With a population of 529,039, Makati is the 16th-largest city in the country and ranked as the 41st most densely populated city in the world with 19,336 inhabitants per square kilometer.

Makati became the financial center of the Philippines during the 1960s. It is home to the Philippine Stock Exchange and the Makati Business Club.

Makati is notable for its exceptionally multicultural lifestyle, as a significant center for intercontinental matters and for its reputation as a major entertainment center in the metropolis.  The city is also known for its cosmopolitan culture because of its major shopping centers, condominiums, financial hubs, hotels, and entertainment hubs, which are located around the city.

Etymology

According to tradition, the first Governor-General of the Philippines Miguel López de Legazpi, while exploring a swamp near the Pasig River, asked for the name of the place but, because of the language barrier, was misinterpreted by the Tagalog people. Pointing to the receding tide of Pasig River, the Tagalogs answered, “Makati, kumakati na,” literally meaning ebbing tide.

History

The city started out as part of the wide municipality of Santa Ana de Sapa (part of Manila today) 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) and of Saints Peter and Paul in what is today the city proper, built by the friar orders to attract the faithful, and also as a farming community. It became independent in 1670 as a full-time municipality, then named San Pedro de Macati in honor of St. Peter, its patron. The town was also from the 18th century onward famous for its pottery industry.
American occupation

By 1898, Spain ceded the Philippines to the United States after the former’s defeat in the Spanish-American War. In 1901, the Americans declared the whole area south of the Pasig River, including the town of San Pedro de Macati, down to Barangay Ayala Alabang, a US military reservation; thus establishing Fort McKinley, which is currently known as Fort Bonifacio. That same year, the whole town, with a population of 25,000, was incorporated from Manila to the province of Rizal with Marcelino Magsaysay serving as the town president. As the 1910s approached the Meralco tranvia lines to Fort McKinley and to the western end of the town were built, opening transport lines for its residents and thus brought along potential investors who opened several businesses including the famous Sta. Ana Cabaret at the terminus of the streetcar lines. In February 28, 1914, the The Philippine Legislature passed Act 2390, shortening the name San Pedro de Macati to simply Makati. In the 1930s, the first airport in Luzon island, Nielsen Field, opened in what is now the Ayala Triangle, and the tracks of what is now the Philippine National Railways reached the town very early in the decade. Also opened during that period was the modern Sta. Ana Park, the nation’s second horse racing facility.
Post-World War II

Even through the town was damaged in the midst of the Second World War its people rose from the devastation to build its destiny as the financial and commercial center of the nation.

Urbanization

After World War II, the town grew rapidly, and real estate values boomed. The first centrally planned communities (in what is now Barangays Forbes Park, Urdaneta, San Lorenzo and Bel-Air) were established in the 1950s with the help and support of the Ayala family, and since the late 1960s, Makati has been the undisputed financial and commercial capital of the country especially during the terms of town mayors Maximo Estrella, Rafael Bañola, Jose Luciano and Nemesio Yabut who encouraged the massive development of the town and welcomed foreign and local investors to what was tagged as the nation’s no.1 municipality at that time. Makati’s location also made it an industrial hub for major corporations.

In 1975, Makati was separated from Rizal province along with Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Quezon City, Marikina, San Juan, Pasig, Mandaluyong, Pateros, Taguig, Pasay City, Parañaque, Las Piñas, and Muntinlupa, to become part of the National Capital Region as a component city.

In the 1980s, Makati has also figured prominently in the political history of the Filipinos. The community was one of the cradles of Filipino passive resistance against Spanish colonial rule in the 1890s and the Philippine Revolution that resulted (Barangay Pío del Pilar is named after the namesake hero who was born in Makati in what was then Culi-Culi village). And following the assassination of Ninoy Aquino in 1983, it became the epicenter of the protest movement against the dictatorship of President Ferdinand E. Marcos, the resulting climax which known historically as the People Power Revolution would happen only several years after the Confetti Revolution events of 1983-84 held in the central business district. After the revolution and the downfall of the Marcos’ 20-year presidential regime, Corazon C. Aquino, the wife of the deceased senator Aquino, became the new and first female president of the Republic of the Philippines and Asia. After the death of Mayor Nemesio Yabut during the People Power Revolution, she appointed Jejomar Binay as the acting mayor of the town of Makati and was elected as mayor in 1987. His first term as the town executive would see the events of the 1989 coup attempt happen right in the town’s business district and would witness the building of the first skyscrapers as the 1990s arrived.

Cityhood

By January 2, 1995, Makati became an independent city by virtue of Republic Act 7854 and in the June 30, 1998, The Lone District of Makati City was separated and divided into 2 districts. Lone district Rep. Joker Arroyo became the representative of the first district, while Senator Agapito Aquino was elected representative of second district. Elenita Binay served for only three years (one term) as the first and only female city mayor so far.

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Forbes Park, together with Dasmariñas Village, et al. form the Makati Inter-Village Association headed by Dasmariñas Village Association (DVA) President Raymund Bryan O. Manaloto.

The Santuario de San Antonio, a Franciscan church, and San Antonio Plaza, a small commercial center, lie between North and South Forbes Park. Meanwhile, the Church of the Holy Trinity, an Anglican-Episcopal Pro-cathedral, is just across the street.

The current president of Forbes Park North is Nasser “The Handsome” Al-Houti, he has been president of Forbes Park North since September 2002.

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Plaza Miranda, in the heart of the Quiapo district, is a town square named after Jose Sandino y Miranda, who served as secretary of the treasury of the Philippines from 1853 to 1863. It is located in front of the Quiapo Church, and has become a popular site of political rallies. On August 21, 1971, while the Liberal Party held their Miting de Avance in the plaza, a bomb exploded, killing nine and injuring almost 100 civilians.

The Quiapo district is also home to a sizable Muslim population in Manila. The Golden Mosque and Green Mosque are located there. A veritable army of fortune tellers and stores offering herbal products surround the Quiapo church. Ongoing sales of pirated goods and thievery are prevalent in the district.

During the American insular government and commonwealth periods until the late 1970s, Quiapo and its surrounding vicinities like Avenida Rizal, Binondo, Santa Cruz, Escolta and the Manila university belt, were the centers of trade, fashion, art, higher learning and activities of the social elites of Manila. However, as the Manila Light Rail Transit System’s Yellow Line was built over Rizal Avenue, smog and vehicle emissions were trapped under the line, leaving the streets below dark, gloomy and promoted an increase in crime and transients, as well as the exodus of many long-time establishments. After the People Power Revolution in 1986, the vibrancy of Quiapo further diminished, with the void being filled with makeshift markets to accommodate visitors to the Quiapo Church.

In recent years, the local government of Manila, spearheaded by then Mayor Lito Atienza, launched the Buhayin ang Maynila (“Revitalize Manila”) project which greatly rehabilitated Quiapo and its vicinities, most especially Plaza Miranda, the Arsenio Lacson Underpass and the University Belt. Parts of Rizal Avenue, starting from Carriedo Street to Claro M. Recto Avenue, were converted into pedestrian shopping arcades.

Quiapo is geographically located at the very center of the city of Manila. It is bounded by Estero de San Miguel to the South, San Miguel to the east, Recto Avenue to the north and Quezon Boulevard to the west.

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Locals to this day still plant rice and vegetables on the terraces, although more and more younger Ifugaos do not find farming appealing, often opting for the more lucrative hospitality industry generated by the Rice Terraces. The result is the gradual erosion of the characteristic “steps”, which need constant reconstruction and care. In 2010 a further problem was drought, with the terraces drying up completely in March of that year.

Tourism

Another thriving economy in the Banaue Rice Terraces is tourism. The Tourism industry has developed a number of activities for visitors which may include the traditional sight seeing of the terraces and visits to the tribes at the foot of the terraces. A Mumbaki (traditional Ifugao witch doctor) is also recommended to visitors, these doctors can perform spiritual healing rituals. Domestic tourism however has gone down over the past few years. A contributing factor to this is the treatment of domestic tourists by the local guides in the area where it has been reported that local guides are more willing to entertain foreign visitors. The Batad Environmental Tour Guides Association (BETGA) in association with the Batad Baranguay authorities are currently laying a concrete track down from the Batad Saddle to the village proper.

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Created by virtue of Act 2711 on 10 March 1917, this island province of Bohol is the 10th largest island of the Philippines. Its people are said to be descendants of the last group of inhabitants of the country called “pintados”, meaning the tattooed ones.

The name Bohol was supposedly derived from the word Bool, the place where a treaty of friendship between two people of different races, culture, religion and civilization occurred in 1565 between Datu Sikatuna, a native chieftain and Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, representing the King of Spain through a blood compact known today as the “Sandugo”. In honor of this occasion, the late Pres. Elpidio Quirino established the Order of Sikatuna, a presidential decoration conferred upon diplomats.

During the Spanish regime, two significant revolts occurred in Bohol. One was the Tamblot Uprising in 1621 led by a native priest or babaylan. The other was the Dagohoy Rebellion, considered as the longest uprising recorded in the annals of Philippine history, led by one Francisco Dagohoy from 1744 lasting until the year 1829. It was also during the Spanish era that Bohol was politically part of Cebu and was called a residencia. It became a separate politico-military province on July 22, 1854 together with the island of Siquijor. In 1879, Bohol was composed only of 34 municipalities with a population of 253,103. The Americans, led by Major Henry Hale of the 44th Infantry Battalion, arrived in Tagbilaran on March 17, 1900. The Japanese also occupied Bohol several years later during World War II. The American forces “liberated” Bohol on April 11, 1945.

Bohol is the home province of the fourth President of the Republic of the Philippines, Carlos Polistico Garcia (1957-1960) who was born in the municipality of Talibon.

The Chocolate Hills

The Chocolate Hills is a famous tourist attraction in Bohol. They are brown in color, hence the term “chocolate hills”. Though at other times, they turn green when the grass start growing. At the end of the dry season, they turn chocolate brown. The approximate number of hills is around 1268. These hills are very uniform in shape, and are mostly between 30 and 50 meters high.

Visit: http://www.bohol.gov.ph/

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Puerto Princesa

History

Folk etymology attributes the name “Puerto Princesa” to a princess-like maiden who in the early days is said to have roamed around the place on certain nights of the year. On the other hand, practical people attribute the name to the geographical advantages of the place as a seaport – naturally protected the whole year round and endowed with a depth that can accommodate any size of shipping – a royal haven for vessels or a virtual princess of ports as thus indicated by Spanish colonizers on the country’s map.

Historically, the place was named after Princess Asunción, born in 1864 to Queen Isabella II and her consort, Francisco de Cádiz. When the princess suffered an untimely death, the Queen changed the name to Puerto de la Princesa. Eventually, the name was reduced to Puerto Princesa as it is known today.

Economy

Puerto Princesa is known as the Eco-Tourism Center of the Philippines. In recent years, the city has seen a remarkable increase in the number of tourists bringing with them trade and businesses for the city. Many hotels ranging from basic to five-star luxury accommodations have been developed since the 1990s to cater to a growing number of foreign and local tourists in the city. There are also a large selection of restaurants, bars, and shops including the recently completed Robinsons Place Palawan shopping mall.

Most tourists come to Puerto Princesa to visit the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park located 50 km north of the city. It was named one of the New7Wonders of Nature. The city is also the jump-off point for exploring the Tubbataha Reef.

Attractions

Puerto Princesa Subterranean River
The most famous landmark of Puerto Princesa, this subterranean river is the longest navigable underground river in the world. It features a limestone karst mountain landscape and many stalactites and stalagmites formations.

Tubbataha Reef
Tubbataha Reef, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, is located 181 km southeast of the city in the Sulu Sea near the town of Cagayancillo. Over 1000 species inhabit the reef; many are already considered as endangered. Animal species found include manta rays, lionfish, sea turtles, clownfish, and sharks.

Honda Bay
Honda Bay contains several islands, including Arrecife Island where the high-end Dos Palmas Resort is located. Several local guides and boatmen offer island-hopping tours in the area, where snorkeling is also a popular activity in Pambato Reef.

Sabang Beach
Located just outside the Undergound River Park, Sabang Beach is a quiet white sand beach lined by several resorts facing the vast West Philippines Sea.

Ugong Rock
A 75-foot limestone formation in the middle of farmlands and karst forests located near the Underground River. Main activities in the site include spelunking and zip line.

Iwahig Penal Farm
A penal colony established in 1904, this prison turned rehabilitation center is a 37-hectare picturesque farm.

Museums

– Palawan Museum: located next to Mendoza Park.
– PSU Museum: located on the campus of Palawan State University.
– Ethnographic Museum: located in the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River Park.
– Special Battalion WWII Memorial Museum: Brgy Bancao-Bancao.
– Heritage Center: Legislative Bldg, Fernandez Street.

Plaza Cuartel
Plaza Cuartel is the restored ruins of an old garrison where Japanese soldiers burned 143 American prisoners of war inside a tunnel and stands as a grim reminder of World War II.

Rizal Avenue
Puerto Princesa’s main commercial strip where one can find various shops, as well as banks, restaurants, and budget inns.

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Tourism

Anilao is popular with divers and snorkelers. The waters surrounding the area are teeming with marine life, plenty of corals and amazing diversity of fishes.

The northwest shore of the Calumpang Peninsula, from Anilao to Bagalangit, is lined with local resorts that cater primarily to local tourists. Although the beach at Anilao is not recommended for swimming, thatched bamboo rafts, rustic cabins and picnic cabanas are available for rental at local resorts. From these resorts, you can also rent a boat for island hopping and visit the diving spots, coves, and islands like the Sombrero and Maricaban islands.

Getting there

With its niche popularity among divers, Anilao is no longer as difficult for visitors to get to as in the past. It is accessible by sea or land. From Manila, one can typically get to Anilao by taking a bus bound for Batangas City (Buendia terminal) and asking the conductor for drop off at the Mabini/Bauan jeepney terminal. By request, a Mabini jeepney driver will then take passengers to the Mabini dock area. From the Mabini docks, visitors can hire a driver to any one of the resorts.

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