Bonifacio Global City
Bonifacio Global City is a financial and lifestyle district in Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines. It is located south-east of the center of Manila. The district experienced commercial growth following the sale of military land by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority. The entire district used to be the part of the main Philippine Army camp.
It is under the administration of the city government of Taguig although the local governments of Makati and Pateros also claim jurisdiction.
On February 7, 1995, Bonifacio Land Development Corporation started planning a major urban development—Bonifacio Global City. BLDC made a successful bid to become BCDA's partner in the development of the district. The Ayala Corporation through Ayala Land, Inc., and Evergreen Holdings, Inc. of the Campos Group purchased a controlling stake in BLDC from Metro Pacific in 2003. BCDA and the two companies now control Fort Bonifacio Development Corporation, which oversees the master planning of Bonifacio Global City.
History
During the American colonial period, the US government acquired a 25.78 square kilometre property within what was then disputed area between Makati, Taguig and Pateros for military purposes. This area was turned into a camp then known as Fort William McKinley after the 25th US president, William McKinley. After the Philippines gained its political independence from the United States on July 4, 1946, the US bestowed to the Republic of the Philippines all rights of possession, jurisdiction, supervision and control over the Philippine territory except the use of their military bases. On May 14, 1949, Fort McKinley was turned over to the Philippine government by virtue of US Embassy Note No. 0570.Under the AFP leadership of Gen. Alfonso Arellano, Fort McKinley was made the permanent headquarters of the Philippine Army in 1957 and was subsequently renamed Fort Bonifacio, after the Father of the Philippine Revolution against Spain, Andres Bonifacio, whose father, Santiago Bonifacio, was a native of Taguig.
On December 9, 1937 the Deed of Absolute sale executed by the owner, Don Anacleto Madrigal Acopiado in favor of the American Government covering the area of 100 hectares, portion of Bicutan, Taguig, annotated at the back of TCT No. 408. During the American Commonwealth, it was converted to a Military base, named Fort McKinley. It was during the presidency of the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos' administration when Fort McKinley was renamed Fort Bonifacio and transferred to Makati. Taguig got the jurisdiction over Fort Bonifacio after winning the case against Makati in filed in the Pasig Regional Trial Court in 1993. Makati appealed the ruling, but the Pasig RTC in 2011 still sided with Taguig, saying that Fort Bonifacio including the -EMBO Baranggays are all part of Taguig. Makati then asked the Court of Appeals to review the case. The Court of Appeals overturned the Pasig Regional Trial Court's decision and reverted jurisdiction of the BGC in favor of Makati. Taguig has filed a Motion of Reconsideration at the Court of Appeals seeking to revert the decision.
The newest Court of Appeals Resolution promulgated on October 3, 2017. In a 18-page resolution promulgated on March 8 penned by Associate Justice Edwin Sorongon and was concurred by Justices Ramon Cruz and Renato Franciso, the CA's Special Former Sixth Division granted Taguig's motion to dismiss citing Makati's violation of the forum shopping rule and accordingly dismissed the latter's appeal of the earlier decision of the Pasig City Regional Trial Court which originally ruled in favor of Taguig.
The CA took notice of the Supreme Court's decision on June 15, 2016 which found Makati guilty of “willful and deliberate forum shopping.”
“However, the Supreme Court has not spoken. Ineluctably, we must adhere. The issue of whether Makati committed willful and deliberate forum shopping in these cases has been finally laid to rest no less than by the Supreme Court,” the CA said in a ruling. With this development, the rightful owner of the former military reservation is Taguig.
On February 7, 1995, Bonifacio Land Development Corporation, a consortium led by Metro Pacific, made a successful bid to become BCDA's partner in the development of Bonifacio Global City. Ayala Land, Inc. and Evergreen Holdings, Inc. of the Campos Group purchased a controlling stake in BLDC from Metro Pacific in 2003. BCDA and the two companies control Fort Bonifacio Development Corporation, which oversees the master planning of Bonifacio Global City. The Bonifacio Global City is a rich district with a high number of skyscrapers, even as the city is still rising. Many skyscrapers are under construction and will be built in future.
Description
Bonifacio Global City is between EDSA and C-5 Road. There are seven major access points: access from the North and West through Kalayaan Avenue which connects it to the North Gate and the Kalayaan Flyover, access from Taguig in the West via EDSA through McKinley Road and to the McKinley Gate; the three main entrances from C-5 highway in the East; and from the airport through the Villamor Airbase to the South Gate by Fifth Avenue and Lawton Avenue.BGC is home to residential condominiums such as 8 Forbes Town Road, Bellagio, Essensa, Serendra, Pacific Plaza Towers, One McKinley Place, The Luxe Residences, Bonifacio Ridge Twin Towers, and Regent Parkway and corporate office buildings such as Net One and Bonifacio Technology Center. Many Filipino and multinational corporations have acquired properties and have committed to relocate their global, regional or national headquarters in the business district.
Corporate headquarters
Local and Foreign companies have main offices and country office branches serving the CBD, with some companies moving in from the Makati Central Business District, such as Air Juan, Alveo Land, Aspen Pharmacare, AstraZeneca, Bank of China, Bench, Bonifacio Transport Corporation, Christian Dior, Citylink Coach Services, Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines, CTBC Bank, Del Monte Foods, EastWest Bank, Facebook, Filinvest Development Corporation, Google Philippines, Globe Telecom, HSBC, ING Group, Infor, Isuzu Philippines, Japan Tobacco, JPMorgan Chase, Maybank, Megaworld Corporation, Menarini, Migo, Nickel Asia Corporation, Nissan Motor Philippines, NutriAsia, Obayashi Corporation, Orbis International, Philam Life Prudential plc, Samsonite, Sandvik, Siam Cement Group, Splash Corporation, Sun Life Financial, Thomson Reuters, TM, Transnational eGlobal, Unilever Philippines and Zendesk, with some Business process outsourcing offices including Accenture, Cognizant, Telus, Infosys, as well as other BPOs.The Philippine Stock Exchange also moved its headquarters in the CBD, as its unified headquarters.
Developments
Bonifacio High Street
The Bonifacio High Street forms the physical core of the Bonifacio Global City and is essentially designed as a three-by-three matrix of high-tech offices and residential buildings, retail outlets and pedestrian-friendly roads and walkways. The grid approach ensures a city center that is easy to navigate. The 5th and 11th Avenues and 32nd and 26th Streets serve as the boundaries of the city center.At the north, The One Bonifacio High Street, Where the PSE Tower, which houses the unified trading floor of the Philippine Stock Exchange, along with the Shangri-La at the Fort, Manila and Ascott Bonifacio Global City Manila is also located here.
The Retail Promenade which encompasses the 29th Street is characterized by landscaped areas. Its design concept is centered on an east–west central access with business establishments and activity pods. It offers retail at the ground level and offices at the second floor. The City Square Blocks feature landscaped areas and parks.
North Bonifacio
The P20-billion tower was estimated to start construction by late 2008, by Federal Land, Inc., on a 27-hectare North Bonifacio district lot. The tower is the 65-storey Grand Hyatt Manila which currently is one of the tallest skyscrapers in Metro Manila, beside that is the Grand Hyatt Manila Residences.Forbes Town Center
The Forbes Town Center is Megaworld's 5-hectare township community, where 8 Forbestown Road, Forbeswood Heights, Forbeswood Parklane and Bellagio condominiums are. It has a combination of low density residential development, shopping strip, dining outlets, and other service facilities.Uptown Bonifacio
Uptown Bonifacio is a new 15-hectare property located in the northern district of Fort Bonifacio. The Megaworld Corporation plans to build new residential condominiums and mixed-use business and commercial developments in the area that cater to upper to middle class markets. The area is near the zone where the British, Japanese, and American international schools, and other local schools are located.Health and education
operates a hospital at the Bonifacio Global City.BGC has several major educational institutions, mostly located at the University Parkway district. The University of the Philippines System and De La Salle University are two most prominent universities which offer graduate programs for professionals working in the district. Other educational institutions in the area include the Leaders International Christian School of Manila, British School Manila, International School Manila, Manila Japanese School, Korean International School Philippines, Everest Academy Manila, STI College, MGC-New Life Christian Academy - Global City, Treston International College, and Enderun Colleges.
Transport
maintains bus routes serving the business district, as well as Jeepneys and UV Express, with a terminal located at the Market! Market!The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board has launched new rationalized bus routes to the business district in June 2020, from Buendia/Gil Puyat, SM North EDSA, and FTI. All buses will be stationed at the Market!Market! terminal.
The Bonfacio Global City is also located near the Line 3 Buendia Station, and will be served by the future Line 9.