Empty isn't always bad

Bonifacio Global City in the City of Taguig is one of the fastest-growing mixed-use land developments in Metro Manila. It still has large tracts of empty land but almost everywhere you look, you'll see high-rise buildings going up. BGC is named such because the land used to be the location of Fort Bonifacio, the home of the Philippine Army. That in turn was named after Andres Bonifacio, one of the leaders of the Philippine revolution against Spanish colonial rule in the late 19th century.

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Ghost runners

THEME DAY: FEET • Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig City is one of the fastest-growing mixed-used upscale land developments in Metro Manila. Running seems to be a popular sport among the residents of BGC's many condominium towers. We were about to end our day at nine o'clock in the evening yet the runners were still out in full force. And all I caught were their disembodied feet.



Run, jog or walk on over to the portal to see how City Daily Photo bloggers are interpreting this month's theme. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants.

The Tent

Here is another view of the still mostly empty lands of Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig City, including part of the parking lot of the posh dining and shopping center that is Bonifacio High Street. Except for the first few buildings constructed in the area soon after much of the army's land was sold to the highest private bidder, almost all the buildings in BGC are high-rises. One of the most notable exceptions is the NBC Tent, which you can see a bit to the right and two blocks away. It's an events venue that can be rented and it really is just a tent, though a large and air-conditioned one. It is most notable for hosting the (more than) monthly Shop@The Fort bazaar organized by Karl Edwards International. I've only gone once but that one trip helped me understand why the bazaar has been around for years. Export over-runs, original, unique and locally-designed clothes and accessories, home-made spreads and baked goods—let's just say that that one trip left a pretty big hole in my purse, and I am both dreading and looking forward to my next Karl Edwards bazaar experience.

Two towers

Looking out the roof deck of Fully Booked in Bonifacio High Street, which has a skylight at the lower level, towards a pair of condominium towers, one done and one still being constructed, in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig City.

Green strip

I've already posted a picture of Bonifacio High Street before, and here's another, this time taken from the roofdeck of Fully Booked. If you enlarge the photo, you can see that large spider of a rock (Reg Yuson's "Specific Gravity") and some of the shopping and dining promenade's other water features. Unlike the other side, this side of Bonifacio Global City is more densely built up. I really hope it doesn't get much worse than this.

A different world

"That's universal—we all want to bring every good thing to our children. But what's not universal is our ability to provide every good thing."

~Melinda Gates, American businesswoman and philanthropist

These are just a few of the high-rise residential condominium towers in Bonifacio Global City. The shorter buildings are restaurants and shops around Burgos Circle, a roundabout with a park in the middle, from where I took this photo. Standing there, it was almost easy to forget that the Philippines is a third world country (or, to be politically correct, a developing country).

Blue glow

The Picadilly Star Corporate Center, a 26-story office building in Bonifacio Global City (BGC), isn't particularly eye-catching during the day, but it is at night, especially when one is looking up.

Sunset colors

"We expect too much of new buildings, and too little of ourselves."

~Jane Jacobs (1916–2006), The Death and Life of Great American Cities

I am not an habitue of Bonifacio Global City so I don't know what these two buildings are, but I found both striking. The top section of the one on the right looks like it can be a museum or a ballroom. But I especially like the one on the left because of the trees on every balcony.

Luxury

A small portion of the lovely shopping and dining promenade that is Bonifacio High Street, looking towards the exclusive condominiums of Serendra, in the fast-developing Bonifacio Global City. BGC is located in the city of Taguig and used to be the home of the Philippine Army, known then as Fort Bonifacio, named after Andres Bonifacio, one of the leaders of the Philippine revolution against Spanish colonial rule in the late 19th century.

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I just discovered today that My Manila was listed as one of 20 Awesome Photography Blogs - Manila, Philippines in ILovePhotoblogs. How cool is that? Of course, when I saw the fantastic photography in the other sites, I felt like a poor relation. So far, there are lists for 15 cities from all over the world. If you look at them, I'm sure you'll recognize some of our CDP blogger friends! And if you have favorite photoblogs, you can tell Rick about them by leaving a comment.

Play

"Men do not quit playing because they grow old;
they grow old because they quit playing."

~Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. (1841–1935)

Part of Arts BGC 2014, this mosaic mural and sculpture installation is in Bonifacio High Street, a high-end retail center in Bonifacio Global City in the City of Taguig. Created by the Mighty Bhutens, a group of artists based in Baguio City, the artwork is titled "Araw + Ulap + Laro = Saya" (Sun + Clouds + Play = Happiness).

In case you were thinking of asking, I have no idea what the group's name means.

See murals from around the world in Monday Mural.

Tug-of-war

Bonifacio High Street has many fantastic restaurants and is, therefore, very popular as an evening destination. Because of this, even the shops stay open late—until midnight, at least.

All these years of blogging, whenever I posted something about Bonifacio Global City (BGC), I identified it as part of Taguig City. Just this August 5, however, the Court of Appeals declared that BGC is part of Makati City. Of course, Taguig can still raise the case to the Supreme Court, and they probably will, with six billion pesos (US$ 137.7 M) in annual revenue at stake. My problem is, will I now tag this post as Makati or Taguig?

Operatic

Those who visit this blog regularly may have noticed by now that I have a thing for restaurant interiors. This is Café Puccini, an Italian restaurant at the Fort Strip in Taguig City's Bonifacio Global City. In this case, it was the stone oven and the golden chandelier that caught my eye. Our shy server didn't quite know where to look when she saw me taking pictures in her direction.

W

"In the kingdom of glass everything is transparent,
and there is no place to hide a dark heart."

~Vera Nazarian, The Perpetual Calendar of Inspiration

The W Fifth Avenue is an office building in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig City built by the W Group and designed by Arquitechtonica.

Serenity

Serendra is a high-end, low-density condominium development of Ayala Land in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City. Even before the condominium towers were finished, Serendra's two-level dining and shopping esplanade—the only part open to the public—had already become popular among Metro Manila's privileged classes. Serendra is much more alive and exciting at night than during the day.

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Yet another call to CDP bloggers! We have a special theme day on January 15: Best Photo of 2009. "Best" is how you define it, however. Also, our February 1 theme is Wood and the March theme poll is up so please vote! And please help spread the word—too few people are voting and we don't know if the themes actually reflect the community's preferences.

Trunk warmers

"Things don't have to be extraordinary to be beautiful;
even the ordinary can be beautiful."

~Matthew in Wicker Park (2004)

As part of Bonifacio Global City's Art BGC 2014, Rags2Riches "rag-bombed" (from yarn bombing) trees all over the development and placed wind chimes on some of them.

Rags2Riches is a social enterprise composed of (mostly) women in poor communities who weave scrap cloth, organic materials and indigenous fabrics into some very lovely and unique bags, pillows and rugs.

American nostalgia

"Remembrance of things past is not necessarily the remembrance of things as they were."

~Marcel Proust (1871–1922), French novelist

A gaudy and lovely Rock-Ola jukebox at the American 1950s diner-themed Johnny Rockets in Bonifacio Global City.

See-through

I've never eaten at Uncle Cheffy, which apparently specializes in brick oven cooking. This is their branch at Burgos Circle in Bonifacio Global City (also known as BGC or The Fort). I just like the transparent awning.

Intertwined

"Art-making is not about telling the truth but making the truth felt."

~Christian Boltanski, French sculptor

Made of recycled stainless steel, "The Trees" by artist Reynato Paz Contreras stands in the middle of the park in the middle of the roundabout that is Burgos Circle in Bonifacio Global City. According to the artist, "The three trunks signify stability. The intertwining branches and leaves create a circular effect to symbolise the 'circle of life.' This sculpture represents the interrelationship of humanity and nature, and the vital role that each one plays. May it remind everyone to preserve the environment not just for today but for the future as well."

New beginnings, part 1

Canadian Geese. The Goose Station (a play on "dégustation" and the fact that the chef-owners love foie gras and feature it in many of their dishes) at Bonifacio Global City, where our college group had a despedida dinner for our dearest Vic and Cecile who have migrated to Canada in search of a better future for their children.

Noah's ark

Welcome to Plet Bolipata-Borlongan's imagiNATION exhibit at the Ateneo de Manila University, where benches similar to yesterday's bathtub loveseat now grace the gardens, flanked by pairs of lacy metal animals accented by crochet and painted soda cans. Plet's wonderland (installed earlier in the year at the Bonifacio Global City), however, was inspired by a serious occurrence: the calamitous floods that the Philippines experiences several times a year because of typhoons. From the artist's notes:

The idea of rain brings me back to the story of Noah and his Ark:

 
Seeing the wickedness of man, God commanded Noah to build an ark, a large vessel that would contain himself, his family and the animals of the world in order to save them from the Great Flood that would destroy as well as cleanse the world. (Genesis, Chapters 6–9)
 

As a nation, we suffer yearly from a deluge of floods as the rain pounds on us. In the conclusion of Noah's story, when the floods subsided and God's anger abated, God promised Noah he would never send a flood again. I'd like my installation to be a reminder that we need not be afraid for God will keep us safe.

imaGINATION is an interpretation of Noah's story. Except, instead of an ark, I use bathtubs which are also vessels. I combine life-size metal doodled animals with mosaic bathtubs. Instead of keeping people and animals afloat on water, they do the opposite and carry water. They serve as basins for cleansing and when unclogged, allow water to escape. The bathtubs are mini-arks that serve several functions: as reminders of how dual water can be—an element of both life and death, and as vehicles which can transport viewers into a world of imagination. The installation also offers solace. By sitting in the bathtubs, viewers are rescued from stress and strain which allow them to fully enjoy and appreciate the preciousness of life.