Years ago, the Urban Roamer has talked about the neighborhood along Paz M. Guanzon Street, the former Otis Street in Manila’s Pandacan/Paco area, and the sights that can be seen there: the auto dealers, the Robinsons mall, the Mapua Malayan High School, and Malacañang South. However, embarrassing as it may be, it seems the Urban Roamer forgot to write what is perhaps the most well-known landmark in this part of the city, the old Coca-Cola bottling plant. But it may have a stroke of luck as well as the old plant went through some significant developments and was transformed into a retail site of a membership superstore chain called Landers. With…
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Up and About at Uptown Bonifacio
With the core of the commercial district of Fort Bonifacio (AKA the Bonifacio Global City) now almost fully developed, development activities have started to go beyond the core and pretty much develop every corner of the vast former military complex. For developer Megaworld, it concentrated on developing the northern part of Fort Bonifacio into one of their townships called Uptown Bonifacio. At this time of writing, development is in full swing as residential and commercial buildings are being built in the area. But if there is one thing going for it, it’s that it will directly benefit with the planned bridge that will connect Fort Bonifacio to Ortigas Center, which…
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The Messy Saga of the Mile Long-Sunvar Complex
If there is one piece of real estate in the metropolis that can be considered the most controversial of all, at least controversial enough to merit national attention, it would be that stretch of land from Dela Rosa Street up to Arnaiz Avenue (the former Pasay Road) in Makati, known as the Mile Long-Sunvar complex. It is a controversy that had all the elements of a thrilling drama: a lengthy litigation, a struggle between government and a prominent business clan who also happens to own the country’s leading newspaper, and a dogged determination of a president who just hates this family’s guts. But for us to understand the controversy, it…
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A reflection on my 8th year
Eight years ago today, I started this humble venture out of a great deal of interest and passion to write about the metropolis I was born and raised in. Normally I would reminisce at this time as to how far this venture has come, with so much happening in the blogging realm and in my personal life, let me also take this opportunity to be in a more reflective mood, to the say the least. Thus, I can’t help but look back to where I was 8 years ago. At that time, I was wandering aimlessly in the blogosphere, having started and eventually abandoned 2 blogs as the passion to…
