Ortigas: Metro’s bustling mini city
Ortigas Center’s accessibility makes it even more attractive to investors and locators.
From being a barren land decades ago, the area located within the boundaries of Pasig, Mandaluyong and Quezon City has become a bustling, comprehensive “mini city” now known as Ortigas central business district (CBD) or Ortigas Center.
Ortigas Center, which is considered as one of Metro Manila’s two original CBDs, is currently home to commercial complexes, upscale residences, technological zones as well as local and multinational companies. Also nearby are hospitals, prestigious schools, and posh villages.
History of Ortigas
From being a barren land decades ago, Ortigas Center is now a bustling, comprehensive “mini city”. / ALYSSA CASTOR
Ortigas Center traces its roots to the Hacienda de Mandaloyon spanning 4,033 hectares, which originally formed part of the estate holdings of the Augustinian Order. Big parcels were sold while some portions, including the Ortigas Center, were developed by the Ortigas family.
During the ’60s, it started to become a financial center, first with the Chronicle Building (now known as Benpres), followed by the Meralco building, and then the Asian Development Bank complex.
The business district, which runs from Ortigas Avenue to Shaw Boulevard, houses the historic site of Edsa Revolution, where the Lady of Edsa Shrine and Robinsons Galleria now stand. Built as a memorial of the People Power Revolution in February 1986, the Shrine of Mary Queen of Peace (Our Lady of Edsa) was formally consecrated on Dec. 15, 1989.
Robinsons Galleria had within its complex its flagship five-level shopping mall which houses over 500 local and international shops, dining outlets and service centers; two high-rise office towers, namely Galleria Corporate Center and the Robinsons-Equitable Tower; deluxe hotels Holiday Inn Galleria Manila and Crowne Galleria Manila; and Galleria Regency.
Growth of Ortigas Center
The Shrine of Mary Queen of Peace (Our Lady of Edsa) was formally consecrated on Dec. 15, 1989. / EDSASHRINE.ORG
After Edsa, several developments were built in the area, such as SM Megamall and Edsa Shangri-La. SM Megamall is one of the pioneer shopping malls established by Henry Sy Sr. in 1991 when he started the malling phenomenon in the ’90s. Edsa Shangri-La, meanwhile, was the first of the five Shangri-La hotels and resorts in the country. It has a total of 631 rooms and suites, and six international restaurants and bars.
In 2022, SM Prime Holdings Inc. enhanced the landscape of the Ortigas CBD with the launch of its tallest structure in its portfolio to-date, the 50-story Mega Tower located in the SM Megamall Complex.
Ortigas Land, formerly Ortigas and Co., is meanwhile responsible for several upscale residential and commercial developments within and near the CBD including Greenhills subdivisions, Greenhills Shopping Center, Valle Verde subdivisions, Greenmeadows and the Tiendesitas shopping complex at Frontera Verde, now rebranded as Ortigas East.
Within the CBD will also rise Ortigas Land’s latest project, The Galleon, which is a mixed-use complex that seamlessly combines office, retail and residential facilities. Located along ADB Avenue, it has a 39-story office tower, a retail center, and an upscale 51-story residential tower.
Improved accessibility
Ortigas is now home to commercial complexes, premium offices, and technological zones. / SM OFFICES
What makes Ortigas Center even more attractive is its accessibility, which is being further enhanced by existing and upcoming infrastructure projects.
In September 2021, the Department of Public Works and Highways opened the 1.48-kilometer Bonifacio Global City (BGC)-Ortigas Center Road Link Project, which reduced travel time between the two districts to only 12 minutes. There’s also the Sta. Monica-Lawton Bridge, which was opened in June 2021.
Infrastructure projects that are set to further spur the growth of businesses in the area and help maximize its potential for economic expansion include the Metro Manila Subway and its two proposed stations within Ortigas Center, and the planned 15.56-km MRT 4, which will run along Ortigas Avenue and Ortigas Avenue Extension.
