official name	City of Makati
native name	''Lungsod ng Makati''
settlement type	Highly-urbanized City
image seal	Ph_seal_ncr_makati.png
seal size	120px
nickname	The Financial Capital of the Philippines, the Wall Street of the Phils.
motto	''Makati, Mahalin Natin, Atin Ito''
map caption	Map of Metro Manila showing the location of Makati City
pushpin map	Philippines
pushpin map caption	Map of the Philippines showing the location of Makati City
coordinates display	inline,title
subdivision type	Country
subdivision name	Philippines
subdivision type1	Province
subdivision name1	Rizal
subdivision type2	Region
subdivision name2	National Capital Region
subdivision type3	Districts
subdivision name3	1st and 2nd districts of Makati City
subdivision type4	Barangays
subdivision name4	33
established title	Settled
established date	1670
established title2	Cityhood
established date2	January 2, 1995
government type	Mayor–council government
leader title	Mayor
leader name	Jejomar Erwin S. Binay, Jr. (PDP-Laban)
Leader title1	Vice Mayor
Leader name1	Romulo V. Peña, Jr. (Independent)
Leader title2	Makati City Council
Leader name2
unit pref	Metric
area total km2	27.36
elevation m	15.4
population total	510383
population as of	2007
population density km2	18654
timezone1	PST
utc offset1	+8
postal code type	ZIP code
postal code	1200 to 1299
area code	2
website
footnotes	}}

The City of Makati (pronounced ; ), in the Philippines, is one of the 17 cities that make up Metro Manila, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. Makati is the financial center of the Philippines and one of the major financial, commercial and economic hubs in Asia. As the host of various embassies, it is also an important center for international affairs.

With a population of 510,383, Makati is the 16th largest city in the country and ranked as the 44th most densely populated city in the world with 18,654 inhabitants per km.

Makati was founded by Spaniard Miguel López de Legazpi, who dismissed Makati as a worthless swamp. According to folklore, Legazpi asked for the name of the place but, because of the language barrier, was misinterpreted by the natives. Pointing to the receding tide of Pasig River, the natives answered, “''Makati, kumakati na'',” literally meaning ebbing tide.

Makati became the financial center of the Philippines during the 1950s. Many districts and landmarks in the city have become well known to outsiders. Makati has been iconified as the "Financial Capital of the Philippines". Anchored by Ayala Avenue, Makati is the financial capital of the Philippines and is the home of the Philippine Stock Exchange and the Makati Business Club, one of the most important economic hubs in the Philippines.

Makati is noted for its highly cosmopolitan culture, also being a major cultural and entertainment hub in Metro Manila. Many expatriates live and work in the city. Makati is home to many world class and first-class shopping malls, such as Ayala Center and Rockwell Center, first-class hotels like InterContinental Manila, The Peninsula Manila, and the Shangri-La Hotel Makati, and the tallest buildings in the Philippines like PBCom Tower, G.T. International Tower. Although the city is the economic capital of the Philippines, it faces internal tensions owing to the wealth gap between residents, workers in and visitors to the newer part of city in the west, which contains the central business/financial district, and residents of the older part in the east, which is largely poor and where most of the slums are located.

History

Founding

It was Miguel López de Legazpi, the founder of Manila and first Governor-General of the Philippines, who first spotted the area in the year 1578, which he dismissed then as a worthless swamp. Legazpi asked the name of the place but, because of the language barrier, was misinterpreted by the natives. Pointing to the receding tide of Pasig River, the natives answered, “Makati, kumakati na” meaning “ebbing tide.” From that point until 1898, it became a “visita” or district of Santa Ana de Sapa under the jurisdiction of a Franciscan priest named Pedro de Alfaro. Makati was then known as San Pedro Macati in honor of its patron saint. In this community, the friars established two of the earliest churches in the Philippines — the Nuestra Señora de Gracia in Guadalupe and the Church of Sts. Peter and Paul — in Makati, which attracted the faithful from all over the country.

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 land south of Pasig River, including the town of San Pedro de Macati, down to Alabang a U.S. Military Reservation; thus establishing Fort McKinley which now widely known as the Fort Bonifacio. That same year, the whole town, with a population of 25,000, was incorporated from Manila to the province of Rizal. In February 28, 1914, the The Philippine Legislature passed Act 2390, shortening the name San Pedro de Macati to simply Makati. In 1930s, the first airport in Luzon, Nielsen Field, opened in what is now the Ayala Triangle.

Post-World War II

Urbanization

After the World War II, the town grew rapidly, and the real estate property boomed. The first centrally planned communities were established in the 1950s with the help and support of the Ayala family, and since the 1970s, Makati has been the undisputed financial and commercial capital, the once worthless swampland becoming prime real property. Its role as the nation's financial capital could be traced to these years.

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 town.

In 1980s, Makati has also figured prominently in the political history of the Filipino. The community was one of the cradles of the revolt against Spanish colonial rule, and following the assassination of Ninoy Aquino in 1983, the epicenter of the protest movement against the dictatorship of President Ferdinand E. Marcos, which known historically as the People Power Revolution. 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 probably 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.

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.

By the start of the 21st century, the city was once again highlighted in media due to the political revolt against the government of then-president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. In July 27, 2003, the so-called Oakwood Mutiny was staged at the Oakwood Hotel by the Magdalo soldiers.

An accidental methane gas explosion ripped apart a section of the Glorietta Mall occurred on October 19, 2007 at 1:30 PM, killing 11 people.

In a continuation of events stemming from the Oakwood Mutiny, 25 Magdalo officers led by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim overtook the Manila Peninsula Hotel on November 29, 2007 in what has been referred to as the Manila Pen Siege.

Geography and Landmarks

Makati City 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 City, on the northeast by Pasig City, on the southeast by the municipality of Pateros and Taguig City, on the northwest by the City of Manila, and on the southwest by Pasay City. Makati has a total land area of 27.36 square kilometers; it constitutes 4.3% of Metro Manila's total land area.

At the center of the city is the central business district (CBD) cum financial district where many companies and corporations in the Philippines have their offices or headquarters. This is where many of the country's tallest skyscrapers are located. The Makati skyline is one of the most impressive sights in Metro Manila.

Two of Metro Manila's main arteries pass through Makati. The Epifanio De los Santos Avenue (EDSA) pass along the southeast part of Makati and connects the city with Mandaluyong City and Pasay City. The South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) runs through the western part of Makati and connects the city with Manila to the north and with southern Metro Manila. The Skyway, an elevated highway built on top of SLEX, provides residents coming from southern Metro Manila a fast way to reach Makati. SLEX and EDSA intersect at the Magallanes Interchange, which is the most complex system of elevated roadways in Metro Manila.

Other major roads in Makati include Gil Puyat Avenue, also called by its former name Buendia Avenue, which connects EDSA and SLEX in the north; Ayala Avenue, an important street that runs through the central business/financial district; and Makati Avenue, which connects Ayala Avenue with Buendia Avenue, also extending north to cross the Pasig River to Mandaluyong City. At the center of Makati is the Ayala Triangle, a park built on the former Nielsen Air Base. The orientation of the main roads in the center of Makati, clearly not forming a standard grid as in many new cities, makes perfect sense as soon as you understand that Paseo de Roxas was Nielsen Field runway 07/25 and Ayala Avenue was runway 12/30, pretty much the same orientations as the present-day airport's runways, 06/24 and 13/31.

Climate

Under the Köppen climate classification system, the city of Makati features a tropical monsoon climate. Together with the rest of the Philippines, Makati City lies entirely within the tropics. Its proximity to the equator means that the temperature range is very small, rarely going lower than and going higher than . 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.

Demographics

Makati City includes a population of 510,383 residents, based on the 2007 Census and 567,349, according to 2010 Census (includes disputed barangays). Makati ranks ninth in population size within Metro Manila municipalities. This figure represents an increase of 95,970 over the 2000 Census figure. Makati is additionally rated as the 42nd most densely populated city in the world, with roughly 7,200 residents per square mile. This includes a grand total of 104,000 households, with an average size of 4.5 people per household. In the last century, Makati has experienced considerable growth. Its population is now over 190 times what it was in the early 1900s, with the 1903 Census estimated the population at only 2,700 residents.

The vernacular language is Filipino, based mostly on the Tagalog of surrounding areas, and this Manila form of speaking Tagalog (greatly mixed with words from other Philippine languages, as well as American English and Spanish) has essentially become the lingua franca of the Philippines, having spread throughout the archipelago through mass media and entertainment. Meanwhile, English is the language most widely used in education and business throughout the Metro Manila region. A number of older residents can still speak basic Spanish, which was a mandatory subject in the curriculum of Philippine universities and colleges, and many children or descendants of Chinese, European (especially Spanish), Middle Eastern, Indian, Latin American, or other migrants or expatriates also speak their parents' languages at home, aside from English and/or Filipino for everyday use.

At present, possibly the most famous among these native-born children of foreign expatriates, at least in the United States, is current National Football League star Tim Tebow, whose parents were American missionaries in the Philippines in the 1980s.

88.9% of Makati City residents identified their religious affiliation as Roman Catholic. Other religions include: Protestant, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Judaism.

Even though Makati City's population is somewhat more than 500,000 during the day the population is believed to be over 1,000,000 because of the numbers of individuals who go to the city to work, play and shop, particularly in the financial district.

Economy

The financial district is where most of Makati's financial resources are concentrated. This is an informal district bounded by EDSA, Gil Puyat Ave., Antonio Arnaiz Avenue/Pasay Road, and Chino Roces Avenue. It mainly encompasses Legazpi Village, Salcedo Village, Ayala Center, and parts of Bel-Air. Much of the area is owned by Ayala Land, Inc and administered through Makati Commercial Estates Authority (MACEA), its subsidiary. The Makati CBD is considered to be one of the most vibrant commercial districts in Southeast Asia and is considered to be a major metropolis affecting world economies.

The Ayala Triangle is a sub-district of the Makati central business district, 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 make their home on the triangle, noted by the many skyscrapers bounding the Triangle. Many exclusive and/or expensive stores make their home there. Ayala Avenue and Paseo de Roxas also house the distinction of being the runways of the former Nielson Field, Metro Manila's main airport in the 1930s.

The fifty tallest skyscrapers in the Philippines (inc. two structures) are located in Metro Manila like the PBCom Tower and G.T. International Tower. The skyscrapers of Metro Manila are, for the most part, clustered in many locations although three areas are distinct for having the largest clusters in the metropolis. The first and biggest is the Makati Business District, followed by the Ortigas Center Business District in Pasig. The newest to rise is the Bonifacio Global City Business District in Taguig. PBCom Tower along Ayala Avenue is the country's tallest building, reaching up 259 meters. It is the headquarters of the Philippine Bank of Communications, or PBCom. One of the trading floors of the Philippine Stock Exchange is housed in Ayala Tower One and at the old Makati Stock Exchange Building, both also along Ayala Avenue.

The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), the country's oldest bank, has its headquarters at the corner of Ayala Avenue and Paseo de Roxas. Other companies that have their offices and country/regional headquarters within Makati City, most within the CBD, include Manulife Financial, Thomson Reuters, Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank), IBM, Procter & Gamble, Citibank, Ayala Corporation, Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), Metrobank, Intel Philippines, Microsoft Philippines, Nestlé, Syngenta, Shell, Startek International Ltd. Convergys Corporation, Commonwealth Insurance Company (CIC), Polltraxx Music Group Philippines, Aegis PeopleSupport, Inc. (APS), Pan Pacific Computer Center, Inc. (PPCC), Colgate-Palmolive Philippines, Inc., Holcim Philippines, CEMEX Philippines and JG Summit, Accenture.

Rufino Pacific Tower or more commonly known as Rufino Tower or Rufino Plaza is an office skyscraper and is one of the tallest in the Philippines. It remains as the tallest steel-framed building in the country.[1][2] It has a ground to architectural top height of 161 metres (528.22 feet), which is the basis of measuring tall buildings.[3] Counting its 8-storey radio tower, the building has a total height of 200 metres (656.17 feet). It has a total of 41 stories above ground level, including a 10 storey podium which is actually the original building, the old V.A. Rufino Building, and was modified to be the podium of the new tower.

The Philippine Bank of Communications Tower, more commonly known as PBCom Tower, is an office skyscraper that currently holds the title, since 2000, of the tallest building in the Philippines. It has a total ground to architectural top height of 259 metres (850 ft), with 52 storeys [8] including an 8-level radio tower. It is a joint development of Filinvest Asia Corporation (FAC) and the Philippine Bank of Communications (PBCom

The Enterprise Center Tower 1 is an office skyscraper located in Makati City, Philippines. It is owned and developed by KSA Realty Corporation, a joint venture between the Kuok Group (majority shareholder), ING, and A. Soriano Corporation (ANSCOR)

Hewlett Packard's main Philippines office and an HP service center are in Makati City. Asiana Airlines operates a sales office on the sixth floor of the Salcedo Tower in Makati City. In 1975 Philippine Airlines was headquartered in the PAL Building in Makati City.

The Gramercy Residences, also known as The Gramercy Residences at Century City, is a high-end residential supertall condominium being constructed in Makati City, Philippines. It will be the first of several building projects to be built at the new Century City area along Kalayaan Avenue. Upon completion, it will become the Philippines' first supertall building, and will also be the highest, surpassing the current title holder, the 259-meter PBCom Tower, also located in Makati City.[6]

The building takes its name from Gramercy Park, a fenced-in private park in one of Manhattan, New York City's prestigious neighborhoods.[3] Originally planned to be a 65-storey building, it was announced to have 73 floors above ground with a total height of 302 meters (990.8 feet) from ground to its architectural top. The height and number of floors are still subject to possible increase upon announcement by its developer, Century City Development Corporation. As of January 11, 2011, the Gramercy Residences is topped out reaching the 73rd floor.[7]

Shopping centers

Makati city is home to several world class and first-class shopping malls like Glorietta, Greenbelt, Rockwell Center and Power Plant Mall. Ayala Center, along EDSA and Ayala Avenue is the most known commercial center in the city. Developed by the Ayala Corporation, it contains two shopping malls, Glorietta and Greenbelt, five star hotels, and an office building. The larger of the two shopping malls is Glorietta, which itself is a cluster of malls. Rising from Glorietta 4 is the Ascott Tower (formerly Oakwood Premier), a luxurious hotel-apartment residence at the heart of the center. Along the periphery of Glorietta are three department stores: SM Department Store Makati, Rustan's, and the Landmark.

Across Makati Avenue from Glorietta is Greenbelt. This is one of the most sophisticated, modern, and expensive malls in the country. Greenbelt features dozens of coffee stores and restaurants, all overlooking a well-landscaped green park at the center where a domed It is owned by Ayala Malls, a real-estate subsidiary of Ayala Land, which is an affiliate of Ayala Corporation. It opened in the 1980s and it is one of Ayala Corporation's flagship projects. The mall offers a mix of high-end retail shops, restaurants, amenities, leisure and entertainment in the Philippines. Currently, the mall has five sections, two are indoor buildings and the other two buildings are open-air shopping. The most recent addition, Greenbelt 5, opened in 2007.

Catholic chapel dominates the skyline. Greenbelt has some of the world's most famous upscale boutiques such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Hermes, Calvin Klein, Bottega Veneta and many more. Other hotels in the vicinity of Ayala Center are the Makati Shangri-la Hotel, the Manila Peninsula, the Dusit Thani Group, the Hotel Intercontinental Manila, and Renaissance Makati City Hotel. Soon to rise is the Raffles Residences Manila, now under construction at the corner of Makati Avenue and Arnaiz Avenue.

Rockwell Center is the other first-class shopping center in Makati. Rockwell features the large Power Plant Mall popular with expatriates. At the periphery of the center are many high-class residential condominium towers, the Asian Eye Institute, and the Ateneo de Manila Professional Schools main campus, which houses the Ateneo Law School, the Ateneo Graduate School of Business, and the Ateneo School of Government.

Glorietta is a large shopping mall in the Ayala Center, Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines. The mall is owned by the Zobel de Ayala family and its holding company, Ayala Corporation.The mall is divided into five sections (named Glorietta 1–5) and contains many shops and restaurants, as well as cinemas, a gym, arcades and a large central activity centre at its heart often used to stage special events. Glorietta 1-4 is integrated with the nearby Greenbelt Mall, SM Makati, Rustan's Makati and The Landmark, an older department store. Glorietta 5 is fully detached, located in front of Hotel Intercontinental Manila and beside Rustan's Department Store, as part of the Ayala Land's plan of redeveloping the complex. The tenants affected by the October 19, 2007 explosion will be given an option to relocate there.[1]

Housing and residences

Many of the country's richest and wealthiest families live in North and South Forbes Park, originally developed in 1948, and Dasmariñas Village, first developed in the 1960s, on the other side of EDSA from the central business district. Other well-to-do people live in San Lorenzo Village, Urdaneta Village, San Antonio Village, Bel-Air Village, San Miguel Village and Magallanes Village. These "villages" are not rural settlements, but gated communities. Many wealthy and middle-class Makati residents live in high-rise condominiums in Salcedo Village and Legazpi Village, two mixed-use zones located in the heart of the CBD. Most of the average residents of the city live in the city's periphery, especially in the eastern portions of Cembo, Rizal, East and West Rembo, Pembo, Comembo, South Cembo, and Pitogo.

The Stratford Residences, also known as The Stratford Residences @ Picar Place, is a supertall building that will rise in Makati City, Philippines. The building is a project by newcomer developer Picar Development Inc., a subsidiary of the AMA Group. Originally planned to be a mixed hotel and residential building, it is now planned to be a first class residential condominium tower

The Residences at Greenbelt - Manila Tower is a residential condominium skyscraper under construction in Makati City, Philippines. It is the third of three buildings being constructed as part of The Residences at Greenbelt (TRAG) complex, and has a similar dimension to the already completed The Residences at Greenbelt - Laguna Tower. It is expected to be one of the tallest skyscraper in the Philippines with a height of 170.75 metres from the ground to its architectural top[5], with 48 floors above ground.

Education

Makati City is home to the Asian Institute of Management (AIM). AIM, located along Paseo de Roxas across Greenbelt began as a collaborative project of the Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University. The Ateneo Professional Schools, a unit of the Ateneo de Manila University has facilities in Rockwell Center and Salcedo Village. The Rockwell campus houses the Ateneo Law School, the Ateneo Graduate School of Business, and the Ateneo School of Government. The Salcedo campus houses the Ateneo Information Technology Institute. De La Salle University's Professional Schools operates in RCBC Tower along Ayala Avenue. The Mapua Institute of Technology on Gil Puyat Avenue is an extension of Mapua in Intramuros, Manila. The Centro Escolar University in Mendiola, Manila extended their campus in Gil Puyat Avenue in 2005. It houses the science courses and the CEU School of Law and Jurisprudence which opened in S.Y. 2009–2010. CEU opened another unit in Legazpi Village in 2007 which houses the non-science courses and the Dental Facility for Dentistry (Proper) students.DLSU is identified by the Philippine Commission on Higher Education (CHED) as a "Center of Excellence" in six of its programs, and a "Center of Development" in the same number of programs.[19] The university is also among the 40 institutions granted autonomous status by CHED as of 2010.[20] Likewise, it is the first of the only two institutions granted the highest-level accreditation (Level IV) by the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU)

Other notable colleges and Universities in Makati are the Asian Seminary of Christian Ministries (ASCM), Don Bosco Technical Institute, Makati, Assumption College, Colegio San Agustin, Makati Hope Christian School, Saint Paul College of Makati, Our Lady of Guadalupe Minor Seminary, Asia Pacific College,International Academy of Management and Economics (I.AME)and the University of Makati. Assumption College, in San Lorenzo Village, is an all-female college. The University of Makati (former name: ''Pamantasan ng Makati'') is a university run by the city government. Also in the city are the Makati Science High School and Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino High School, both city-run high schools. Remedios Trinidad Romualdez Memorial Schools, named after Doña Remedios Romualdez, the mother of the former first-lady Imelda Romualdez-Marcos a private nursing school owned by of one of Makati's renowned hospitals, Makati Medical Center.

Educations and Universities

ABE International Business College

AMA Computer College

Asia Pacific College

Asian Institute of Management (AIM)

Asian Seminary of Christian Ministries (ASCM)

Assumption College

Ateneo Professional Schools

Bangkal High School

Benigno "Ninoy" S. Aquino High School

Bethany Baptist Academy Makati

Centro Escolar University Makati

Colegio San Agustin

Colegio de Sta. Rosa

De La Salle-Professional Schools, Inc.

Don Bosco Technical Institute, Makati

First Academy of Computer Arts

Far Eastern University – Makati Business School

Fortridge Asian School (Formerly M.A.Montessori)

Fort Bonifacio High School

General Pio del Pilar National High School

Guadalupe Catholic School

International Academy of Management and Economics (I.AME)

Information and Communications Technology Academy

Lyceum of the Philippines College of Law

Rolf Jost Information Technologie Institute

Makati High School

Hope Christian School

Makati Medical Center College of Nursing (Formerly RTRMS-Makati Medical Center)

Makati Science High School

Mapúa Institute of Technology

M.A. Montessori School Inc.

Maranatha Christian Academy of Makati

Our Lady of Guadalupe Minor Seminary

Pitogo High School

St. Augustine School of Nursing

San Carlos Seminary

Colegio De Santa Rosa Makati

Saint Paul College of Makati

Saint Mary of the Woods School

San Antonio National High School

San Isidro National High School

STI Makati

Think & Try Learning Center

Tibagan High School

University of Makati

Informatics Computer Institute of Makati

Culture and sports

The Sta. Ana Racetrack, which is actually already a part of the City of Manila, beside Pasig River in the northern part of the city, is one of the two centers of horseracing in the country—the other being the San Lazaro Leisure Park in Carmona, Cavite. 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 amidst the lush greenery of the city. The Manila Polo Club counts among its polo enthusiasts some of the country's wealthiest people. The Makati Sports Club in Salcedo Village is another popular place for sports people. The Makati Coliseum is another famous sports landmark in the city, where some of the biggest sports gatherings are held.

Ayala Museum is an art and history museum located at the corner of Makati Avenue and De la Rosa Street in Makati City, Metro Manila, the Philippines. It is considered one of the most important private institutions of Philippine art and culture.

The Ayala Center also features, aside from its shopping malls, the Ayala Museum. This museum is most noted for its series of dioramas depicting major events in Philippine history, from the Battle of Mactan to the People Power Revolution.

Makati has many Spanish-era churches, such as the Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Nuestra Señora de Gracia (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.

At the northern part of the city is the 25-hectare Manila South Cemetery. Every All Saints Day, thousands of people flock to the cemetery to pay their respects to their deceased loved ones.

Transportation

Land

Two of Metro Manila's main arteries pass through Makati. The Epifanio De los Santos Avenue (EDSA) pass along the southeast part of Makati and connects the city with Mandaluyong City and Pasay City. The South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) runs through the western part of Makati and connects the city with Manila to the north and with southern Metro Manila. The Skyway, an elevated highway built on top of SLEX, provides residents coming from southern Metro Manila a fast way to reach Makati. SLEX and EDSA intersect at the Magallanes Interchange, which is the most complex system of elevated roadways in Metro Manila.

Buses plying the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA/C-4) route from Baclaran in Parañaque to Quezon City and Caloocan City 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 Metro Rail Transit (MRT-3) on EDSA has four stations located in Makati: Guadalupe, Buendia, Ayala and Magallanes. The Philippine National Railways meanwhile has three stations: Buendia, Pasay Road and EDSA.

Other major roads in Makati include Buendia Avenue, also called Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, which connects EDSA and SLEX in the north; Ayala Avenue, an important street that runs through the central business/financial district; and Makati Avenue, which connects Ayala Avenue with Buendia Avenue, also extending north to cross the Pasig River to Mandaluyong City. At the center of Makati is the Ayala Triangle, a park built on the former Nielsen Air Base.

Bodies of Water

The Pasig River is located on the North of this city. The Pasig River Ferry Service has 2 stations. The following stations are Guadalupe and Valenzuela.

Government

Like other cities in the Philippines, Makati City is governed by a Mayor and Vice Mayor who are elected to three-year terms. The Mayor is the executive head and leads the city's departments in executing the city ordinances and improving public services.The current mayor for the 2010–2013 term is Jejomar Erwin S. Binay, the only son of former Mayor and now Vice President Jejomar Binay. The city mayor is restricted to three consecutive terms, totaling nine years, although a mayor can be elected again after an interruption of one term. Romulo “Kid” Peña is the city's incumbent vice-mayor. The Vice Mayor heads a legislative council consisting of 18 members: 8 Councilors from the First District, 8 Councilors from the Second District, the President of the Sangguniang Kabataan (Youth Council) Federation, representing the youth sector, and the President of the Association of Barangay Chairmen (ABC) as barangay sectoral representative. The council is in charge of creating the city's policies in the form of Ordinances and Resolutions. Current district representatives of the city are Monique Yazmin Q. Lagdameo, representing the 1st district and Mar-len Abigail S. Binay, daughter of Jejomar Binay, for the 2nd district.

Makati City, being a part of the Metro Manila region, has its mayor in the Metro Manila Council headed by the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA). This council formulates development plans that seeks to solve the problems and improve the conditions in the metropolis.

Makati city is divided into 33 barangays (the smallest local government units) which handles governance in a much smaller area. These barangays are grouped into two congressional districts where each district is represented by a congressman in the country's House of Representatives. Congressional District I occupies the western and modern half of the city, while District II covers the poorer half.

Seal of Makati City

The official seal of Makati City depicts a silhouette of the territory of Makati. At the bottom is the Pasig River, located on the northern border of the city. The Guadalupe Church stands on the river and is the oldest church in Makati; a reference to Spanish influence. Behind the church rises the skyscrapers for which Makati City is well-known. Behind the skyscrapers are 33 rays representing the barangays of Makati. These barangays are grouped into two congressional districts, with each district represented by a congressman in the House of Representatives. Congressional District I occupies the western and modern half of the city, while District II covers the older half.

Boundary Dispute

Recently, Makati City and Taguig have fought over the jurisdiction of Fort Bonifacio. This Philippine military base, most of which has been converted to a modern commercial and residential development area, lies in an ambiguous area. A portion of the base, including the Libingan ng mga Bayani (Cemetery for the Heroes) and the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial lies within Taguig, while the northern portion where the development center is now located used to be considered part of Makati. A 2003 ruling by a judge in the Pasig Regional Trial Court has upheld the jurisdiction of Taguig over the whole of Fort Bonifacio, including the Fort Bonfacio Global City.

On the ruling of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2008 per Leonardo Quisumbing, dismissed the suit of the Makati City, seeking to nullify Special Patents 3595 and 3596 signed by Fidel Ramos conveying to the Bases Conversion and Development Authority public land in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City. Because of a pending civil case filed by the Taguig City government asking the court to define its territorial boundaries, Makati therefore cannot stop Taguig from collecting taxes on land located in Fort Bonifacio. Taguig City is a big threat to Makati City where round-the-clock construction of office and residential towers, as well as hotels and retail and commercial areas, BPO and Call Centers are now transferring to Taguig City.

City council (2010–2013)

! Position	! Name
Mayor	Jejomar Erwin S. Binay Jr.
Vice Mayor	Romulo V. Pena, Jr.
! colspan=2
	Monique Q. Lagdameo
	Virgilio V. Hilario, Sr.
Maria Concepcion Yabut
Arnold C. Magpantay
Manuel Monsour Del Rosario III
Tosca Camille Puno-Ramos
Romeo C. Medina.
Marie Alethea Casal-Uy
! colspan=2
	Atty. Mar-len Abigail S. Binay
	Nemesio Yabut, Jr.
Mary Ruth Tolentino
Ma. Theresa Nillo de Lara
Henry Jacome
Leonardo Magpantay
Salvador Pangilinan
Nelson Pasia
Vincent Sese
Sangguniang Kabataan Federation President	Karis Israelle S. Cruzado
President of the Liga ng mga Barangay	Dra. Arlene Ortega

Diplomatic missions

Countries that have set up permanent missions or offices in the city include:

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Sister cities

Makati's sister city is Los Angeles, California. Makati is also twinned with Ramapo, New York and Vladivostok, Russia. Cluj-Napoca, Romania Los Angeles, California, United States Ramapo, New York, United States Vladivostok, Russia Bayugan City Santa Cruz, Laguna Luisiana, Laguna Cabanatuan City Calamba City Dumaguete City Iligan City Iloilo City Mati City Ozamiz City Tagum City San Antonio, Zambales Santa Rosa City Biñan City Lucena City Catbalogan City Lebak, Sultan Kudarat Batac City Taichung, Taiwan

References

See also

List of renamed cities and municipalities in the Philippines

External links

MakatiCity.com

Makati Rooms Accommodation in Makati, Philippines

KABEETmaps.com (Interactive Mapping System)

rentinmakati.com Office Space Rentals in the Philippine Financial District

Category:Business Districts of the Philippines Category:Cities in the Philippines Category:Populated places established in 1670 Category:Financial districts

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