carry Supermarket in the west along South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) features many products at low prices. Makati Cinema Square, along Pasong Tamo Road, used to be a popular shopping mall with the residents, but is now mainly a centre for pirated DVDs and CDs. Adjacent to the Makati Cinema Square is the big and modern Waltermart Mall. The Guadalupe Commercial Center, along EDSA and Pasig River is a middle-class shopping center frequented by residents from the poorer areas of Makati. PureGold is another independent Supermarket located at the end of J.P. Rizal Street, Barangay Singkamas. Shopwise, another popular Supermarket Chain in the Philippines, is situated at Pasong Tamo corner Vito Cruz.
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