To show that Makati City is not just the country's business hub but also a center of culture and the arts, the city government held an on-the-spot painting contest aimed at showcasing the artistic talents of its citizens.
Dubbed as "Makati Art Kombat," the painting contest was held at Plaza Cristo Rey in Barangay Poblacion and was attended by Makati City Mayor Abby Binay and her husband, Rep. Luis Campos.
Jose Angelo Saromo of Barangay Guadalupe Viejo bagged the 1st place in the contest and received a trophy and P20,000 cash prize from the city government.
Darlito Jocson Jr. of Barangay San Antonio and Breanna Sasha Aw of Barangay Dasmariñas were declared 2nd place and 3rd place winners, respectively. Jocson received a trophy and P15,000 cash price while Aw received a trophy and P10,000.
The other participants were given certificates and prizes.
The painting contest was one of the city's initiatives in promoting the rich history, culture, and arts Makati has to offer.
On Sept. 27, the city government launched its newest tourism-oriented service to the public that aims to increase the number of people visiting the city’s tourist spots.
The MakaTurismo website launch was held at the Museo ng Makati in Poblacion and was spearheaded by Rep. Campos. He also led the ribbon cutting of the new tourist information center in the facility.
According to the city government, MakaTurismo was created to attract the public and tourists to visit the city and establishments that have been designated as heritage sites.
To know more about Makati City’s tourist destinations, visit www.makaturismo.ph. The site also offers recommendations for accommodation, and free walking tours, Tuesday to Sunday, to the St. Alphonsus Mary de Liguori Church-Garden Way of the Cross, Central Business District, Poblacion Heritage Sites, Salcedo Community Market, and Legazpi Sunday Market.
Last July, the city government and the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) launched the historical marker placed at the Museo ng Makati where the Presidencia of San Pedro Macati was previously located.
Mayor Binay and National Museum of the Philippines Director-General Jeremy Barns led the unveiling of the marker in Barangay Poblacion.
The Old Presidencia was built in the 1930s and served as a town hall until 1961. In 1990, then Mayor and former Vice President Jejomar Binay converted the Old Presidencia into a local museum.
In 2019, the NMP declared the Old Presidencia as an “Important Cultural Property” for its cultural, artistic, and historical significance to the country.
Today, the Museo ng Makati houses different archeological artifacts, earthenware, rare photographs, dioramas, and murals depicting the rich history of Makati City.
According to Binay, there are five more structures in the city that have been declared as Important Cultural Properties by the NMP. These are the:
1. Church Complex of San Pedro y San Pablo (St. Peter and Paul Church Complex) located in Poblacion
2. Church Complex of Nuestra Señora de Gracia in Guadalupe Viejo
3. Ermita de San Nicolas de Tolentino in West Rembo
4. Passenger Terminal and Control Tower of the old Nielson Airport
5. Makati Stock Exchange Building by National Artist Leandro Locsin in Bel-Air
Binay said they will also erect historical markers in these areas for the public to easily recognize their cultural, artistic, and historical significance in the city and the Philippines.
The mayor explained that aside from the sites’ recognition from NMP, the city government has already passed an ordinance protecting and maintaining these historical sites.
Under City Ordinance No. 2019-A-094, the Makati Built Heritage Ordinance, the four historical sites, aside from the Makati Stock Exchange building, have already been declared as “locally significant” by the city government.