Ortigas City Area Guide

OrtigasCenter, is the second most important commercial and business district (after Makati) in Manila. With an area of at least 100 hectares, the district is located at the boundary of Pasig City, Mandaluyong City, and Quezon City.

It is home to many shopping malls, skyscrapers, and nightlife bars and restaurants. Ortigas Center is home to the St Francis Square/BSA Twin Towers, Asian Development Bank, an Oakwood Premier serviced apartments and a Shangri-La hotel. It is also the headquarters of San Miguel Corporation, Jollibee Foods Corporation, and the Philippine branch of HSBC. It also homes the Banco de Oro main office owned by mall taipan Henry Sy, Sr. Ortigas Center is also the location SM Megamall, which was the largest mall in the country prior to the completion of the SM Mall of Asia.

Ortigas Center is surrounded by the streets of EDSA to the west, Ortigas Avenue to the north, Meralco Avenue to the east, and Shaw Boulevard to the south.

The Ortigas Center area is the new business and commercial activity hub of the greater Metro Manila area or "Manila". With the Philippine Stock Exchange at its center, the area has become a popular home for international companies' offices. The area's proximity to the international airport, and fresher air (compared to Makati), have helped lured businessmen to acquire their business address in Ortigas Center. Ortigas Center covers a small portion of Pasig City, Quezon City, and Mandaluyong City. Nearby are shopping and entertainment venues, and upscale residential havens.

Pasig City, where most of Ortigas Center is a part of, is also known as "The Urban Rainforest".

Origin of "Pasig"
The most convincing theory on the origin of the name comes from the late Dr. Jose Villa Panganiban, linguist, polyglot, professor, and former director of the Institute of National Language, who said that “Pasig” is an old Sanskrit word referring to a “river flowing from one body of water to another” – in the case of Pasig River, from Laguna de Bay to Manila Bay.

Pasig is home to Ortigas Center, the fast growing business, commercial and entertainment district in the Philippines.

Brief History of Pasig
The most convincing theory on the origin of the name comes from the late Dr. Jose Villa Panganiban, linguist, polyglot, professor, and former director of the Institute of National Language, who said that “Pasig” is an old Sanskrit word referring to a “river flowing from one body of water to another” – in the case of Pasig River, from Laguna de Bay to Manila Bay.

Geography of Pasig
Pasig City is approximately 12 km. east-south-east of Manila with a total land area of 3,100 hectares sprawled along the banks of Marikina and Pasig River.

Population of Pasig
The total population was 471,075 as of the 1995 census.

Political Subdivision of Pasig
The city consists of 30 Barangays under one Congressional District. It has been classified as a Highly Urbanized City.

The EDSA-Ortigas-QC Residential District

While residential condominiums are available in the Ortigas Center and Eastwood City, Libis, private residential subdivisions in the area include: Acropolis Greens, Libis, QC; Corinthian Gardens, QC; Greenmeadows Subdivision, QC; Valle Verde 1-6, Pasig; White Plains, QC; St. Ignatius, QC; and Greenhills, San Juan.

These upscale subdivisions are located in a central part of Quezon City and Pasig, very close to the Ortigas Business District. Proximity to key urban centers makes them ideal locations for living.

Schools: St. Pedro Poveda College, La Salle Greenhills, UA&P, Xavier, ICA, St. Paul's College

Churches: Christ the King, EDSA Shrine, Sanctuario de San Jose, Mary the Queen

Hospitals: Medical City, Cardinal Santos

Commercial establishments: Robinson's Galleria, SM Megamall, Shangri-la Plaza, The Podium, Tiendesitas, Shopwise Libis, Cost-u-Less, Ortigas Home Depot, MC Home Depot

Entertainment centers: Eastwood City, Metrowalk, Greenhills Promenade, El Pueblo

The Makati CBD is only 15 minutes away via the major routes of EDSA and C-5, and the airport is only 30 minutes away.

Acropolis Greens, Libis.

Well-maintained subdivision with tight security and full amenities, including a function hall, open parks, indoor tennis courts, indoor and outdoor basketball courts, swimming pool, convenience stores, video shop, parlor, water-refilling station, dry cleaning, and shoe boutique, Desu.

Village entrance is via Libis across Eastwood City, or Greenmeadows Avenue, Quezon City. Developed by Sta. Lucia in the late '80s.

Corinthian Gardens, QC.

Still the village in the Ortigas area with the highest real estate value. Wide roads, numerous open parks and fields, and full amenities including function halls, outdoor tennis courts, swimming pool, convenience stores.