The many sides of Makati
Makati is where many Filipino dreams take shape. Fast-paced and bustling with activity, the city offers its residents numerous opportunities to succeed.
Beyond its corporate character, Makati is a city rich in history, culture and innovation. With its many unique destinations, this thriving business and commercial hub offers opportunities for those who want to contribute to the nation’s progress.
If you take a moment to stop and sit on a street corner, you may be pleasantly surprised to discover the city’s quieter charms. Its parks are verdant and inviting, while its pedestrian underpasses feature vibrant works of art. Its people come from diverse backgrounds, yet many share a common aspiration to improve their lives and pursue their passions.
What makes Makati an enticing place to live? Let’s take a closer look at the city’s defining features.
The financial center of the country
While numerous CBDs can be found across the Philippines, Makati remains one of the country’s leading centers of commerce and finance.
Since the 1960s, the city has hosted the headquarters of major local and international companies. It remains a preferred address for many businesses and is home to several diplomatic missions, including the embassies of Indonesia, New Zealand and Australia.
Makati City is an attractive place to work because of its diverse commercial districts and neighborhoods. The city is divided into two congressional districts.
The western side includes the Makati CBD, San Lorenzo, Poblacion and Forbes Park. Northeastern Makati, meanwhile, includes Barangays Guadalupe Nuevo, Guadalupe Viejo and Pinagkaisahan. Both areas feature commercial and residential neighborhoods, each with its own distinct character.
The Makati CBD is a prime destination for those seeking employment opportunities and access to commercial establishments.
Poblacion, meanwhile, is considered the city’s historic district, home to heritage sites and the original seat of government. Rockwell Center is another destination worth visiting, particularly for those interested in a masterplanned, upscale community that supports a balanced urban lifestyle.
Salcedo and Legazpi Villages, meanwhile, take on a different character during the weekends. Primarily business districts on weekdays, these neighborhoods become lively destinations for weekend markets and community activities.
The human side of a bustling city
With its dense population and numerous commercial establishments, Makati City may seem overwhelming at first. However, it offers several features that make it attractive to residents and visitors alike.
For one, the city has numerous green spaces. Ayala Triangle Gardens, Legazpi Active Park and Makati Poblacion Park are among the public spaces where visitors can jog, relax with friends or simply enjoy the urban scenery.
Makati City also offers pedestrian-friendly areas, particularly within its CBD, which features elevated walkways, decorated pedestrian underpasses and covered paths connecting popular commercial destinations.
At street level, the city offers a rich dining scene, with numerous bars, restaurants and cafés serving a variety of cuisines. For arts and culture enthusiasts, the Ayala Museum and Yuchengco Museum provide opportunities to explore Philippine history, traditional crafts and numismatics. The CBD’s pedestrian underpasses are also worth visiting for their colorful artwork and murals.
While business activities dominate the weekdays, Makati City takes on a more relaxed atmosphere during weekends.
Sections of Ayala Avenue, Makati Avenue, Paseo de Roxas and Salcedo Village are designated as pedestrian-only areas on scheduled days. These initiatives encourage cycling, jogging and other outdoor activities that promote active lifestyles.
Community activities, including cultural fairs, fitness programs and weekend markets, are also organized regularly. These events bring residents together beyond the workplace and encourage greater community interaction.
The continuous development of infrastructure
Makati continues to reinvent itself through improvements in infrastructure and public facilities.
In recent years, the city has maintained physically protected bike lanes along major roads such as Ayala Avenue. Sidewalks along the Estrella-Ayala section of EDSA have also been upgraded, providing pedestrians and cyclists with more space to travel safely through the city.
Beyond cycling and pedestrian infrastructure, improvements have also been made to public transportation facilities.
One Ayala Terminal accommodates dedicated point-to-point (P2P) bus services and jeepney terminals, providing greater convenience for commuters traveling through the city. A proposal for the Makati Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system has also been discussed. If implemented, the system would use electric buses operating along dedicated lanes to serve major areas of the city.
The evolution of a premier CBD
Makati continues to evolve as improvements are made to address the needs of residents and visitors. Despite the challenges of urbanization, the city continues to adopt sustainable practices and green initiatives aimed at making it more livable.
There is more to Makati than meets the eye. Spend an afternoon exploring its streets and discover the many attractions that make the city an interesting place to live, work and visit.
Photo sources: Jon Manosca, Busalpa Earnest, Sunbellz and Ferdie Balean via Pexels.com
The author is a self-employed architect with more than a decade of experience working with Filipino architectural firms and holds a master’s degree in Interior Design of Commercial Spaces from IED Barcelona, Spain
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