Makati City 101: Ten (10) Fun Facts and Trivia About Makati City

This three-part series aims to give insight about all the basic things you need to know about Makati, Philippines – the facts, fun things you can do here and some of its historical and tourist attractions. First up, top ten (10) trivia you may or may not know about the city.

1. Financial district center of the Philippines. This is where you’ll find the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE). As a host of 55 embassies, Makati City is an important center for international affairs as well.

2. Used to be called San Pedro de Macati. The place was known as San Pedro de Macati during the Spanish era. “Makati” originated from the Tagalog word “kati” which means tide. This primarily refers to the rise and ebb of the tide of Pasig River which is one of the major rivers in the country. The tidal estuary is actually situated on its northern border.

3. Municipality to City. It became independent in 1670 as a full-time municipality and was converted to a highly urbanized city through Republic Act 7854 on January 2, 1995. It has around 113,500 households with an average household size of 4.5.

4. Home of the world’s largest photo mosaic. Having 34,560 photos, local toothpaste maker Close Up put up the structure which reportedly surpassed the previous record held by UK.

5. Google HQ. On January 23, 2013, the search giant officially announced the opening of its fifth representative office in the South Asian region. The PH base will be located in Makati.

6. One of Asia’s Top Building. The 33-storey Zuellig Building, positioned at the intersection of Makati Ave and Paseo de Roxas, has been chosen as one of the top three buildings in the “Best Office and Business Development” category of the internationally renowned MIPIM Asia Awards. This is the first high-rise project in the Philippines awarded with a gold pre-certification under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (Core and Shell) program of the US Green Building Council.

7. Guinness World Record’s Biggest Fashion Show. On November 29, 2012, the city hosted a record-breaking fashion show dubbed “Move to the Vibe of Glorietta” where 2,255 professional and amateur models walked the five ramps. Brands showcased include Bench, Penshoppe, Stores Specialists Inc., Mango, Folded & Hung and Lacoste.

8. One of the world’s best hotels. Makati Shangri-la made it to the best 500 hotels for 2013 by New York-based travel magazine Travel+Leisure. As one of the most recommended travel destination in the Philippines, Makati Shangri-la got a rating of 88.97. This is the latest award gathered by the 5-star hotel.

9. First large-scale “lifestyle playground” in PH. On January 15, 2013, the 21-hectare Circuit Makati was unveiled as the first and only large-scale development in the country hosting three distinct family-oriented entertainment venues. It will feature Circuit Theatre which is seen to provide a different sensory experience through state-of-the-art audio and visual entertainment; Central Walkway that will cross the entire length of the district, highlighted by a distinct water feature flanked by an array of retail and leisure shops; and Globe Circuit Events Ground, which will be an outdoor venue for street plays, festivals, fashion shows and outdoor exhibits.

10. First Local Milk Bank in PH. On March 5, 2013, the Makati City government formally opened the first milk bank to be run by a local government in the country. Mothers who wish to donate milk can just walk in. A donor can produce up to 600 ml each in one milk-letting session. If properly stored, the donated milk can have a shelf life of up to a year.

On the next post, check out the fun things you can do in Makati City.