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Enjoy the Malls of Manila

Edited by Jonathan, Lynn, Eng

2 Parts:

Manila, as the world knows it, is the largest city in the Philippines. But Manila, as the Filipinos themselves know it, is just one component of the larger jurisdiction, which is called Metro Manila. It is composed of 16 component cities and one component municipality. They are Manila, Makati, Quezon City, Taguig, San Juan, Mandaluyong, Pasig, Pasay, Parañaque, Caloocan, Las Pinas, Malabon, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Navotas, Valenzuela, and the town of Pateros.

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Excellent, new, classy, and gigantic malls dot the landscape of the metropolis. The most important developers of malls include SM, Ayala, Robinson's, Filinvest, and Santa Lucia. Metro Manila would like to be called the mall capital of Asia and the shopping capital of Southeast Asia. Activities to do at the malls include shopping, restaurant dining, movie theaters, stage plays, concerts, art galleries, carnival rides, science museums, live shows, worship sanctuaries, dance, music and martial art studios, hobby shops, spas/barber shops/salons/nail salons/facial salons, electronics stores, sports gear stores, fitness gyms, hardware stores, supermarkets, kids' playgrounds. A whole new world is out there for you in Metro Manila malls.

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The malls of Manila

1
SM Mall of Asia
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This monstrous mall is the largest in the Philippines and the 7th largest in the world. A regular mall goer will not be able to cover the whole breadth and width of this gigantic mall in one day. It is located in Pasay City on the reclamation area fronting Manila Bay. MOA, as it is commonly called, has an outdoor esplanade with restaurants fronting Manila Bay and guests can walk in the safe and clean path fronting Manila Bay and enjoy the famous Manila sunset. Occasional pyrotechnic displays are conducted for the delight of the guests. A mind-boggling 600 shops are within MOA. A dazzling array of restaurants and cafes offering international cuisine from all continents abound. The first IMAX movie theater is established here to give the film enthusiasts an enjoyable 3D film viewing option. For small group viewings, the Director's Club is available for rental (it has 30 Lazy Boy seats.). The Premiere Cinema and the Center Stage Cinema are nice locations for musical concerts and stage plays. Another top attraction is the country's first Olympic sized ice skating rink, producing champions for a non-winter country like the Philippines. It also has an interesting science museum, designed for educational tours for students. It is very near the large MOA arena which hosts international events such as the FIBA Asia Championship, NBA international games, and hosts Philippine Basketball Association games.

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2
Greenbelt
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It is a classy mall found in Makati, the financial hub of Metro Manila. It is actually partitioned into four distinct malls. Firstly, Greenbelt 1, which is the original mall. It has the Onstage theater, which is a favorite venue for plays and concerts. Also, it has stores, restaurants and movie theaters. Secondly, Greenbelt 2. It is a restaurant haven, catering to European and Asian food gourmets. Filipinos and foreigners alike have made Greenbelt 2 their consistent dining destination. Thirdly, Greenbelt 3. Great movie theaters are in this location. The movie enthusiast can watch as many movies as he likes. And the senior citizen who has papers stating that he resides in Makati, gets lifetime movie admission. Aside, in this location, boutiques, restaurants, and cafes abound. Fourthly, Greenbelt 4. The classiest sector of all. Expensive tastes are fulfilled here. Signature shops abound here, which does not respect the budget shopper. Only the best for the super rich.

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3
Shangri-la Mall
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Located in Mandaluyong City, it is one of the top high-end malls in Metro Manila. What sets it apart from other malls is the wide expanse of its corridors, maybe the widest in any mall in Metro Manila. While window shopping, the guests do not fill hemmed in by limited space in front of the stores, which is the usual mall walkways design. The feeling is that the mall owners do not care about the space that they spend for the corridors because they want the mallgoers to enjoy their strolls inside the mall. They know eventually because of the relaxation that the design of the mall gives to its guests, eventually they will keep coming back and buy something somehow. It is called with respect by its guests, as the Shang. It has shapely architecture, and the unique set up of the restaurants at the top floor which affords a pleasant, overlooking view of the Metro Manila area, is a consistent dining haven for the metropolitan area's affluent citizens. Several stores and noteworthy cinemas also flourish in this well-loved mall. It is connected directly and conveniently to the mass public transport system called MRT.
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4
Power Plant
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Located in a city within the city, it is situated in the progressive Rockwell Center which is an important part of the busy hub that is Makati City. The Power Plant is the centerpiece of the Rockwell Center which includes high rise office buildings, condominiums, and the Ateneo Law School and and the Ateneo Graduate School of Business. Power Plant is called as such because it was once the site of a thermal plant owned by the Lopez family (which also owns the Rockwell Center). Power Plant is an upscale mall that is not as crowded as the SM malls and the Ayala malls but also has its own set of regular funds-rich clientele. It has four levels which house local and international specialty brands, supermarket, restaurants and cinemas.

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5
SM North Edsa
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This is the grandfather of all Philippine malls. It opened its doors in 1985 in Quezon City, when the concept of a mall is much, much smaller that what it is today. It signaled the start of a revolution in the Filipino retail industry, whereas in yesteryear, the concept of a park is like the open air Luneta Park in Manila, Filipino citizens were now clamoring for an air conditioned park, like SM North Edsa. It suited the Filipinos just fine since the Philippines has very hot weather, and air conditioned malls were the cheap answer. It is now one of the most visited malls in the country and has countless shops, a supermarket, a department store and several movie theaters. The second IMAX movie theater (3D viewing) is installed here. There is continuous expansion, such as The Block and the Skygarden, a huge eco-garden on top of the mall.
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6
Robinson's Place Manila
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It is a complete mall situated right in the heart of the historic city of Manila. It is connected directly and accessibly to two high rise residential condominiums, Robinson's Place Residences and Adriatico Residences, affording the two edifices' occupants an easy stroll into the mall. Within a 1 kilometer radius of the mall are headquarters of national government offices, major universities (including De La Salle University and University of the Philippines-Manila), famous landmarks, Luneta Park, Intramuros (the walled city), the U.S. Embassy, antique churches, hospitals, hotels, restaurants, and the famous Manila Bay (with the famed sunset). This strategically located mall straddles two major thoroughfares of the city of Manila: Roxas Boulevard (formerly called Dewey Boulevard) and Taft Avenue. This mall has 7 levels of fun, selling everything from clothes to fitness to movies to international cuisine.

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7
Gateway
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Located in the chaotic but busy district of Cubao, in Quezon City, it is strategically located in the middle of the junction between two important public mass transport systems, the LRT2 and the MRT. It is thus a favorite of commuters because of its accessibility. It is very near the mammoth and famous Araneta Coliseum which is the home of the professional hoops league, PBA (Philippine Basketball Association) and a favorite venue for concerts. Situated in the middle of the mall is a unique open-garden restaurant which lets the cool outdoor breeze penetrate the air-conditioned mall. It is also a pioneer of the guaranteed seats cinema with its Platinum Cinema, which has Lazy Boy seats. Famous international brands are well represented here in the specialty shops and an array of restaurants also dot its landscape.
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