Makati Central Business District

Daytime View at Makati Central Business District

Makati is the largest Central Business District for Metro Manila (there are 7 in the metro). Almost 500k people reside in an area just over 10 sq. miles in size, with commuters swelling the daytime population to over 1 million.

The country’s first airport was located at what is now the center of Makati; the commercial development spawned by the airport eventually overtook the airport itself. The two runways and the tarmac that belonged to the airport now comprise the 3 major boulevards in Makati (Roxas, Makati, and Ayala). The airport passenger terminal and tower were saved and converted into a museum, an anachronism in the midst of office buildings, shopping centers, condos and hotels.

Makati has a unique visual vibe in the metro (and Pacific Asia for that matter), with less of the pre-war Spanish/Chinese influences found elsewhere (Binondo, Intramuros), and a more American feel (imagine Honolulu on steroids).