About Makati City

taken from Makati City Government Website

Consider the fact that Makati, although existent before the coming of the Spaniards, was officially founded in 1670 - as a visita of Sta. Ana de Sapa under the jurisdiction of the Franciscans. But at that time it was a swampland, practically a wilderness, and so eventually it was dismissed by Juan Miguel de Legazpi as worthless in 1571.

Yet over the centuries, this small community would leave large imprints in social, economic and cultural history. 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, drawing pilgrims from all over the country.

Today, from a distance, at ground level, the skyscrapers of Makati are an impressive sight. But the view is even more spectacular from a plane or a helicopter. The dramatic change came about when the Ayala Family, one of prominent and most influential business tycoons in the country, invested in developing the area towards the close of the 20^th century. At the moment, it enjoys the distinction of being the country’s Central Business District, which is interlaced with plush hotels, food chains, elite condominiums, and multinational headquarters. As it is home to the the influential Makati Business Club and the Philippine Stock Exchange in Ayala Avenue, the city is often called the Wall Street of the Philippines.