Makati

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Lonely Planet review

The business centre of Manila has also become its nightlife centre. The towers here house the nation's major corporations and most of the major hotels. It all came about after WWII when the Ayala family seized upon the destruction of the rest of the city as a chance to start building.

Makati, the former local airport (Ayala and Makati Aves were the runways), seems to have boundless growth ahead of it. But just when you think you're someplace like Singapore, a whiff of sewage will bring you down to earth. The excellent Filipinas Heritage Library is housed in the much-restored 1930s terminal for the former airport.

On the north side of Makati is the P Burgos St area, a once-notorious area for girlie bars and the like. There are still some there (with names like Rascals, Cuddles and Tickles), but the trade is moving elsewhere and new projects promise to change the area once and for all. Where the fake-perfume touts will go is anybody's guess.