Cubao: Then and Now
By Maria Celeste L. Tumonong
Long before the supermalls sprouted along the main thoroughfares of the metro, there was one place that served as a one-stop shop along Edsa and that was Araneta Center.
Located in Cubao, a district of Quezon City which is currently the best performing local government unit in terms of revenue generation last year, Araneta City has come a long way from its humble beginnings in the 1950s.
The district emerged when Jorge G. Araneta purchased the land in 1956 which he intended to use for the family’s mansion. Eventually other businesses and establishments were also built in the area. These earlier businesses were a mix of different endeavours- from financial institutions to retail businesses, schools, and restaurants. What is interesting is that up until today the same eclectic mix of businesses can still be found in what is now known as Araneta City.
The Araneta City skyline is typical of developing places. Or to be more precise, a constantly evolving location. Just as it had the newest and the best businesses and establishments in it’s the 70s, it regained its footing in the early part of the 2000s while still keeping some of the businesses that made it what it is today. And like all other successful businesses it had a lot to do with its location. Araneta City is a major juncture in the rapid transit system and bus stations in Metro Manila with linkways connecting buildings to the stations. Araneta City is much like the human heart in this respect as it provides important linkages to major transportation stations.
The hits just keep on coming
For anyone who grew up in Manila in the 80s, Cubao became the place against which all other weekend spots were compared and those other places never stood a chance because there was only Cubao. And Cubao had everything.
The most well-known local lore involves the greatest athlete of his time and a single night of triumph at the Araneta Coliseum. 1975 was the year the country hosted “The Thrilla in Manila”, a match between Smokin’ Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali. Though this was not the first bout between the two, in this match, Ali emerged victorious. Mr. Araneta was so impressed with “The Greatest” that he decided to name the first ever mall in the Philippines after Ali. Thus, Ali Mall opened the following year. Ali Mall set the standard for the best of the shopping experience in those days. It had the largest indoor skating rink, Skate Town, where the hits of VST and Co. would be blasting from the speakers encouraging a never-ending turn around the rink.
A few years after, Henry Sy followed suit and opened the third SM department store which was only a stone’s throw away from Marikina Shoe Expo. Back in the 80s, these were the only places you went to buy shoes if you were too tired to go to Baclaran or Marikina for footwear. Around the end of the month of May before classes opened, SM would be full of mothers dragging their kids to get their Greggs or Charols. There would also be promises of a ride at the Fiesta Carnival once the school shoes are found and if one didn’t beg for a toy in the department store.
Araneta Center was a year-long one-stop shop. When the -ber months came around, Cubao would welcome it by lighting a Christmas tree. And then, of course, there was the Christmas on Display shows at COD Department Store. On the nights of the show, families would wait with bated breath for the annual Christmas story. One remembers the slightly scratchy gramophone-like beginnings of the narration as the drawing of the curtains reveals a small barrio where the people are getting ready to play. Another highlight of the show is the palo-sebo where no one exactly knows how a mannequin manages to climb up a bamboo pole. One can hear the audience’s collective gasp as he slips once then twice before he reaches the top of the pole. For years, these were the standards against which all other experiences were compared to and for a while most of them lost to this giant in the middle of the city.
And yes, there were years when the center suffered, especially with the emergence of the super malls along Edsa, but like any heavyweight, Araneta Center was bound to bounce back.
Living in the heart of the city
Today, Araneta Center, now Araneta City, is home to homes. The Manhattan Gardens is a residential development that will eventually be composed of 18 high-rise towers. At present, there are already ten high-rises. The Manhattan Gardens is the first residential development of its kind that is transit-oriented with linkages connecting to Gateway Mall and the terminals of MRT — 3 and LRT — 2. Aside from this, the best thing about Manhattan Gardens is its proximity to everything everywhere. It is within an arm’s reach of everything that’s essential — supermarkets, department stores, restaurants, schools, and offices. If you plan your route right, you won’t even need an umbrella despite the country’s year-long showers as you traverse the linkages connecting different buildings within the vicinity.
At the moment, the first phase of Manhattan Gardens has been completed and most of the units sold and occupied. It is not too late to acquire one’s own slice of commuter heaven as the next phase is already underway.
The ultimate boho chic address
A walk around Araneta City is a lot like walking around Singapore with fewer pedestrians trying to run you over as they speed walk everywhere. Nestled among the spanking new (or relatively new) high-rise buildings are older yet no less dignified structures that have been homes to department stores and restaurants that have had their heydays in the 80s but judging by how busy they are on weekends are doing quite well for themselves. There is Chopstick House, a Chinese restaurant that was established in 1967 which may not be as busy as its iteration, Chowking, but constant foot traffic has ensured its staying power for more than half a century. Isetann right across one of the Manhattan Garden buildings is still alive and kicking. Its orange sign still welcoming any patron who is in search of a bargain which these days means just about everyone. They have survived one of the strictest lockdowns in the region and it will not be much of a surprise if they continue to thrive for years to come.
One of the best examples of an enterprise that has survived via the age-old reliable process of evolution is Cubao X, once Marikina Shoe Expo. These days there are only a couple of shoe stores where there used to be dozens — this cul-de-sac was lined with shoe stores from the country’s shoe capital — now the shops are a heterogenous mix of stores that sell knickknacks from keychains to Sukang Iloko or Bellini’s Cucina Italiana as well as eyelash extension or tattoo parlours. Nights usually see this little boho haven filled with the young and the young at heart prowling its busy streets.
Structures of the future
One secret of the center’s staying power is its ability to keep pace with the changing needs of its market. The median age of the metropolitan population is 26 years old. It just made fiscal sense to bring the work space closer to them which is what Araneta City has done. Cyberpark 1 and 2 are located right next to SM Cubao and Novotel. Companies include Accenture, Gensys, and 24–7 Intouch. The Cyberpark Towers are also designed to be energy-efficient with its double-glazed windows, rainwater collection system, side balconies with planters and solar panels on the roof deck of one of its buildings.
Right smack in the middle of the center is a dome-shaped arena — the Smart Araneta Coliseum. The dome measures approximately 108 meters and was the largest dome in Asia until 2001. It hosts a multitude of sporting events as well as beauty pageants which are both popular Filipino pastimes.
Araneta City is a microcosm of what the country has achieved and what the Philippines is still capable of doing as long as you acknowledge the lessons of the past and continue to find ways to change with the demands of the future.
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