Caloocan (Filipino: Kalookan) is the fourth most populous
city in the Philippines. It is divided into two geographical
locations with a total combined area of 5,333.40 hectares. It
was formerly part of the Province of Rizal of the
Philippines' Southern Luzon Region. According to the 2015
census, it had a population of 1,583,978. The city's name is
colloquially spelled as Kalookan. It comprises what is known
as the CAMANAVA area along with
cities Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela.
The word caloocan comes from the Tagalog root word lo-
ok; kalook-lookan (or kaloob-looban) means "innermost
area". South Caloocan is bordered by Manila, Quezon
City, Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela. North Caloocan
shares its border with Quezon City, Valenzuela
and Marilao, Meycauayan and San Jose del Monte in the
province of Bulacan.
Caloocan once encompassed a much bigger area without
being bisected into north and south. The districts
of Balintawak, La Loma and Novaliches were once part of
Caloocan. Balintawak is a historic district because it was the
original site of the "Cry of Pugad Lawin" (Unang Sigaw sa
Balintawak) at a location called "Kang-kong" near Tandang
Sora's house. Novaliches was an expansive sector with some
hillsides that served as meeting places and hideouts
for Andrés Bonifacio and the Katipunan.
By the 1920s, the consolidation of several municipalities,
Caloocan had annexed the neighbouring town of Novaliches,
as stated in the Act 942, as amended by Acts 984 and 1008 of
the Philippine Commission, bringing its total area to about
15,000 hectares extended to the foothills of Marikina, San
Mateo and Montalban in the east; Tinajeros, Tanza and Tala
rivers in the North; San Francisco del Monte, Sampalok, Sta.
Cruz and Tondo in the south; and Dagat-Dagatan or
Aromahan in the west.
When Quezon City was created in 1939, 1,500 hectares of
land from Caloocan, the following barrios or sitios:
Balintawak, Balingasa, Kaingin, Kangkong, La Loma, Malamig,
Matalahib, Masambong, Galas, San Isidro, San Jose, Santol
and Tatalon, was to be given to the new capital city. Instead
of opposing it, Caloocan residents willingly gave land to
Quezon City in the belief it will benefit the country's new
capital.
However, in 1949, Congress passed Republic Act No. 333,
which redefined the Caloocan-Quezon City boundary. The
barrios of Baesa, Talipapâ, San Bartolomé, Pasong Tamó,
Novaliches, Banlat, Kabuyao, Pugad Lawin, Bagbag, Pasong
Putik, which once belonged to Novaliches and had an area of
about 8,100 hectares, were excised from Caloocan. The
remaining portion of the Novaliches is now what we call
North Caloocan. This caused the division of Caloocan into two
parts, the southern section being the urbanised portion, while
the northern section becoming suburban-rural.
Caloocan is divided into two non-contiguous areas. Southern
Caloocan lies directly north of the Manila and is bounded
by Malabon and Valenzuela to the north and west, Navotas to
the west, and Quezon City to the east. Northern Caloocan is
the northernmost territory of Metro Manila which most
residents call Novaliches, Caloocan; it lies east of Valenzuela,
north of Quezon City, and south of San Jose del
Monte, Meycauayan and Marilao in the province of Bulacan.
Caloocan's northern part is much larger than its southern
half.
As of 2015, the city has a population of 1,583,978 people,
which makes it the fourth largest city in the Philippines in
population. Under the same census year, Caloocan South
(Barangays 1 to 164) has a population of 585,091 and
Caloocan North (Barangays 165 to 188) has a population of
998,887.
The population density of Caloocan (28,387 persons per
square kilometer) surpasses that of the NCR population
density.
Of the country’s 238 legislative districts (LDs), the First LD of
Caloocan was the biggest in terms of population size, with
1.19 million persons.
Most residents speak both Filipino and English, with
considerable numbers speaking other languages and dialects.
Like many other places in the country, Roman Catholicism is
the predominant religion. There is a significant presence
of Iglesia ni Cristo and other Protestant churches like Church
of God Caloocan located at Baesa, Caloocan City.
Caloocan's 10th Avenue area is well known for the clusters of
motorcycle dealers and motorcycle spare parts dealers.
Among the major and famous streets are P. Zamora Street
and A. Mabini Street.
Numerous banks have branches in the city such as Banco de
Oro, East West Bank, MetroBank, Maybank, Chinabank, Bank
of the Philippine Islands, Our Lady of Grace Credit
Cooperative, etc.
The city also has a number of shopping malls and stand-alone
supermarkets and hypermarkets including the former Ever
Gotesco Grand Central (and future SM City Grand Central),
Puregold Maypajo,Monumento and Caloocan, Victory Central
Mall, Puregold Monumento, Araneta Square, Uniwide
Warehouse Club Monumento, SM Hypermarket Monumento,
and SM Center Sangandaan which are in Monumento area in
the south. Savemore Market Kiko Camarin and iMall Camarin
in Barangay 178 (Kiko Camarin), Zabarte Town Center,
Savemore Market Zabarte, and Puregold Zabarte, are
shopping malls in Barangay 175 Camarin area at the
north. Puregold Deparo, which is opened last November
2015, and Ultra Mega Supermarket Deparo are stand-alone
supermarkets at Barangay 168 Deparo which serves the
residents of Deparo and the nearby barangays of Bagumbong
and Llano.
Manila North Tollways Corporation (the concession holder of
the North Luzon Expressway), is headquartered in Caloocan.
The LRT-1 has a terminal at Monumento that passes through
the city's 5th Avenue LRT Station. The railway traverses Rizal
Avenue Extension and enters the City of Manila and Pasay
City. The stretch can be traveled in about 30
minutes. Philippine National Railways also has a line, with its
terminal at Samson Road, and passes through Caloocan
railway station, Asistio Avenue railway station, and C-3
railway station.
The city has an extensive network of roads, the most
prominent being Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, which begins
in the Monumento area. The North Luzon Expressway's
Operations and Maintenance Center and the motorway's
Balintawak Toll Barrier are in Caloocan.
Bus line Victory Liner Incorporated has its headquarters and
terminal along in Rizal Avenue Extension near
the Monumento Station.
The city's most celebrated landmark is the monument to
the revolutionary Andrés Bonifacio, which stands on a
roundabout at the northern terminus of EDSA. The memorial
was erected in 1933, and consists of an obelisk with
sculptures by National Artist Guillermo Tolentino. The
monument marks the very first battle of the Philippine
Revolution on 3 August 1896.
Recent renovations have been made on the environs of the
monument, including the Bonifacio Circle, its former site, and
the Caloocan stretch of EDSA, which is 100 metres away from
the landmark. The whole area is known as 'Monumento'.
City hall stands along A. Mabini Avenue in the southern part
of the city, across the street from San Roque Parish Cathedral.
The old city hall stands today at A. Mabini Street, 10th
Avenue. There is a city hall in the northern part of the city.
The city's District Office of the Bureau of Internal Revenue is
along EDSA.
Las Piñas, officially the City of Las Piñas (Tagalog: Lungsod ng
Las Piñas), is a city in the National Capital Region of
the Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a
population of 588,894.
Las Pinas was established as a small fishing port and became
a major sea salt-producing municipality, through the use
of salt evaporation ponds, dating back to the Spanish Era, the
city has grown into an important residential, commercial and
industrial suburb of Metro Manila.
The Sarao Motors factory, also located in Las Piñas, is the
place where jeepneys are assembled piece by piece in
painstaking individual production. The factory remains open
to buyers and curious tourists all year round.
Las Piñas also houses SM Southmall, which has an area of
205,120 square meters and is located along Alabang–Zapote
Road. The newest shopping mall development in the city
is Robinsons Place Las Piñas. The first high-rise building in the
city is the 16-storey residential Almanza Metropolis while
more high-rise buildings will rise in the city soon including
South Residences at SM Southmall a 4 tower 15 storey
condominium.
Aside from being famous in music due to the historical
significance of the Bamboo Organ and the yearly
International Bamboo Organ Festival at St. Joseph Parish, Las
Piñas is also known as the home for London College of Music
Examinations of the University of West London through the
Saraza Music Center which was appointed in 2013 as the first
and only public examination centre in the Philippines
for London College of Music. The Saraza Music Centre is an
International music centre Located in BF Resort Las Piñas with
International sister (co-owned) school in Gading
Serpong Indonesia.
Las Pinas is bounded to the northeast by Parañaque; to the
southeast by Muntinlupa; to the west and southwest
by Bacoor; and to the northwest by Manila Bay. Half of its
land area is residential and the remaining half is used for
commercial, industrial and institutional purposes. The present
physiography of Las Piñas consists of three zones: Manila Bay,
coastal margin and the Guadalupe Plateau.
Las Piñas was one of the earliest fishing settlements on the
shores of Manila Bay. It was proclaimed as a province
of Manila province either in 1762 or 1797. Agustin, a Spanish
historian, and Fr. Juan de Medina placed it at 1762. Las Piñas
was formerly called "Las Pilas" due to its separation from
Parañaque due to tribal conflicts. On the other hand, Manuel
Buzeta recorded the date at 1797. Felix Timbang was the
first gobernadorcillo in 1762 while Mariano Ortiz was the first
municipal president of the town of Las Piñas.
Besides being famous for its Bamboo Organ, which was built
by Fr. Diego Cera and completed in 1824, the town of Las
Piñas was also a major war theater during the 1896 Philippine
Revolution, as it was occupied by forces of Gen. Emilio
Aguinaldo. Las Piñas was occupied by
the Japanese during World War II and liberated by the
combined American and Filipino forces.
In 1901, the municipality of Las Piñas was separated
from Manila and incorporated to the newly created province
of Rizal pursuant to the Philippine Commission Act No. 137.
Two years later, in accordance with Act No. 942, it was
combined with the town of Parañaque, with the latter as the
seat of a new municipal government.
It was separated from Parañaque to become an independent
municipality again on 27 March 1907 by virtue of Philippine
Commission Act No. 1625. On 7 November 1975, through
Presidential Decree No. 824, Las Piñas was excised from the
province of Rizal to form Metro Manila. Las Piñas became one
of the municipalities making up the region.
On 12 February 1997, President Fidel V. Ramos signed the bill
which elevated Las Piñas from municipality into a city. A
plebiscite held a month after approved the city status by its
residents, and Las Piñas became the 10th city of Metro
Manila on 26 March 1997. The current mayor of Las Piñas is
Imelda Aguilar, wife of previous city's mayor, Vergel "Nene"
Aguilar.
Las Piñas, like other cities of the Philippines, is a local
government unit whose powers and functions are specified
by the Local Government Code of the Philippines. In general,
as a city, Las Piñas is headed by a mayor who heads the city's
executive function and the vice mayor who heads the city's
legislative function, which is composed of twelve councilors,
six each from the city's two city council districts. For
representation, the city is considered as one district, and
therefore one representative, in the country's House of
Representatives.
Additionally, like other cities and municipalities, Las Piñas is
subdivided into barangays.
Railway
Las Piñas is part of the route of the extension of the LRT Line
1, the South Extension Project. The construction will start in
October 2018 once the Right-of-way issues are substantially
addressed. Once Phase 2 of the project is completed, Las
Piñas will be served by the LRT Line 1 through the Las
Piñas and Zapote stations.
Road network
The road network of Las Piñas are radial in nature, and
primarily relies on the Alabang–Zapote Road (N411), which
serves as the city's road network backbone. The Manila-
Cavite Expressway (formerly Coastal Road, and numbered
E3), a toll expressway serves as the major traffic route
towards Manila. Daang Hari, which hugs near the boundary
with Muntinlupa, and the Aguinaldo Highway (N62) are the
major traffic routes toward Cavite. The Muntinlupa-Cavite
Expressway (MCX), that leads to South Luzon Expressway,
supplements Daang Hari as an alternate to the congested
Alabang-Zapote Road over Alabang and Ayala Alabang in
Muntinlupa.
The road network in Las Piñas suffers from traffic jams,
especially on the primary artery, Alabang-Zapote Road, which
carried more than 70,000 vehicles daily as of 2016. Public
transport, like buses and jeepneys, fill up Alabang-Zapote
Road, therefore causing further congestion. The city
government petitioned the Land Transportation Franchising
and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to suspend issuing of franchises
on bus and jeepneys routes that uses Alabang-Zapote Road.
The Las Piñas Friendship Route network serves as the
alternate routes on the congested routes, but motorists have
to obtain a sticker to use them, as most roads of the network
are located in privately owned subdivisions (gated
communities), like BF Homes, Pilar Village, and BF Resort.
Public transport
Jeepneys and buses form the major public transport system,
and most of their routes follow the Alabang-Zapote Road.
Most jeepneys through Las Piñas travel between Alabang and
Zapote, within the city, or Baclaran, in Parañaque. Buses
usually form routes between Alabang or SM Southmall and
destinations in Manila. Buses and jeepneys are blamed for
the worsening congestion on Alabang-Zapote Road.
On 22 February 1995, then President Fidel V. Ramos signed
Republic Act 8003 into a law – declaring Las Piñas
Church and Bamboo Organ, Las Piñas Bridge, Asinan Area,
Father Diego Cera Bridge, and Old District Hospital as tourist
spots of Las Piñas.
Las Piñas is famous for its Bamboo Organ located inside
the St. Joseph Parish Church in the old district of the city.
Built in 1824 by a Catholic priest, Fr. Diego Cera, it is the only
organ of its kind in the world with organ pipes mostly made
out of bamboo. This famous organ is praised for its unique,
rare, and melodious sound.
The Las Piñas Historical Corridor Project was a program laid to
restore the Old Town of Las Piñas. It was launched at the
Malacañan Heroes' Hall on 13 November 1997. The project
aims to educate the people of Las Piñas along the tourist
corridor. 19 structures were included along the historical
corridor:
Boundary Arc
Bulwagang Ezekiel Moreno
Santuario de San Ezekiel Moreno
Police and Fire Station
Public Library
Plaza Quezon – designated as the Freedom Park in the City of
Las Piñas by City Ordinance No. 700-06, Series of 2006. This
was in accordance with Section 15 of Batas Pambansa Blg.
880, otherwise known as the "Public Assembly Act of 1985".
Central Elementary School
E. Aldana Police Station
Fr. Diego Cera Bridge
Historical and Cultural Museum
Las Piñas Fish Port
Irasan Center
Las Piñas Manpower Youth Council – TESDA Building
Zapote Police Station
Las Piñas General Hospital and Satellite Trauma Center
Zapote Bridge
Brgy. Hall of Zapote
Centennial Flyover
Molino Dam
Makati (/məˈkɑːti/ mə-KAH-tee Tagalog
pronunciation: [maˈkati]), officially the City of
Makati (Filipino: Lungsod ng Makati, Siyudad ng Makati), in
the Philippines, is one of the sixteen cities that make
up Metro Manila.
Makati is the financial center of the Philippines; it has the
highest concentration of multinational and local corporations
in the country. Major banks, corporations, department stores
as well as foreign embassies are based in Makati. The biggest
trading floor of the Philippine Stock Exchange is situated
along the city's Ayala Avenue. Makati is also known for being
a major cultural and entertainment hub in Metro Manila.
With a population of 582,602, Makati is the 17th-largest city
in the country and ranked as the 41st most densely populated
city in the world with 19,336 inhabitants per square
kilometer. Although its population is just half a million, the
daytime population of the city is estimated to be more than
one million during a typical working day because of the large
number of people who go to the city to work, shop, and do
business. Traffic is expected mostly during rush hour and
holiday seasons.
Parts of the city were once subject to the pre-
Hispanic Kingdom of Namayan, whose capital is now in
the Santa Ana district of Manila.
Captain Pedro de Brito, a retired aide to the Spanish army
chief of staff, is the founder and patron of the House of San
Pedro. De Brito made a modest fortune in the Manila
galleon trade in the 16th century. He was also a regidor of
Manila, whose post was adjudged to him at public auction for
one thousand four hundred pesos of common gold, with the
third part of what was promised from the increase. He took
possession of his post on 24 June 1589.
In 1589, he acquired at a public auction a sprawling
marshland measuring 4940 hectares, a part of which would
become the 20th-century Makati. After his acquisition of the
land, Capitan de Brito immediately took steps to "discharge
the royal conscience", to fulfill, for the King of Spain, his duty
to spread the Christian gospel. But he also ran into a brick
wall, so to speak; the natives could not be persuaded to move
inland.
The Spaniards then assigned the area to the town of Santa
Ana de Sapa and in the 1600s began to be developed as a
pilgrimage center around the churches of Our Lady of
Guadalupe (now Our Lady of Grace, opened 1625) and of
Saints Peter and Paul (opened 1620) in what is today
the población, built by missionary friars to attract
worshippers, and also as a farming community. It became an
independent municipality in 1670, and was christened San
Pedro de Macati in honour of the town's patron, Saint Peter.
The town was also famous for its pottery industry since the
18th century, with skilled potters trained by Jesuit priests. Its
strategic location also made it a pitstop for pilgrims, travelling
by foot or boat, towards the shrine of Our Lady of Peace and
Good Voyage in Antipolo. Beginning in the early 19th century,
the church has been directly administered by diocesean
secular clergy.
In 1718 the Jesuits brough the Image of Nuestra Señora
Virgen de la Rosa from Acapulco Mexico to the small town, it
was later enthroned at the San Pedro Macati Church where it
resides to this very day, and will mark its 300th year
anniversary in June 2018. Until the Filipino American War, the
image had an ivory head and hands and a reliquary on her
breast which contained a strand of a hair of the Blessed Virgin
Mary, both of them stolen and were never recovered at the
same time while the church served as a hospital, and are
today replaced by an oval cavity and a wooden head and
hands. The city's feast days on June 29, the feast of Apostles
Peter and Paul, and June 30, the feast of Our Lady of the Rose
are marked with the "Panatang Sayaw", as the Bailes de los
Arcos (Dance of the Arches) are called, are an old tradition
going back at least to the beginnings of the 19th century as a
dance to thank the city patrons for blessings received by its
people
and by a number of events organized by city and religious
leaders.
In 1851, Don José Bonifacio Róxas (an ancestor of the Zóbel
de Ayala family) purchased the Jesuit estate of "Hacienda San
Pedro de Macati" for 52,800 pesos.
Since then, the development of Makati has remained linked
with the Zóbel de Ayala family and their company, Ayala
Corporation.
The town was a cradle of Filipino passive resistance against
Spanish colonial rule in the 1890s and the
subsequent Philippine Revolution, with the participation of
the local Katipunan council based in the area with Pio del
Pilar, a local resident from the village of Culi-Culi, as its
president.[citation needed] Culi-Culi is now a barangay
named in honour of Del Pilar.
Makati is located within the circle of 14′40″ °north and 121′3″
°E right at the center of Metro Manila. The city is bounded on
the north by the Pasig River, facing Mandaluyong, on the
northeast by Pasig, on the southeast by the municipality
of Pateros and Taguig, on the northwest by the city of Manila,
and on the southwest by Pasay. Makati has a total land area
of 27.36 square kilometres (10.56 sq mi).
Climate[edit]
Under the Köppen climate classification system, the city
features a tropical monsoon climate. Together with the rest
of the Philippines, Makati lies entirely within the tropics. Its
proximity to the equator means that the temperature range is
very small, rarely going lower than 20 °C (68 °F) or going
higher than 38 °C (100 °F). However, humidity levels are
usually very high which makes it feel much warmer. It has a
distinct, albeit relatively short dry season from January
through May, and a relatively lengthy wet season from June
through December
Makati has a population of 582,602 as of the 2015 census.
Makati ranks ninth in population size within Metro
Manila municipalities. 88.9% of Makati residents identified
their religious affiliation as Roman Catholic.[citation
needed] Other groups having large number of members in
the city are The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, Ang Dating Daan, Iglesia ni
Cristo, Protestantism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Judais
m.
Based on the city’s Transport and Traffic Improvement Plan
2004-2014, the city’s daytime population is estimated to be
3.7 million during weekdays, owing to the large number of
people who come to work, do business, or shop.
The daily influx of people into the city provides the
skilled labor force that allows Makati to handle the service
requirements of domestic as well as international
transactions; it also serves as the base of a large consumer
market that fuels the retail and service trade in the city.
At the same time, however, the large tidal population flows
exert pressure on Makati's environment, services, and
utilities, most noticeably causing large traffic volumes along
the major road corridors leading to the city as well as within
and at the periphery of the central business district.
The city of Makati remains the richest local government unit
(LGU) in the Philippines in terms of income from local sources
and on a per capita basis.
As of end-2012, Makati had registered over 62,000 business
enterprises, which are engaged in financial services,
wholesale/retail, services, real estate, export/import, and
manufacturing. Makati also boasts of having the highest
number of BPO offices in Metro Manila at 1,159 companies to
date, as well as the highest number of PEZA-accredited IT
Parks and Buildings. The city government of Makati has not
increased its tax rates since its new Revenue Code took effect
in 2006. The city has been free of deficit for 26 years.
The city is known for its developed business district called
the Makati Central Business District (CBD). It is bound
by EDSA, Gil Puyat Avenue, Arnaiz Avenue and Chino Roces
Avenue. It mainly encompasses Legazpi Village, Salcedo
Village, the Ayala Center, and parts of Bel-Air Village.
The Ayala Triangle is a sub-district of the Makati CBD,
comprising the parcel of land between Ayala Avenue, Makati
Avenue and Paseo de Roxas, as well as the buildings on those
streets. Many multinational companies, banks and other
major businesses are located within the triangle. A few
upscale boutiques, restaurants and a park called Ayala
Triangle Gardens are also located in the area. Ayala Avenue
and Paseo de Roxas also have the distinction of being the
runways of the former Nielson Field, Metro Manila's main
airport in the 1930s.
The biggest trading floor of the Philippine Stock Exchange is
housed in Ayala Tower One and at the old Makati Stock
Exchange Building, both along Ayala Avenue.
The Makati Business Club is composed of over 800 chief
executive officers and senior executives, representing almost
450 of the largest and most dynamic corporations in the
Philippines.[citation needed]
Most of the tallest skyscrapers in Metro Manila and the
Philippines are located in Makati such as the PBCom
Tower, Gramercy Residences in Century City and G.T.
International Tower.
PBCom Tower along Ayala Avenue is the country's tallest
office building, reaching up 259 meters. It is the headquarters
of the Philippine Bank of Communications, or PBCom.
The PBCom Tower is an office skyscraper ranked officially as
the tallest building in the Philippines since 2001. It has a total
ground-to-architectural-top height of 259 meters (850 ft),
with 52 stories including an 8-level radio tower.
Makati is one of the most well-known shopping hubs
of Metro Manila. Various shopping centers, offering both
international and local retail shops, high-end boutiques,
dining outlets and entertainment facilities can be found
around the city.
The Ayala Center is a major commercial development
operated by Ayala Land located in the Makati CBD. The center
is known for its wide array of shopping, entertainment and
cultural offerings, making it a premier shopping and cultural
district in the metropolis. It is a vast walkable complex with
high-end malls that houses cinemas, local and international
shops, homegrown restaurants and international food chains.
The shopping malls that are located at the Ayala
Center include Greenbelt, Glorietta, Park Square, and The
Link. The Ayala Center is also home to 3 department stores
namely, SM Makati, Rustan's, and The Landmark.
Aside from the Ayala Center, the Rockwell Center is also a
popular shopping district in Makati. It is home to the Power
Plant Mall. The Salcedo Saturday Market and Legazpi Sunday
Market are popular open-air community markets. These
markets offers organic products, specialty foods, fruits,
vegetables, fish, gourmet items and antiques. There is also
the Century City Mall,located within Century City, located
near Rockwell Center, and behind the Makati Central
Business District, it is a Modern, High End Mall, and also
dubbed "The Mall of Modern Makati".
The University of Makati, a public, non-profit university, is the
city's flagship university. Other institutions of higher
education include the Asian Institute of Management (AIM),
the Ateneo Professional Schools, Australian Catholic
University - Manila Program, the Mapúa Institute of
Technology, Lyceum of the Philippines University-
Makati, Centro Escolar University Makati, Far Eastern
University-Makati, iAcademy, The One School, Asian Seminary
of Christian Ministries (ASCM), Don Bosco Technical Institute,
Makati, Assumption College San Lorenzo, Colegio San
Agustin, Saint Paul College of Makati, Our Lady of Guadalupe
Minor Seminary, Asia Pacific College, Colegio de Santa Rosa
Makati, AMA Colleges Makati, Inc,Palanan Elementary School.
among others.
J. P. Rizal Street[edit]
Formerly known as Tejeron and constituting part of the Santa
Ana-Población road, it is the first Makati road which appears
on Spanish-colonial-era maps.
Magallanes Interchange[edit]
The Magallanes Interchange, which was conceived in 1969
and opened in 1975, was one of the first structures of its kind
in the country.
Museo ng Makati[edit]
Museo ng Makati
Located along J.P. Rizal St., the Museo ng Makati is housed in
an old building, which was built in 1918 and has been used as
Makati's town hall from 1918 to 1961. The museum keeps the
records of Makati's history through a collection of rare
photographs, murals, and dioramas. It also contains artifacts,
such as the fossils of pre-historic animals and earthenware.
The museum's architecture is a classic "Bahay na Bato", made
of masonry at the ground floor and wood at the upper level.
In 1934, during the reign of Mayor Nicanor Garcia, the
structure was rebuilt using concrete materials. In 1958, while
it was still used as a town hall, then Mayor Maximo Estrella
had it renovated. In 1961, when the offices of the local
government of Makati moved its office a few miles from this
building, the old town hall was used as the Municipal Library.
When the library was transferred to the new city hall
compound, the old town hall was used as the Philippine Eye
and Ear Infirmary. During the term of Mayor Jejomar Binay,
the structure was converted into a museum through City
Ordinance No. 186, enacted in March 1990.
Nuestra Señora de Gracia Church
The Nuestra Señora de Gracia Church.
The Nuestra Señora de Gracia Church is a baroque Roman
Catholic church which was established in 1601 by Augustinian
fathers Its original architecture is a blend of the late Spanish
Renaissance and early Baroque design. The touch of the
Renaissance period is found in the main entrance with rose
window and simple Doric columns. The interiors and the
window details, meanwhile, have influences of Baroque
architecture. The floor plan, on the other hand, is
Romanesque. During the Seven Years' War, this church was
raided by the British, an event which marks the first time that
Makati was affected by a global conflict. The church was
damaged due to an earthquake in 1880 and in 1898 during
the early skirmishes between American and Filipino troops.
The Nuestra Señora de Gracia Church is one of the most
popular wedding venues in Metro Manila.
Saints Peter and Paul Church
Tucked in D.M. Rivera St. and surrounded by skyscrapers and
residential areas, Sts. Peter and Paul Church is the oldest
church in Makati, which was opened to the faithful in 1620. It
was built by Jesuit priest Rev. Pedro de los Montes at a site
named Buenavista through the generous donation of Capt.
Pedro de Britto in 1607.
The church's architectural design is a rectangular nave with
apse and sacristy, which is a usual design for colonial mission
churches. The façade is composed of three-tiered papal and
keys, symbols of the Papacy, which was first occupied by St.
Peter, one of the patron saints of the parish.
Gabriela Silang monument
This monument is dedicated to
the Ilocano revolutionary Gabriela Silang. It is located at the
corner of the Ayala and Makati avenues.
Hotel InterContinental Manila
Opened in 1969 and located along Ayala Avenue at the
eastern quadrant of the Makati Commercial Center
(now Ayala Center), the Hotel Inter-Continental Manila was
the first luxury hotel in Makati. During its early years, it was
among the top three hotels in the country - along with the
Manila Hilton in Ermita and the Savoy Hotel (later becoming
the Hyatt Regency) in Pasay City. It closed in 2015 and the
building was demolished shortly thereafter to give way to a
new development to be named One Ayala.
Hagdang Bato
This part of Namayan was sacred to early Tagalogs. Hagdang
bató (see photo) is mentioned in chapter sixty-one of José
Rizal's first novel, Noli Me Tángere, and chapter three of his
second novel, El Filibusterismo. During the Revolution on 10
June 1897, Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo and about five hundred
soldiers crossed the Pasig River at Hagdang bató during the
march to Biac-na-bató in Bulacán.
Rizal Theater
This was the first luxury movie theater and performance
venue in Makati and was located south of
the Makati and Ayala avenues intersection. It opened in 1960
and was demolished in 1989 to give way to the construction
of the Makati Shangri-la hotel (opened in 1993) which
presently stands on the site.
It shared the same name as the Cinematografo Rizal located
in Manila, which was the first cinema not owned by
foreigners. This establishment, owned by José Jiménez,
opened as a movie house in 1903 and five years later its
address was recorded as 155 Calle Azcárraga in Tondo,
Manila. About a decade later its address was Calle Ilaya (now
Ilaya Street) and Calle Azcárraga in Tondo.
Santa Ana Cabaret
This twentieth-century nightclub (photos), owned by an
American named John Canson, was once advertised as being
the largest cabaret in the world. It opened in Tejeros in 1921
and was in business until 1970, when a typhoon destroyed it.
Famous patrons included President Manuel
Quezon, Governor-General Francis Harrison, and
General Douglas MacArthur. It is also said that Edward, Prince
of Wales once visited it. During World War II it was converted
into a garment factory, producing shirts and military uniforms
for the Japanese. After the Americans returned to Makati in
February 1945, they converted their famous dance hall into a
temporary medical facility. It was the forerunner of
fashionable discos of the eighties and nineties, such as
Manila's classy Stargazer, as well as Makati's Euphoria, Faces,
and Mars. Its modern counterpart is the Valkyrie Nightclub in
Taguig.
Santa Ana Racetrack
Opened in 1937 by the Philippine Racing Club, it was the first
notable sport venue of Makati, and was the forerunner of
other famous Makati sport venues where international
competitions were held such as the Manila Golf Club, which
located in Makati in 1948, the Manila Polo Club, which
relocated to Makati in 1950, and the defunct Astrobowl
Magallanes. It was larger than the San Lazaro Racetrack
in Santa Cruz, Manila.
During World War II it became a military storage area, and as
a consequence was targeted by aerial bombardment toward
the end of the war. On 9 February 1945, it was at the
Philippine Racing Club grounds that the Americans, advancing
from Wack Wack golf club and crossing the Pasig River
using amtracs, returned to Makati. Afterward, they built
a pontoon bridge which was one of two such temporary
bridges they had to build after the last remaining bridges
spanning the Pasig River—Banzai (Jones) and Santa Cruz
(MacArthur)—were blown on 5 February. This pontoon
bridge was damaged and knocked out by artillery fire on 10
and 11 February and was reported as having been repaired.
The Art-deco buildings of the racetrack were later used as a
headquarters by US General MacArthur and also by Allied
translators and interpreters.
Horse racing resumed during the postcolonial period. Toward
the end of the twentieth century, an increase in the taxation
of winnings combined with a rise in the ownership of TV sets
led to a decline in attendance, which resulted in the closure
of the racetrack in December 2008 and its demolition in 2013.
Santiago Hospital
The Santiago Hospital was a twentieth-century medical
facility in Población. Originally named Hospital Español de
Santiago, it was founded in 1902 in Manila by the Spanish
community as an infectious hospital for the hospitalization of
Spaniards who, having to comply with sanitary regulations
concerning compulsory hospitalization, preferred the services
of this hospital rather than those of the public San Lazaro
Hospital. Its earliest known address was 1819 Calle Azcárraga,
Quiapo. In 1929, the hospital moved into its own building, an
Art-deco structure in Makati, and at the beginning of the
thirties was one of two hospitals in Rizal Province. By 1935,
this medical facility, which had thirty-four beds, was classified
as a general hospital which treated all sorts of diseases except
those requiring compulsory segregation in government
institutions, and by that time was admitting patients of
nationalities other than Spanish.
During World War II, Santiago Hospital was administered by
the Sisters of Saint Paul of Chartres, and in February 1945 it
had the distinction of being the only hospital in the Greater
Manila area which remained open throughout the Battle of
Manila. Santiago Hospital, which was once considered to be
one of the best hospitals in the Philippines, closed in the
1960s as a result of the increasing urbanization of Makati.
Although generally believed to be Makati's first hospital, it
was preceded by a hospital in Guadalupe which existed
during the First Republic. Also over a decade earlier in 1884,
the Spanish briefly operated in Guadalupe an orphanage, a
type of institution which in their point of view was a medical
facility. In 1917, the Americans also opened an orphanage in
Makati, at Casa Quinta.
Culture and sports
The Ayala Museum
Makati is home to a number of fine art museums, colonial-era
churches and recreation areas. Along the south-eastern
border of Makati beyond Forbes Park are the Manila Golf
Club and the Manila Polo Club. The Manila Golf Club features
an 18-hole golf course. 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. The Makati Coliseum is another famous
sports landmark in the city, where some of the biggest sports
gatherings are held.
The Ayala Museum is a private fine arts and
history museum housing various exhibitions such as the "Gold
of Ancestors," an exhibition of more than one thousand
golden pre-Hispanic artifacts. Other popular museums also in
Makati also include the Yuchengco Museum and the Museo
ng Makati.
Makati has several Spanish-era churches, such as the Our
Lady of Guadalupe and the Nuestra Señora de Gracia
Church (Our Lady of Grace) in the old town. At the Greenbelt
Park stands the modern domed chapel of the Sto. Niño de la
Paz. Between Forbes Park and Dasmariñas 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. Makati also houses the
country's only Jewish synagogue, Beth Yaacov.
According to Time.com, Makati is not only the financial center
of the Philippines, but also the selfie capital of the world.
The University of Makati Stadium in Makati is currently home
to Kaya F.C.-Makati, who currently play in the Philippines
Football League, the national football league of the
Philippines.
Future development
Ayala Land and the Makati Tourism Foundation launched a
year-long campaign titled "Make It Happen, Make it Makati"
to increase Makati's visibility as an arts and culture
destination. The campaign is part of Ayala’s ongoing US$1.5
billion redevelopment masterplan for Makati, which began in
2011 and divides the city into six distinct hubs for business,
lifestyle, entertainment and transport.
In 2013, Ayala Land unveiled its plans for a P20-billion project
that will transform the old Sta. Ana race track into a mixed-
use development, featuring entertainment and sports
facilities. It will sit on a 21-hectare property - the last
available sprawling landbank in Makati and will be dubbed as
"Circuit Makati" in honor of the Sta. Ana race track, which is
part of Makati's heritage as a former racing circuit. There will
be a FIFA-sized football turf which will be used for games and
for football workshops. It will feature a 2-hectare open-air
events ground, which can accommodate up to 20,000 people.
It will have links to the Makati central business district (CBD)
through Ayala Avenue Extension and South Avenue, other
future road linkages or potentially even a revived Pasig River
ferry service.
Transportation
The Magallanes Interchange
The Ayala MRT Station
Major roads in Metro Manila surround Makati, such as
Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA), located in the
southeast part of the city, the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX),
which intersect EDSA at the Magallanes Interchange, and
the Skyway which is built on top of the SLEX.
Land
Two of Metro Manila's main arteries pass through Makati.
The Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) pass along the city's
southeast part and connects it with the cities
of Mandaluyong and Pasay. The South Luzon
Expressway (SLEX) runs through the city's western part and
connects it with the city of Manila to the north and with
southern Metro Manila. The Manila 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.
Buses plying the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA/C-4)
route from Baclaran in Parañaque to Quezon
City and Caloocan pass through the central business/financial
district daily. Jeepneys ply Makati's inner roads and connect
the city to its surrounding towns and cities.
The country’s first-ever e-jeepney and hybrid bus services
were piloted in Makati. The buses are parallel electric hybrids,
powered by an electric motor and a Euro 3 diesel motor. The
hybrid buses ply the route from Gil Puyat
Avenue (Tramo/LRT-1 Taft) to Kalayaan Avenue (C-5), which
are considered among the busiest in the city’s central
business district, cutting through other major roads like South
Superhighway; Chino Roces, Ayala and Makati
Avenues; Paseo de Roxas and EDSA.
Other major roads in the city include Gil Puyat Avenue, which
connects EDSA and SLEX in the north; Ayala Avenue, an
important street that runs through the Makati CBD;
and Makati Avenue, which connects Ayala Avenue with Gil
Puyat Avenue, also extending north to cross the Pasig River to
Mandaluyong. At the center of Makati is the Ayala Triangle, a
park built on the former Nielsen Air Base.
Railways
The Metro Rail Transit (MRT-3) on EDSA has four stations
located in
Makati: Guadalupe, Buendia, Ayala and Magallanes.
The Philippine National Railways has three
stations: Buendia, Pasay Road and EDSA.
In 2013, the National Economic and Development Authority
(NEDA) worked on a feasibility study for a $1.75 billion
monorail project. The proposed 12.56-kilometer elevated
monorail is envisioned to connect Makati, Bonifacio Global
City and Pasay through the MRT Line 3 as well as the Ninoy
Aquino International Airport. The present alignment being
considered starts from the MRT-3 (Guadalupe Station), enters
Bonifacio Global City through the north gate and ends at
Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3. If approved,
the monorail project can be completed by 2016.[44]
In 2015, the NEDA (National Economic Development
Authority) approved the Public-Private Partnership project for
the Philippine's first subway which will have stations at key
points in Makati namely MRT3-Buendia, Ayala-EDSA, Ayala
Triangle, Makati Post Office and PNR-Buendia.
Airport
The city is 20 minutes away from the Ninoy Aquino
International Airport.
Water
The Pasig River is located north of Makati. The Pasig River
Ferry Service has two stations: Guadalupe and Valenzuela.
Malabon, officially the City of Malabon (Filipino: Lungsod ng
Malabon), is one of the cities and municipalities that make
up Metro Manila in the Philippines. According to the 2015
census, it has a population of 365,525. Located just north
of Manila, it is primarily a residential and industrial town and
is one of the most densely populated cities in the metropolis.
It has a total land area of 15.96 square kilometers.
Malabon is part of the sub-region of Metro Manila informally
called CAMANAVA, which consists
of CAloocan, MAlabon, NAvotas, and VAlenzuela cities.
Caloocan lies to the south and east, Navotas to the west, and
Valenzuela to the north. Malabon also borders the town
of Obando in the province of Bulacan to the northwest.
Legend considers the city's name to be a contraction of
the Tagalog phrase maraming labóng ("plenty of bamboo
shoots"), as the place once abounded in this edible root.
Originally called Tambobong, Malabon was founded as
a visita (hamlet) of Tondo by the Augustinians on May 21,
1599. It remained under the administrative jurisdiction of
the Province of Tondo from 1627 to 1688.
Malabon played an important economic role in the late 19th
century with the founding of La Princesa Tabacalera tobacco
company in 1851 and the Malabon Sugar Company in 1878.
La Princesa was under the corporate umbrella of Compañía
General de Tabacos de Filipinas (owned by the Spanish
Crown), while the latter pioneered the refined sugar industry
in the Philippines.
The newspaper La Independencia was first printed in
Malabon's Asilo de Huérfanos (Orphanage), where children
orphaned by the Plague of 1882 were housed.
Malabon was officially made a municipality of the newly
created Province of Rizal on June 11, 1901 by virtue of
Philippine Commission Act No. 137. When Act No. 942 was
promulgated, Malabon was united with Navotasunder a new
government. On January 16, 1906, Act No. 1441 partitioned
Malabon from Navotas into two separate municipalities of
Rizal. The first Mayor of Malabon was Don Agustín
Salamante, a Spanish mestizooriginally from Cavite.
Malabon remained a municipality of Rizal until November 7,
1975, by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 824, when
Malabon became a part of Metropolitan Manila or
the National Capital Region. Malabon became a city on April
21, 2001, under Republic Act No. 9019, 407 years after its
founding.
Malabon is one of the most densely populated cities in The
Philippines and its low-lying, flat terrain makes it prone to
frequent flooding, especially during high tides, heavy rains
and when river and dams overflow. The four cities in
CAMANAVA are commonly affected by interconnected rivers,
one of which is the Tullahan River.
The river system used to be navigable and fishing was the
major livelihood activity in the area. The river used to be
wider and deeper with better quality water, and was a
regular source of different species of fish, an important food
source for local residents. Also, trees and crops like palay
(rice) and vegetables used to be grown along the riverbanks.
However, these agricultural plots have been replaced by
industrial yards, which also became home to thousands of
informal settlers who built makeshift dwellings without legal
claim to the land.
Floods have worsened in recent years, occurring more
frequently and reaching depths of several feet. Most affected
are families in the communities that are along or near the
riverbanks. The river has become narrower and shallower
over the years, and its capacity to hold water has decreased.
With more frequent intense rains, the riverbanks flood
regularly and flooding reaches farther into low-lying and
densely populated areas of the city
Malabon belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of under the
episcopal seat of Bishop Pablo Virgilo David. Almost 80% of
the people here adhere to this religion. The seat of the Bishop
of Kalookan in Malabon is in San Roque Cathedral Parish, A.
Mabini St. Caloocan City. Today there are eight Roman
Catholic Parishes in Malabon: San Bartolome, Sto. Rosario,
Immaculate Conception, Exaltation of the Cross, San Antonio
de Padua, Sacred Heart of Jesus, Immaculate Heart of Mary
and Sts. Peter and John. Another parish church, Santa Clara of
Assisi in Barangay Longos, is in the planning stages.
Other religions in Malabon include Iglesia Filipina
Independiente (belongs to the Diocese of Rizal and
Pampanga,Parish of La Purisima Concepcion de Malabon),
Baptists, Jesus the Living Stone International Assembly of
God, Iglesia ni Cristo or Church of Christ, Members of the
Church of God International, Jesus Is Lord
Church, IEMELIF and Seventh-day Adventist.
Malabon industries include sugar refinery, patis- (fish sauce)
making, cigar-making, candle production, fishing and ilang-
ilang flower-extract production (the distilled perfume is
exported).
The Malabon City Tourism Office launched the Malabon
Tricycle Tours in December 2014. The tours take visitors to
eight heritage sites including the newly renovated 400-year-
old San Bartolome Church as well as to notable heritage
houses like the Raymundo House and Ibaviosa House.
On March 14, 2015, the tours started to offer visitors a
unique gastronomic experience through visits to the city's
home-based eateries. This culinary aspect was the brainchild
of current Mayor Antonlin Oreta III's wife Melissa Oreta, who
is a chef by profession.
The Malabon Zoo and Aquarium, located in Potrero, is a
small, humble zoo that features an array of caged animals,
along with an aquarium and gardens.
On April 21, 2008, Malabon City’s newly constructed 11-
storey city hall building along F. Sevilla Blvd. in Barangay San
Agustin, was inaugurated by Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on
Malabon’s 7th City anniversary. It was dubbed as a “potential
business center of the city,” a one-stop shop for government
transactions, due to its state-of-the-art facilities such as 3
high-speed elevators and the new city hall building and its
offices' “digital system.”
The Sangguniang Kabataan Federation led by Von Paulo Oreta
III (grandson of mayor Tito Oreta) developed a system of the
politics which became the key to the acceleration of the
development of cities with the help the other chairmen.
The city's representative to National Sangguniang Kabataan
Federation of the Philippines is Noly Miranda of Navotas,
whereby the city has won the award of "Best Implementing
Rule And Objection Of The Year".
The city is considered as the local Venice, due to year-long
floods and gradual sinking. The City of Malabon is a place
famous for its Pancit Malabon and its predominantly Atlantic
ambience. It is also famous for other variety of foods
(kakanin), such as puto sulot, puto bumbong, sapin-
sapin, broas, bibingka and camachile. The culinary delights
are abundant in its specialty eateries.
Its most famous festival is the "Pagoda-Caracol", a fluvial
procession with street dancing to commemorate the Feast of
the Immaculate Conception every 8 December.
The city of Malabon is also home for famous personalities
including Epifanio de los Santos (historian and hero), Timoteo
Paez (hero), Nonoy Marcelo (cartoonist), Ildefonso
Santos (poet) and his son Ildefonso P. Santos Jr. (National
Artist in Architecture), Gregorio Sanciangco (writer), Loren
Legarda (senator), Angelika de la Cruz (artist), Erik
Santos (artist and singer), Rochelle Pangilinan (artist), Phil
Younghusband (football player), and Dexter
Facelo of Alamid band (Songwriter of the famous song Your
Love).
Heritage houses
Malabon houses several old homes of historical value: the
Dionisio family home, the Rivera house, the Villongco house,
the Luna house, the Martinez house, the Chikiamco house,
the Rojas-Borja house, the (Teodoro) Luna house, the Santos-
Lapus house, the Pantaleon Bautista house, the Syjuco
(formerly Gaza) house, and the Raymundo house, considered
to be the oldest located along C. Arellano Street. Other old
but well-preserved heritage houses in Malabon include the
Asilo de Huérfanos, the Paez House, and the Nepomuceno
House.
Mandaluyong City (Filipino: Lungsod ng Mandaluyong) is
a city in the Philippines located directly east of Manila. It is
one of the sixteen cities which, along with
the Municipality of Pateros, make up Metro Manila,
the National Capital Region. It is known for the Ortigas
Center, a commercial and business center that is also shared
with Pasig. Notable institutions and establishments in the city
include the Asian Development Bank, the headquarters
of Banco De Oro and San Miguel Corporation and shopping
malls like Shangri-La Plaza and SM Megamall.
The city is bordered by Manila to the west, San Juan to the
north, Quezon City to the northeast, Pasig to the east,
and Makati to the south. According to the 2015 census, it has
a population of 386,276.[3] It is also the 6th-smallest city in
the Philippines with a land area of 11.06 km2 (4.27 sq mi).
There are different stories on the origin of the
name Mandaluyong.
One tells of how the place was abundant with a kind of tree
called luyong, now more commonly known
as anahaw (Saribus rotundifolius[4]), from which beautiful
canes and furniture were made.
Another claims that the Spaniards named the place based on
the report of a navigator named Acapulco, who saw the
rolling hills frequently being lashed at by daluyong (“big
waves from the sea”).[citation needed] This seems to confirm
traditional pre-Hispanic stories that giant waves from the sea
would meet the adjoining hills of the vast lowland, referred to
as salpukan ng alon. Felix dela Huerta, a Franciscan historian,
observed that the rolling topography of this land resembled
giant waves of the sea. As with the etymological legends of
many Philippine places, when the foreigners asked as to what
the place was called, the locals answered with the description
"madaluyong" ("undulating"), later transcribed by Spanish
writers into "Mandaluyong" with the addition of an “n”.
Romantic residents, however, peddle the similarly formulaic
legend of a Maharlika named Luyong who fell in love with
Manda, the lovely daughter of a barangay chieftain. The
chieftain had no personal liking for Luyong and forbade him
Manda's hand. Luyong overcame this objection by winning a
series of tribal contests which was the custom at the time.
The couple settled thereafter in a place which was later called
“Mandaluyong" by means of joining their names.
On November 7, 1975, Mandaluyong was formally included in
newly established Metropolitan Manila by virtue of
Presidential Decree No. 824[6] signed by President Ferdinand
Marcos.
By virture of the 1987 Constitution Mandaluyong and the
then municipality of San Juan were represented in congress
by a single Congressman.
Rep. Ronaldo Zamora sponsored a House Bill which
eventually became Republic Act № 7675[7] otherwise known
as "An Act Converting the Municipality of Mandaluyong into a
Highly Urbanized City to be known as the City of
Mandaluyong." President Fidel V. Ramossigned R.A. No. 7675
into law on February 9, 1994 (the 49th anniversary of its
liberation from the Japanese), which was ratified through a
plebiscite on April 10, 1994 making Mandaluyong the 5th city
in Metro Manila. Mandaluyong became a lone district with its
own Representative in Congress. Prior to the enactment of
the assailed statute, the municipalities of Mandaluyong and
San Juan belonged to only one legislative district.
Mandaluyong's climate is classified as tropical. In winter,
there is much less rainfall in Mandaluyong than in summer.
This climate is considered to be Aw according to the Köppen-
Geiger climate classification. The temperature here averages
27.2 °C. In a year, the average rainfall is 2093 mm.
Precipitation is the lowest in February, with an average of
8 mm. With an average of 448 mm, the most precipitation
falls in August. At an average temperature of 29.2 °C, May is
the hottest month of the year. January has the lowest
average temperature of the year. It is 25.5 °C. Between the
driest and wettest months, the difference in precipitation is
440 mm. During the year, the average temperatures vary by
3.7 °C.
The city is home to a number of shopping centers,
entertainment hubs, commercial establishments, high-rise
offices, residential condominiums and hotels. The city is one
of the important business and financial areas in the
metropolis.
Commercial activities
Like other cities in Metro Manila, Mandaluyong has its own
share of commercial strips and a central business district. The
former commercial area, consisting mostly of banks, offices
and service establishments, stretch along public transport
routes thereby serving both local consumers and passers-by
from the neighboring localities. Major commercial strips of
the city include the stretch of Boni Avenue, Shaw Boulevard,
Libertad-Sierra Madre area, Kalentong, San Francisco, part of
Martinez, Sgt. Bumatay towards Barangka Drive and Pinatubo
towards EDSA. Mandaluyong's central business district is
concentrated on the EDSA-Shaw-Pioneer area.[20]
Industrial activities
TV5 Media Center
Industrial activities are mostly concentrated within the Shaw
Boulevard-Pioneer area and along the Pasig River. Although
prominent in the manufacture of foods, medicines and
laboratory equipment, these industries are gradually
declining in number, opting to relocate in newly developed
industrial zones outside Metropolitan Manila. In the Pasig
River area, particularly in Barangays Namayan and Mabini J.
Rizal, areas formerly industrial are now the sites for
residential subdivisions and townhouses. In the EDSA-Shaw-
Pioneer area, the transformation is toward a more
economically profitable and globally competitive commercial
activity. And since December 2013, Mandaluyong is the home
of one of the largest television networks in the country, The 5
Network (owned by TV5 Network located at the TV5 Media
Center).
These super-regional supermalls each have over a hundred
local and international stores and are anchored by at least
one department store and supermarket or hypermarket. They
are also the largest malls in Metro Manila which feature not
just stores but also attractions: movie theaters, rides, skating
rinks, bowling alleys and other recreational facilities. Each
provides thousands of automobile parking spaces and are
located mostly near rail stations and established business
districts within the metropolis. These malls serve not only the
Metro Manila and Greater Manila Area residents, but also
local and foreign tourists. Among the malls in the city
are Shangri-La Plaza and SM Megamall
The city is provided with good access roads to and from
adjacent cities in the metropolis. The city is served by one
of Metro Manila's main roads such as the Epifanio de los
Santos Avenue (EDSA), Ortigas Avenue and Shaw Boulevard.
The city is 36 minutes away from the Ninoy Aquino
International Airport.
Land
Mandaluyong is served by the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue,
Metro Manila's main thoroughfare. Considered as the heart
of the metropolis, main roads such as the Ortigas
Avenue and Shaw Boulevard provide inter-city linkages,
while Boni Avenue and Martinez Street (C-3 Road) serve as
alternate routes in the city. Other major roads in
Mandaluyong include Boni-Pioneer Underpass, a 280-meter
long tunnel underneath EDSA (Epifanio de los Santos Avenue)
connecting Boni Avenue on its western-end and Pioneer
Street on the east. and Julia Vargas Avenue. Jeepneys are one
of the most popular mode of public transportation for
commuters in the city. Aside from jeepneys, tricycles and
pedicabs are also one of the important modes of public
transportation in Mandaluyong, especially on alleys around
the city.
Water
The presence of the Pasig River stretching along the south
border of Mandaluyong provides an alternative route and
mode of public transportation mainly for cargo freight of
industries along the river, and for commuters seeking for a
faster and more direct route to and from the cities
of Pasig and Manila.[23] The Pasig River Ferry Service has one
station in the city.
Railway
The city is also served by rail via the Manila Metro Rail Transit
System Line 3. The line is located along the Epifanio de los
Santos Avenue. The city is served by three MRT-3 stations:
Ortigas MRT Station
Shaw Boulevard MRT Station
Boni MRT Station
Bridges
Mandaluyong is accessed by Pasig River and San Juan River:
Mandaluyong has several private and public hospitals &
health center, namely the privately owned Dr. Victor R.
Potenciano Medical Center along EDSA and Unciano General
Hospital, and the government hospital Mandaluyong City
Medical Center. The city is also home to the National Center
for Mental Health. Many residents, specifically the middle-to-
upper class medical clientele, visit the nearby The Medical
City in Ortigas Center.
The Dr. Victor R. Potenciano Medical Center is a tertiary care
hospital that has a 189-bed capacity within its 10-storey
hospital building.
In 2007, the Mandaluyong City government, together
with non-governmental organization Rehabilitation and
Empowerment of Adults and Children (REACH) Foundation,
established a community-based rehabilitation program called
Project Therapy, Education, and Assimilation of Children with
Handicap (TEACH), that caters to children with special needs
coming from indigent families. Services given by Project
TEACH include free occupational therapy, physical
therapy, speech therapy and special education classes.
Education
St. Benilde Gymnasium in La Salle Green Hills
Four well-known educational institutions in the city are
the Arellano University, Mandaluyong (Plaridel Campus), Don
Bosco Technical College, Jose Rizal University and Rizal
Technological University.
A good number of city officials of Mandaluyong are alumni of
Don Bosco,[ including incumbent Mayor, Benjamin Abalos,
Jr. (HS '79); former Vice Mayor, Renato Sta. Maria (HS
'65); City Councilors Edward Bartolome (HS '96), Noel
Bernardo (HS '79), and Jonathan Abalos (HS '85). Other
notable alumni include "King of Pinoy Rap," Francis
Magalona (HS '81); and actor Ricky Davao (HS
'78). Meanwhile, the alumni of JRU that includes
President Ramon Magsaysay, Roderick Paulate, and Secretary
Armand V. Fabella; Other colleges in the city include the Our
Lady of Guadalupe Colleges (specializing in Medicine and
Nursing), STI and AMA (both specializing in Computer
Technology education, both located on Shaw Boulevard),
NAMEI Polytechnic Institute (specializing in Marine Sciences),
and the International Baptist College.
The city is also home to Lourdes School of Mandaluyong (est.
1959), a Franciscan-Marian all-boys school, located in
the Ortigas Center district managed by the OFM
Capuchins; La Salle Green Hills (est. 1959), a private all-boys
high school, managed by the De La Salle Brothers, located
along Ortigas Avenue; and Saint Pedro Poveda College (est.
1960), another famous all-girls institution, offering pre-
school, grade school, high school, and college education.
Although the official school address is Quezon City, part of
the lot Poveda's campus stands on is under Mandaluyong
City.
Mandaluyong High School (est. 1977) is the oldest public high
school in the city. City of Mandaluyong Science High
School (est. 1996), a public science high school on E.
Pantaleon St. The city has 18 public schools, including primary
and secondary schools as prioritize by the city government.
The Mataas Na Paaralang Nepatli A. Gonzales is the largest
school in Mandaluyong and the only school in the city which
has the STEM highschool program. The Neptalians are also
multi- awarded and has various great observations by the
regional supervisors that captures their attentions.
Manila (/məˈnɪlə/; Filipino: Maynilà, pronounced [majˈnilaʔ] o
r [majniˈla]), officially the City of Manila (Filipino: Lungsod ng
Maynilà [luŋˈsod nɐŋ majˈnilaʔ]), is the capital of
the Philippines and the most densely populated cityproper in
the world.[3] It was the first chartered City by virtue of the
Philippine Commission Act 183 on July 31, 1901 and gained
autonomy with the passage of Republic Act No. 409 or the
"Revised Charter of the City of Manila" on June 18, 1949.[9]
The Spanish city of Manila was founded on June 24, 1571,
by Spanish conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi. The date is
regarded as the city's official founding date. Manila was also
the seat of power for most of the country's colonial rulers. It
is home to many historic sites, some of which were built
during the 16th century. Manila has many of the Philippines'
firsts, including the first university (1590),[10] water system
(1878), hotel (1889), electricity (1895), oceanarium
(1913),[11] stock exchange (1927), flyover
(1930s), zoo (1959), pedestrian underpass (1960),[12] science
high school (1963),[13] city-run university (1965), city-run
hospital (1969), and rapid transit system (1984; also
considered as the first rapid transit system in Southeast Asia).
The term "Manila" is commonly used to refer to the whole
metropolitan area, the greater metropolitan area or the city
proper. The officially defined metropolitan area called Metro
Manila, the capital region of the Philippines, includes the
much larger Quezon City and the Makati Central Business
District. It is the most populous region of the country, one of
the most populous urban areas in the world, and is one of the
wealthiest regions in Southeast Asia. The city proper is home
to 1,780,148 people in 2015, and is the historic core of a
built-up area that extends well beyond its administrative
limits. With 71,263 people per square kilometer, Manila is
also the most densely populated city proper in the world.
The city is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay.
The Pasig River flows through the middle of the city, dividing
it into the north and south sections. Manila is made up of 16
administrative
districts: Binondo, Ermita, Intramuros, Malate, Paco, Pandaca
n, Port Area, Quiapo, Sampaloc, San Andres, San Miguel, San
Nicolas, Santa Ana, Santa Cruz, Santa Mesa and Tondo, while
it is divided into six districts for its representation
in Congress and the election of the city council members. In
2016, the Globalization and World Cities Research
Network listed Manila as an "alpha –" global city.
Maynilà, the Filipino name for the city, originated from the
word nilà, referring to a flowering mangrove tree that grew
on the delta of the Pasig River and the shores of Manila Bay.
The flowers were made into garlands that, according to
folklore, were offered to statues on religious altars or in
churches. As nilà products were distributed in other places,
people came to refer to the area as Sa may Nilà, Tagalog for
"the place where there are nilàs". The word nilà itself is
probably from the Sanskrit nila (नील), meaning "indigo tree"
The City of Manila is situated on the eastern shore of Manila
Bay, on the western edge of Luzon, 1300 km from
mainland Asia.[65] One of Manila's greatest natural resources
is the protected harbor upon which it sits, regarded as the
finest in all of Asia.[66] The Pasig River flows through the
middle of city, dividing it into the north and south. The
overall grade of the city's central, built-up areas, is relatively
consistent with the natural flatness of its overall natural
geography, generally exhibiting only slight differentiation
otherwise. Almost all of Manila sits on top of centuries of
prehistoric alluvial deposits built by the waters of the Pasig
River and on some land reclaimed from Manila Bay. Manila's
land has been altered substantially by human intervention,
with considerable land reclamation along the waterfronts
since the American colonial times. Some of the city's natural
variations in topography have been evened out. As of 2013,
Manila had a total area of 42.88 square kilometers.
In 2017, the City Government approved five reclamation
projects: the New Manila Bay–City of Pearl (New Manila Bay
International Community) (407.43 hectares), Solar City (148
hectares), the Manila Harbour Center expansion (50
hectares), Manila Waterfront City (318 hectares) and Horizon
Manila (419 hectares). Once completed, it will increase the
city's total area from 42.88 km2 (4,288 ha) to
58.3 km2 (5,830 ha). Another reclamation project is possible
and when built, it will contain the in-city housing relocation
projects. Reclamation projects have been criticized by
environmental activists and the Philippine Catholic Church,
claiming that these are not sustainable and would put
communities at risk of flooding. In line of the upcoming
reclamation projects, the Philippines and
the Netherlands forged a cooperation to craft the ₱250
million Manila Bay Sustainable Development Master Plan to
guide future decisions on programs and projects on Manila
Bay.
Under the Köppen climate classification system, Manila has
a tropical savanna climate (Köppen climate classification Aw).
Together with the rest of the Philippines, Manila lies entirely
within the tropics. Its proximity to the equator means that
temperatures are hot year-round, rarely going below 21°C or
above 39°C. Temperature extremes have ranged from 17.5°C
on January 11, 1914, to 39.6°C on May 7, 1915.
Humidity levels are usually very high all year round, making
the temperature feel hotter than it is. Manila has a
distinct dry season from December through May, and a
relatively lengthy wet season that covers the remaining
period with slightly cooler temperatures. In the wet season, it
rarely rains all day, but rainfall is very heavy during short
periods. Typhoons usually occur from June to September.
Swiss Re ranked Manila as the second riskiest capital city to
live in, citing its exposure to natural hazards such as
earthquakes, tsunamis, typhoons and floods. The seismically
active Marikina Valley Fault System poses a threat of a large-
scale earthquake with an estimated magnitude between 6–7
and as high as 7.6 to Metro Manila and nearby
provinces. Manila has endured several deadly earthquakes,
notably in 1645 and in 1677 which destroyed the stone and
brick medieval city. The Earthquake Baroque style was used
by architects during the Spanish colonial period in order to
adapt to the frequent earthquakes.
Manila is hit with five to seven typhoons yearly. In
2009, Typhoon Ketsana (Ondoy) struck the Philippines. It led
to one of the worst floodings in Metro Manila and several
provinces in Luzon with an estimated damages worth ₱11
billion ($237 million). The floodings caused 448 deaths in
Metro Manila alone. Following the aftermath of Typhoon
Ketsana, the city began to dredge its rivers and improve its
drainage network.
Pollution in Manila Bay
Due to industrial waste and automobiles, Manila suffers
from air pollution, affecting 98% of the population. Air
pollution alone causes more than 4,000 deaths yearly On a
1995 report, Ermita is regarded as Manila's most air polluted
district due to open dump sites and industrial
waste. According to a report in 2003, the Pasig River is one of
the most polluted rivers in the world with 150 tons of
domestic waste and 75 tons of industrial waste dumped
daily. The city is the second biggest waste producer in the
country with 1,151.79 tons (7,500.07 cubic meters) per day,
after Quezon City which yields 1,386.84 tons or 12,730.59
cubic meters per day. Both cities were cited as having poor
management in garbage collection and disposal.
The Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission is in charge of
cleaning up the Pasig River and tributaries for transportation,
recreation and tourism purposes. Rehabilitation efforts have
resulted in the creation of parks along the riverside, along
with stricter pollution controls.
Marikina (/mərɪˈkɪnə/), officially the City of
Marikina (Filipino: Lungsod ng Marikina), is one of the cities
that make up Metro Manila, the National Capital Region.
According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 450,741.
Located along the eastern border of Metro Manila, Marikina
is the main gateway of Metro Manila
to Rizal and Quezon provinces through Marikina–Infanta
Highway. It is bordered on the west by Quezon City, to the
south by Pasig and Cainta, to the north by San Mateo and to
the east by Antipolo, the capital of Rizal province.
Marikina was the provincial capital of the Province of
Manila from 1898 to 1899. It then became one of the towns
of Rizal Province prior to the formation of Metro Manila. A
formerly rural settlement, Marikina is now primarily
residential and industrial, and has become increasingly
commercial in recent years. Marikina is also considered one
of the wealthiest local government units in the Philippines.
Marikina was given the title "Shoe Capital of the Philippines"
because of its notable shoe industry, being the biggest
manufacturer of shoes in the Philippines, producing almost
70% of shoes manufactured in the country. The Philippine
International Footwear Center is located here where top
quality shoes can be found, and the Shoe Museum houses the
largest pair of shoes in a museum, as well as the famous shoe
collection of the former First Lady, Imelda Marcos.
The city is under the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic
Diocese of Antipolo. It is the site of the oldest church in the
valley, Nuestra Senora de los Desamparados, originally built
in 1572 as a bamboo structure.
Marikina lies on the so-called Marikina Valley, which extends
to the south toward Pasig City and Cainta, Rizal. Sierra
Madre mountains lie to the east and Quezon City hills to the
west. Marikina River runs through the mid-west portion of
the city, with its tributary including Nangka River. Nangka
River runs through the north slicing between Marikina
and San Mateo, while the small waterway called Sapang Baho
Creek slicing the southeast between Marikina
and Cainta and Antipolo City.
The total land area of Marikina is approximately 21.5 square
kilometers (km²) or 2,150 hectares (ha). This represents about
3.42% of the total land area of Metro Manila. At present, the
city is composed of 16 barangays. Barangays Fortune, Marikina. Its depth measures from 12 meters up to 18 meters
Concepcion Dos and Marikina Heights are among the largest during heavy downpour. Rehabilitation of the River started in
in terms of land area. 1992. The river traverses 11 city barangays which have streets
The south portion of the city comprises numerous and alleys going to the river, making river parks easily
commercial, industrial and residential areas, heritage sites accessible. River parks today are popular sports and
and mixed use zones, while the north and northeast portion recreational centers not only in Metro Manila but throughout
are primarily residential and industrial zones, and various the Philippines.
establishments such as small and medium enterprises. Loyola Natural disasters
Grand Villas, located at the northwest portion of the city, is a Marikina is prone to various natural disasters, including 2009
gated community comprising upper-middle class and wealthy Typhoon Ketsana, and southwest monsoon flooding such
residential areas. Barangay Sta. Elena represents a poblacion, as 2012 Habagat. Primarily, flooding within Marikina is caused
or the center of Marikina. At present, it comprises by the increase of water level in major rivers and its
38% residential, 19% commercial and industrial, 17% Roads, tributaries, followed by overflowing from its riverbanks to
8% Mixed-use, 18% for parks and open spaces, development low-lying areas throughout the city.
areas, institutional, cemeteries and others. Another major threat is earthquakes in Marikina. West Valley
Physiography zones Fault System, previously known as Marikina Valley Fault Line,
City Center Newtown Riverside Foothills lies at the west of Marikina. The east of the fault line, in
zone zone zone zone which a large portion of Marikina is included, is constantly
(Poblacion) (Ibayo) (Tabing- (Bundok) sinking.
Calumpang Barangka Ilog) Concepcion Climate
San Roque Industrial Concepcion Dos Marikina features a tropical monsoon climate. Its proximity to
Santa Valley Uno Fortune the equator means that the temperature range is very small,
Elena Complex Malanday Marikina rarely going lower than 18 °C (64 °F) or higher than 38 °C
Santo Niño Jesus Nangka Heights (100 °F). However, humidity levels are usually very high,
Dela Tumana Parang which makes it feel much warmer. It has a distinct, relatively
Peña short dry season from January through May, and a relatively
Tañong lengthy wet season, from June through December.
Boundaries The native people in Marikina refer to themselves as
Located along the eastern border of Metro Manila, it is "Marikeño" (or Marikenyo, in Filipino). The population of
bordered on the west by Quezon City, to the south by Pasig Marikina is near half a million, making it one of the most
City and Cainta, Rizal, to the north by San Mateo, Rizal and to densely populated areas in the Philippines. Like other places
the east by Antipolo City, the capital of Rizal province. It is in Metro Manila, the original settlers are Tagalog. There has
approximately 21 kilometers away from Manila and lies been a constant migration of other ethnic groups in the
within 14°38′24″N 121°5′50″E. Philippines. Tagalog is widely spoken and the main language
From the north, Marikina occupies most of the south bank of in Marikina, while English is used in education and business.
Nangka River. The east slices at the foot of the Sierra Religion
Madre mountains of Antipolo and sliced by the streets of Marikina was one of the seats of the Spanish
Montserrat Hill, Bonanza and Starlite in Barangay Concepcion colonial government in past centuries, and has been used as
Dos. The southeast slices by Sapang Baho River occupies the the base of Roman Catholic missions to the Philippines.
north-west bank. The south portion is sliced by Marcos Religious orders include the Dominicans, the Franciscans,
Highway and occupies most of the north side of the highway the Jesuits and the Augustinians, which were the first to
and extends to the west until it occupies the LRT-2 Santolan arrive in Marikina. The Our Lady of the Abandoned Church,
Station depot until it reaches the Marikina River. The east completed in 1572, is the seat of Nuestra Señora de los
occupies the southernmost of Quezon City hills which lies in Desamparados, the Patron Saint of Marikina. The majority of
Barangay Industrial Valley and sliced by C5 Road occupies the the population is Roman Catholic.
west side until it reaches Ateneo de Manila Other Christian faiths in Marikina including Iglesia ni
University campus. The east part of the campus covers the Cristo, Seventh-day Adventist Church, Members Church of
city, extending to the north and sliced by several roads of God International, Philippine Independent Church or
Loyola Grand Villas, which covers the east part of the village popularly known as Aglipayan Church is the second largest
until it reaches Marikina River and its tributary Nangka River catholic denomination in Marikina, Jesus Miracle
to the north. Crusade, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, more
Marikina River than a dozen Baptist churches and other small Christian
Marikina River runs to the western part of the city and groups. Pentecostal Missionary Church of Christ (4th
surrounded by many lush trees in the Marikina River Park on Watch) headquarters are located in the city. Other small
the riverbanks. The south portion of the river is surrounded religions in Marikina are Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam.
by structures and concrete walkways. The river covers an Shoe industry
area of around 220 hectares and measures about 11 Marikina is the biggest manufacturer of quality shoes in the
kilometers in length, and is the principal drainage system for Philippines. It is also the Philippines' largest worldwide
exporter of leather shoes that tagged Marikina as the Shoe
Capital of the Philippines. Hundreds of footwear
establishments are located throughout the city, generating
thousands of jobs and city financial resources that continue
to make the shoe and leather industry the top livelihood in
the city. By the 2000s, the Marikina shoe industry was
affected by competition from Chinese manufacturers.[22]
Commercial and industrial centers
The financial resources of Marikina is scattered all over the
city, but the southern part is primarily concentrated which
includes business establishments and commercial facilities,
while the northern part is factories and
warehouses. Riverbanks Center is the city's commercial
center situated southwest of the city where shopping malls
and recreation areas are located. Real estate, commercial
developments and numerous commercial establishment
along Marcos Highway and Sumulong Highway are
developing. Restaurants, cafés, diners and entertainment
bars are concentrated in Gil Fernando Avenue, J. P. Rizal
Street, Bayanbayanan Avenue and Lilac Street.
Fortune Avenue is home to some of major companies such
as Fortune Tobacco, Philip Morris, Armscor and Noritake.
Sumulong Highway is the center of business and trade, and it
has mixed establishments such as banking, small shops, retail
shops, electronics, and appliances. Almost all of major
international and local commercial and government banks in
the Philippines operate branches in the city.
Local markets
Dubbed as Marikina Market Mall, Marikina Public Market is a
centralized modern market and an attraction for shoppers
with a mall-like ambiance. The market is divided into two
sections: the dry goods and the wet goods. Commerce in this
market is active mostly during early mornings and late
afternoons. There are also food stalls and eateries located
inside the market.
Some of Marikina's local products are handicrafts, sweet
delicacies, leathers, clothing, food processing, bags,
accessories, and footwears.
Shopping centers
SM City Marikina is currently the largest shopping mall in the
city, while Riverbanks Center, a community shopping complex
situated near Marikina River is a popular outlet store in the
eastern Metro Manila region. Other shopping malls located in
the city are Blue Wave Marquinton Mall, Graceland Plaza,
C&Ps Circle Mall and Ayala Malls Marikina. Other shopping
centers located along Marikina-Infanta Highway are Sta. Lucia
East Grandmall, Robinsons Metro East, Ayala Malls Feliz and
SM City Masinag which are more closely to Marikina than to
their respective city proper.
Like in other city governments in the Philippines, Marikina is
governed by a mayor and a vice mayor elected to three-year
terms. The mayor is the executive head and leads the city's
departments in executing city ordinances and improving
public services, along with city councilors, while the vice
mayor heads a legislative council, and these councilors
represent the two (2) legislative districts of the city. The
council is in charge of formulating and enacting city
ordinances.
Marikina, being a part of the Metro Manila region, has its
mayor in the Metro Manila Council headed by
the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
This council formulates development plans that seek to solve
the problems and improve the conditions in the metropolis.
Marikina is made up of 16 barangays which handle
governance in a much smaller area. These barangays are
grouped into the aforementioned legislative districts. Each
district is represented by a congressman, in turn, is
represented in the House of Representatives of the
Philippines
Public transport
Like in most of the urban areas in the Philippines, is facilitated
mostly using inexpensive jeepneys. Buses mostly in
highways, tricycles give access to more secluded areas like
villages and subdivision, while taxi cabs are available
throughout the city. Tamaraw FX has begun to compete
directly with jeepneys in major roads while UV Express
Shuttle services are also available in selected terminals. In
January 2016, the city government of Marikina invented the
"AMV" or "Adaptive Mobile Vehicle" for the PWD or Person
with Disabilities and Senior Citizens. The "AMV" is wheelchair
vehicle or can put wheelchair inside. The local government of
Marikina wants to be a "friendly city" for the Senior Citizens.
The city has developed a network of bike lanes along major
roads and city streets, as well as the riverbanks of Marikina
River.
A bike lane was introduced in 2012, this time beside major
highway like Marcos Highway, running from Santolan
station of LRT-2 up to Imelda Avenue.
Roads
Marcos Highway (R-6) (also known as Marikina-Infanta Road),
is the main highway east of Metro Manila connecting Metro
Manila, Rizal Province and Quezon Province. Other major
networks in the city are A. Bonifacio Avenue, Sumulong
Highway, J. P. Rizal Street, Gil Fernando Avenue, Shoe
Avenue, Fortune Avenue, Bayan-bayanan Avenue, General
Ordoñez Street and C-5 Access Road connecting Riverbanks
Avenue.
Major bridges including Marikina Bridge, Marcos Bridge,
Diosdado Macapagal Bridge, Nangka Bridge, Gil Fernando
Bridge and Modesta Bridge. These bridges are accessed and
spans by Marikina River and its tributary Nangka River.
Overpass or flyovers are concentrated southwest of the city
such as SM Marikina overpass, Marcos overpass, C5 Access
overpass and Barangka Aqueduct.
Railways
An elevated LRT-2 runs through the city and the current
elevated railway station is Santolan, the east-end station of
the line, located along Marcos Highway, just the border
of Barangay Calumpang in Marikina and Barangay Santolan in
Pasig. The station connects to the west-end, Recto Station,
along Claro M. Recto Avenue in Manila.
The Manila Railroad Company (now Philippine National
Railways) previously has line to Montalban traversing
Marikina with the main station and three flag stations in
Santo Niño, Bayan-Bayanan, and Nangka. Services ceased in
1936. Only the Marikina station building exists. Located at
Shoe Avenue between D. Victorino St. and H. Roxas St.
Waterways
Marikina River is the main waterway in Marikina and the
main transportation is river ferries. Sto. Niño Ferry Station are
under construction, and once completed, it will provide more
efficient transportation for commuters, while Riverbanks
Ferry Station still abandoned.
Marikina Health Office is a center of health services in the city
and responsible for providing healthcare services as well as
planning and implementation of the health care programs
provided by the city government. It operates health centers
and lying-in clinics of each barangays to provide basic medical
services in the community. Local government provides free
medical and dental missions, health seminars and check-ups,
proper disposal and hygiene training, special services for
senior citizens, pregnant women and children, and other free
medical operations. It also has a privilege card that offers
discount fees and free services such as emergency, medical,
safety and security services.[citation needed]
Amang Rodriguez Medical Center is a public major and
prominent hospital in Marikina as well as its neighboring
cities and towns, while medical centers such as Marikina
Valley Medical Center and St. Anthony Medical Center, are
private major hospitals. Other several city hospitals are found
across the city including Sta. Monica Hospital, St. Vincent
General Hospital, Victoria Hospital, Garcia General Hospital,
Immaculate Concepcion Hospital, and among others.
Safety and security
Fire truck of Rescue 161
Emergency Operation Center
Marikina Rescue 161 is a 24-hour emergency service
responds to all calls within the city for assistance during
emergency situations in 5 minutes. The office also conducts
seminars and trainings on first-aid among its staff to upgrade
skills especially Marikina is vulnerable in calamities like
floods, fire, and earthquakes.
Marikina Police Station is responsible law enforcement, under
the Eastern Police District (EPD) of National Capital Region
Police Office (NCRPO) of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Marikina Fire Department provides fire and emergency
services, under Fire District IV (FD4) known as the Eastern
District Fire of Bureau of Fire Protection National Capital
Region (BFPNCR) of Department of Interior and Local
Government (DILG).
Communications[edit]
Marikina has its own radio station, the Radyo Marikina,
through its Public Information Office, and it considered as the
first local government radio station in the Philippines. Its
frequency is 1674 kHz in Metro Manila and formerly known
as DZBI.
Muntinlupa, officially the City of
Muntinlupa[3] (Filipino: Lungsod ng Muntinlupa) is the
southernmost highly urbanized city of the National Capital
Region (NCR) of the Philippines. According to the 2015
census, it has a population of 504,509. It is classified as a
highly urbanized city.
It is bordered on the north by Taguig; to the northwest
by Parañaque; by Las Piñas to the west; to the southwest
by Bacoor and Dasmariñas; by San Pedro, Laguna and Laguna
de Bay to the east, the largest lake in the country. It is given
the nickname "Emerald City of the Philippines" by the tourism
establishment and also known as the "Gateway
to Calabarzon" as it is the southernmost city of the National
Capital Region.
Muntinlupa is known as the location of the national
insular penitentiary, the New Bilibid Prison, where the
country's most dangerous criminals were incarcerated, as
well as the location of Ayala Alabang Village, one of the
country's biggest and most expensive residential
communities, where many of the wealthy and famous live.
Topography
It is bordered on the north by Taguig; to the northwest
by Parañaque; by Las Piñas to the west; to the southwest by
the cities of Bacoor and Dasmariñas in Cavite; by the city
of San Pedro, Laguna; and by Laguna de Bay to the east, the
largest lake in the country.
Muntinlupa’s terrain is relatively flat to sloping towards the
east along the lake. Gentle rolling hills occupy the western
part of the city, with elevation increasing up to 60 meters and
above towards its southwest portion.
Tectonic Activity
Marikina Valley Fault System' the west segment, known as
the West Valley Fault (WVF) is one of the two major fault
segments of the Valley Fault System which runs through the
cities of Marikina, Pasig and Muntinlupa and moves in a
dominantly dextral strike-slip motion. The West Fault is
capable of producing large scale earthquakes on its active
phases with a magnitude of 7 or higher.
Climate
The dry season rungs through the months of November to
April, while the wet season starts in May and lasts to
November. The wet season reaches its peak in the month of
August. Maximum rainfall in Muntinlupa usually occurs from
the month of June to September. The average annual of
rainfall is 2,014.8 millimeters with a peak of 420.0 millimeters
in July and a low 26.9 millimeters in April. The
highest temperature occurs during the month of April and
May (34 degrees Celsius) while the lowest occurs during the
months of January & February (24 degrees Celsius)
The Philippines, due to its geographical location, is one of the
Asian countries often affected by typhoons. It is located
within the so-called “typhoon belt”. Generally, typhoon
season starts from June and ends in November. However, the
rest of the months are not entirely free of the typhoons since
they are unpredictable in nature and might enter the country
anytime of the year.
Cityscape
Alabang is the business district of the city where the tallest
structures of the city be located. It used to be the location of
Alabang Stock Farm. Land reclamation is also done along
the Laguna Lake for further developments in the city. During
the dry season, the waterlevel in lake subsides exposing the
soil that is then used for farming.
Muntinlupa is governed primarily by the city mayor, the vice
mayor and the city councilors. The mayor acts as the chief
executive of the city while the city councilors act as its
legislative body. The vice mayor, besides taking on mayoral
responsibilities in case of a temporary vacancy, acts as the
presiding officer of the city legislature. The legislative body is
composed of 16 regular members (8 per district) and
representatives from the barangay and the youth council.
The Bureau of Corrections has its headquarters in the New
Bilibid Prison Reservation in Muntinlupa.
"Most Business Friendly City" on 2001, 2002 & 2006 as
awarded by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and
Industry
Muntinlupa is the first city in the Philippines to ban the use of
plastic bags and Styrofoam for packaging. The City
Government encourages to "Bring your own Bag" or "BYOB"
when shopping to reduce the use of plastic bags that would
otherwise clog the waterways.
ISO Certification on Quality Management System or ISO
9001:2000 has initially been acquired on 2004 and is valid for
3 years.[16] Muntinlupa has re-acquired its ISO Certification
on QMS in April 2015, ISO 9001:2008, together with Ospital
ng Muntinlupa and Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa as
certified by BRS Rim of the World Operations, California.
Barangay Alabang, part of the second district of Muntinlupa,
has undergone tremendous growth mainly due to a
development boom in the late 1990s. The development of
two large-scale commercial real estate projects namely;
the Filinvest Corporate City and Ayala Land's Madrigal
Business Park, changed the landscape of Muntinlupa from
what was once vast fields of cow pasture in the late 1980s,
into a supercity that houses new residential, business,
industrial and commercial establishments.
The Muntinlupa "Business One-Stop-Shop" is recognized in
the 2014 World Cities Summit in Singapore in its effectiveness
in reducing the number of steps in acquiring a Business
Permit.
Industry
Northgate Cyberzone is the information technology park
within Filinvest Corporate City in Alabang. The 18.7 hectare,
PEZA registered IT zone is designed, mastered-planned and
built around the needs of technology-based companies
engaged in Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), Knowledge
Process Outsourcing (KPO), education, learning and firm,
software design and multimedia, call centers, e-commerce,
banking and financial services, as well as other IT support
businesses and the like. It is home to Capital One Philippines
Support Services Corp., Convergys Philippines
Corp, HSBC Electronic Data Processing (Philippines), Inc.,
Genpact, Verizon Business and many more.
Kawasaki Motors Philippines Corporation is in charge of
production and distribution of Kawasaki Motors in
the Philippines. KMPC, having been in the country for over 40
years, is hailed today as one of the top manufacturers in the
Philippine motorcycle industry. Amkor Technology is
a semiconductor product packaging and test services
provider. Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines has a plant located
at Tunasan, Muntinlupa. Zuellig Pharma is within the city.
Commerce
Shopping Centers in Muntinlupa include Alabang Town
Center and Ayala Malls South Park owned by Ayala
Malls popular for the people for the citizens of Southern
Manila, Festival Alabang owned and operated by Filinvest
Development Corporationit has an area of 20
hectares, Starmall Alabang (formerly known as Metropolis
Star Alabang), and SM Center Muntinlupa owned by SM
Prime Holdings.
There are multiple car dealerships located in Muntinlupa and
most of them are along the Alabang-Zapote Road in
Alabang. Ford Motors Alabang has a five-floor facility
covering a floor area of nearly 13,000 square meters including
a 2-floor, 23-vehicle showroom and a 4-floor, and an 80-bay
service center. Toyota Alabang also constructed a facility with
a showroom, parts warehouse, office & service facilities in a
5,000 square meter
lot. Audi Alabang, Chevrolet Alabang, Chrysler Alabang, Mitsu
bishi Motors Alabang, Nissan and Suzuki Alabang are also
located within the area, most of which are along the Alabang
- Zapote Road. Still in Alabang-Zapote Road but located in
barangay Ayala Alabang are Hyundai Alabang, Isuzu Alabang
and Honda Alabang.
Navotas (Filipino: Lungsod ng Navotas) is a city in
the Philippines located north of Manila that is known as the
Fishing Capital of the Philippines. The city has the third largest
fish port in Asia and the largest in Southeast Asia. Although it
was established on December 20, 1827, Navotas celebrates
its foundation day every January 16. Navotas became a
highly-urbanized city on June 24, 2007
Topography
Navotas is a coastal town in the northwest part of Metro
Manila. It is a narrow strip of land with an aggregated
shoreline of approximately 4.5 km. In the north, Navotas
shares a common border with the town of Obando, Bulacan,
along Sukol Creek which separates it from Balt. Along the
eastern border runs the Binuangan River, the Daang Cawayan
River, the Dampalit River, the Batasan River, the Navotas
River, the Bangculasi Channel, the Malabon Channel and the
Estero de Maypajo.
It is bordered on the north by Obando, Bulacan along Sukol
Creek; on the south by the city of Manila; on the east by
Daang Binuangan River, Bangkulasi Channel, Malabon
Channel and Estero de Maypajo; and on the west by Manila
Bay.
2015 249,463 +0.03%
Parañaque, officially the City of Parañaque (Tagalog: Lungsod
ng Parañaque; Tagalog pronunciation: [paɾɐˈɲäke̞]), is one of
the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila in
the Philippines. It is bordered to the north by Pasay, to the
northeast by Taguig, to the southeast by Muntinlupa, to the
southwest by Las Piñas, and to the west by Manila Bay.
Like the rest of Metro Manila, Parañaque experiences a
tropical climate with only two distinct seasons, wet (July to
September) and dry (October to June). The city enjoys an
annual rainfall of 1,822 millimetres (71.7 in) and an average
daily maximum temperature of 34.4 °C (93.9 °F).
Parañaque is situated in the southern portion of Metro
Manila. It is subdivided into two distinct districts, each of
which contains eight barangays. District I comprises Baclaran,
Tambo, Don Galo, Sto. Niño, La Huerta, San Dionisio, Vitalez
and San Isidro, while the District II consists of Barangays BF,
San Antonio, Marcelo Green, Sun Valley, Don Bosco,
Moonwalk, Merville and San Martin de Porres.
2015 665,822 +2.39%
Religion
Most of Parañaque's population are Christians, mainly Roman
Catholic.
Roman Catholic churches in Parañaque are under the
jurisdiction of the Diocese of Parañaque. There are two
National Shrines, the National Shrine of Our Mother of
Perpetual Help (commonly known as the Baclaran Church or
Redemptorist Church) and the National Shrine of Mary Help
of Christians. There are about 20 parishes and 2 sub-parishes.
Other Christian denominations include Iglesia ni
Cristo and Ang Dating Daan. There are also a number of non-
Catholic (primarily Protestant) churches in Parañaque.
El Shaddai is centered in the city.
There is also a minority of Muslims, primarily living on
Baclaran. There are 2 mosques in Parañaque.
Railway
Parañaque is served by the LRT-1 (via Baclaran Station which
is located in Pasay City) and the PNR (via Bicutan station). The
LRT-1 is to be extended to Bacoor. The construction will start
in October 2018 once the Right-of-wayissues are substantially
addressed. The groundbreaking of LRT Line 1 South Extension
Project was held on Thursday, May 4, 2017. The LRT Line 1
South Extension Project will be done in phases. Once the
phase 1 is completed, Parañaque will be served by the LRT-1
(via Redemptorist Station, Manila International Airport
Station, Asia World Station, Ninoy Aquino Station and Dr. A.
Santos Station).
Airport
Parañaque is the location of Terminal 1 of Ninoy Aquino
International Airport, as the airport complex sits on the
Pasay-Parañaque border. It is located along Ninoy Aquino
Avenue and many major international airlines operate flights
from the terminal.
Road network
Parañaque is served by a network of expressways and arterial
roads.
Expressways, like Manila-Cavite Expressway, and Metro
Manila Skyway connects the city with the rest of Metro
Manila and Calabarzon. The at-grade portion of Metro Manila
Skyway in Parañaque has two service roads, namely the West
Service Road and East Service Road, which both serves the
communities and businesses lying near the expressway.
The NAIA Expressway is the airport expressway that
connects NAIA Terminal 1, Manila-Cavite Expressway, Metro
Manila Skyway and also the Entertainment City under
development on the reclaimed area.
Dr. Santos Avenue (formerly Sucat Road), Roxas
Boulevard, Doña Soledad Avenue and Elpidio Quirino
Avenue functions as the city's principal arterial roads. Carlos
P. Garcia Avenue (C-5 South Extension), which has been
involved in land ownership controversies involving then
Senator Manny Villar, and C-6 Road, which is proposed to be
an expressway, serves as secondary arterial roads.
BF Homes Parañaque is served also by a network of arterial
roads, serving residential and commercial areas within it.
Pasay, officially Pasay City (Filipino: Lungsod ng Pasay), is a
city in Metro Manila, the National Capital Region of
the Philippines. It is bordered to the north by the City of
Manila, Makati to the northeast, Taguig to the east,
and Parañaque to the south. Due to its location just south of
the City of Manila, Pasay quickly became an urban town
during the American colonial period.
Pasay City covers a total land area of 18.64 square kilometres
(7.20 sq mi), making it the third smallest political subdivision
in the National Capital Region and fourth in the whole
country. It borders City of Manila to the north, Parañaque to
the south, Makati and Taguig to the northeast, and Manila
Bay to the west. The city can be divided into three distinct
areas: the city's urban area with an area of 5.505 square
kilometres (2.125 sq mi); the Civil Aeronautics Administration
(CAA) complex, which include the Ninoy Aquino International
Airport (NAIA) and the Villamor Airbase, with an area of 9.5
square kilometres (3.7 sq mi); and the reclaimed land from
Manila Bay with an area of 4.00 square kilometres
(1.54 sq mi).
Pasay is composed of seven districts, subdivided into 20
zones, with a total of 201 barangays. The barangays do not
have names but are only designated with sequential
numbers. The largest zone, with an area of 5.10 square
kilometres (1.97 sq mi), is Zone 19, which covers barangays
178 and 191. The smallest zone with an area of 10 hectares
(25 acres) is Zone 1, covering Barangays 1 to 3 and 14 to 17.
2015 416,522 +1.12%
Philippine Airlines is headquartered in the Philippine National
Bank Financial Center beside the World Trade Center Manila
in Pasay City.[15] Spirit of Manila Airlines has its headquarters
in Roxas Sea Front Garden in Pasay City.[16]PAL Express, Cebu
Pacific, Air Juan, Interisland Airlines have their headquarters
on the grounds of Ninoy Aquino International Airport and in
Pasay City.[17][18] Oishi (Liwayway), a snack company, also
has its headquarters in Pasay.[19]
National government offices found in Pasay include: Office of
the Vice-President of the Philippines, Senate of the
Philippines, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Civil
Aviation Authority of the Philippines, Civil Aeronautics
Board, Manila International Airport Authority, the Philippine
Department of Trade and Industry's export promotions
agency – the Center for International Trade Expositions and
Missions (CITEM) – located in the International Trade
Complex's Golden Shell Pavilion, and the Overseas Workers
Welfare Administration (OWWA), Office for Transportation
Security (OTS). The main office of the Philippine National
Bank is located in the city.
LBC Express headquarters is located at the Star Cruises Centre
in the Newport Cybertourism Zone of Pasay City.
Pasig is a city in the Philippines. Located along the eastern
border of Metro Manila, Pasig is bordered on the west
by Quezon City and Mandaluyong; to the north by Marikina;
to the south by Makati, Pateros, and Taguig; and to the east
by Antipolo, the municipality of Cainta and Taytay in the
province of Rizal.
A formerly rural settlement, Pasig is primarily residential and
industrial, but has been becoming increasingly commercial in
recent years, particularly after the construction of the Ortigas
Center business district in its west. The city is also the see of
the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pasig, making its
cathedral (formerly the Immaculate Conception Cathedral) a
landmark built around the same time as the town's
foundation in 1573.
Pasig was formerly part of Rizal province before the
formation of Metro Manila, the National Capital Region of the
country. The seat of government of Rizal was hosted in Pasig
at the old Rizal Provincial Capitol until a new capitol was
opened in Antipolo, within Rizal's jurisdiction in
2009. However it remains the de jure, or official capital of the
province.
2015 755,300 +2.31%
Religion
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Pasig was established in 2003
by Pope John Paul II as the diocese of the Catholic Church in
the Philippines, with the Immaculate Conception Parish (Pasig
Cathedral) as the seat.
Pasig is the headquarters of the Presbyterian Church of the
Philippines.
This city is also served by Santolan Station of LRT-2 along
Marcos Highway located in Pasig-Marikina Boundary where
the depot is also located.
Long before the Manila Light Rail Transit System finally
opened its services in Santolan in the Pasig-Marikina border
in the early 2000s, Steam train services had once served
those places in the past, even before World War II.
In Marikina, there is a street named "Daangbakal", also called
by the names of "Shoe Avenue Extension", "Munding
Avenue" and "Bagong Silang". There is also a similar
"Daangbakal" in the San Mateo-Montalban (Rodriguez) area,
and on the maps one can notice that the two roads should
have been connected with each other. In fact, as the name
suggests in Tagalog, these streets were once a single railway
line. The two sides of the "Daangbakal" roads were once
connected by a bridge in the San Mateo-Marikina border.
However, as the railroad tracks have been largely ignored
after the Japanese cccupation and was transformed into
separate highways, the railway connection was abandoned.
The old railroad tracks, called the Marikina Line, was
connected from Tutuban station in Manila, passing through
Tramo (Brgy. Rosario, Pasig) coming all the way to the town
of Marikina up to Montalban. On the northern end of the
"Daangbakal" road in Montablan is a basketball court. That
basketball court which stands today, surrounded by the
Montalban Catholic Church and Cemetery, was once the
railway station terminus of that particular line.
The present-day Santo Niño Elementary School in Marikina
was said to be a train depot. And also it was said that a
railroad station once stood in the Marikina City Sports Park.
The Marikina Line was completed in 1906, and continued its
operation until 1936. It was said that the Imperial Japanese
Army made use of this railway line during the Second World
War. These railways were dismantled during the 1960s and
were converted into ordinary roads.
Today, the citizens are dependent on Tricycles, Jeepneys,
Taxis, FX, Buses, and AUV's which contribute to the everyday
unusual and unbearable traffic of Metropolitan Manila. Even
now, there is uncertainty in the Northrail project, which links
Manila to the northern provinces of Luzon, because of
corruption within the project's construction.
Aside from the Marikina Line, two other railways have existed
before but are now removed permanently.
First is the Cavite Line, which passed
through Paco, Parañaque, Bacoor and up to Naic, Cavite.
Completed in 1908, its operation continued until 1936.
Second is the Antipolo Line, which passed through Santa
Mesa, Mandaluyong, Pasig, Cainta, Taytay, up to Antipolo
near the "Hinulugang Taktak" Falls. There is also a street
named "Daangbakal" in Antipolo, where like the
"Daangbakal" roads on Marikina and San Mateo, a railway
line once existed. The railroad tracks also passed through
what is now the Ortigas Avenue Extension. Its operation
ceased in 1917.
Bridges
Pasig is accessed by Pasig River and Marikina River. The city
has only ten bridges:
C-5 Bridge – spans Pasig River
Manalo Bridge – spans Marikina River
Rosario Bridge – spans Marikina River
Sandoval Bridge – spans Marikina River
Santa Rosa De Lima Bridge – spans Marikina River
Julia Vargas Bridge (parallel bridges)- spans Marikina River
Bambang Bridge – spans Napindan Channel
Napindan Bridge – spans Napindan Channel
Kalawaan Bridge – spans Pasig River
Ortigas Bridge - spans Manggahan Floodway
Manggahan Bridge (Daan Pasig Bridge)- spans Manggahan
Floodway
F B Legaspi Bridge - spans Manggahan Floodway
Butting - Sumilang Bridge - spans Pasig River
Quezon City (/ˈkeɪzɒn/ KAY-zon;[5] Filipino: Lungsod
Quezon, Tagalog pronunciation: [luŋˈsod
ˈkɛːson]; Spanish: Ciudad Quezon [sjuˈðað ˈkeson]; also
known as QC or Kyusi) is the most populous city in
the Philippines. It was founded by and named after Manuel L.
Quezon, the 2nd President of the Philippines, to
replace Manila as the national capital. The city eventually
became the capital of the Philippines from 1948 until 1976.
It is the largest city in terms of population and land area
in Metro Manila, the National Capital Region of
the Philippines. Quezon City is not located in and should not
be confused with Quezon Province, which was also named
after the president.
Quezon City hosts a number of government offices, the most
important of which are the Batasang Pambansa Complex (the
seat of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of
the Philippine Congress), and the Quezon City Reception
House (the current seat of the Vice President of the
Philippines).[7] Quezon City also serves as home to
the University of the Philippines Diliman—the national
university—and Ateneo de Manila University.
The Quezon Memorial Circle is a national
park and shrine located in Quezon City. The park is an ellipse
bounded by the Elliptical Road. Its main feature is
a mausoleum containing the remains of President Quezon
and his wife, First Lady Aurora Quezon.