While the current talk in global affairs is about the conflict of Syria and the possible involvement of the US and whoever of its allies willing to join, Metro Manila is seeing a conflict of its own too as two highly-urbanized cities and a small municipality are engaged in all-out war of sorts for the control of the most disputed territory in the country right now, the almost 730-hectare territory which was once part of a vast military complex known as Fort Bonifacio. The battle for the control of this former military base turned into a bustling commercial and business district has been subject of a long ligation that has…
-
-
SM in the BGC: the Aura Premier mall
I suppose it was inevitable, But in a way, it is also a sign as to how far has development come to the Fort Bonifacio commercial-business district, the Bonifacio Global City in particular, whether it was for the good or otherwise. Nothing can emphasize this point more than seeing one day that retail giant SM has set foot in this bustling district, unlikely as it may be in the first place. It was not really a smooth sailing for this mall, a result of a complicated history regarding the land it was built on. Originally, the land was a donation of the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) and its private…
-
Gone Korean at the Korean Cultural Center
Cultural institutions are normally associated with a country’s traditional arts and culture and the documentations and studies about them. Or at least a place where can learn foreign languages. While it is important for one to learn and understand the arts and culture of these countries as a way to promote harmony, it is also understandable that there would be those who will find places like these as too “stiff” and “high-brow” for them to take and catering more to scholars than to regular folks who wish to know more about other cultures. Then there is the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines, which is considered to be one of…
-
The Mercatos of the Metro
There are a number of food/weekend markets out there in the metro these days. Some may say this growing presence is bordering on oversaturation, while others do not seem to mind that. Especially if they have something different to offer for a discriminating palate. Then there are a few that stand out thanks to longevity and loyal patronage among a growing fanbase. Out of that few, there are those that have stood up well enough to establish by itself a growing network of food markets in the metropolis. Such is the success story of Mercato Centrale.