Superior Infrastructures

Makati's highly developed multi-modal transport infrastructure has made it the most centralized city in Metro Manila and the National Capital Region. The availability of various forms of public transportation, such as the Metro Rail Transit (MRT), jeepneys and buses, complemented by a road network that links the city to the rest of Metro Manila, ensures accessibility and convenience.

The city has the most developed telecommunications infrastructure in the country. With the presence of two major providers for land-based telephone services, PLDT and Globe Telecom, Makati's teledensity far exceeds the national average.

Expat-Friendly

“As host to 46 embassies and 40 consulates, Makati has highly developed foreign transient support institutions. Likewise, it is home to the headquarters of international organizations like the European Union (EU), Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), German Development Cooperation International Finance Corporation (IFC), International Labour Organization (ILO), United Nations in the Philippines, among others.” 

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World-Class Amenities

The presence of almost 80 hotels including five-star hotels, more than 40 shoppingcenters, and almost 4,000 restaurants and bars in the city has strengthened its bid to become the “Urban Tourism Capital” of the Philippines. In fact, it was declared by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as a “prime urban tourist destination” in 2002 as part of the “Visit Philippines” tourism campaign.

Local and foreign tourists flock to Makati commercial centers, such as Ayala Center and Rockwell Center, primarily because of convenience, accessibility, quality of stores, ambiance, and interior and exterior environment that match world-class standards.

Investors likewise find Makati a “home away from home”, given the high-end yet reasonably priced residential condominiums, villages, and apartments that abound in its midst.

Its restaurants offer all kinds of local and international cuisine that cater to varied preferences, while its night spots and daytime bars give a wide array of choices for those who wish to unwind after work, or simply relish the pleasures of nightlife, Makati-style.

Peace of Mind

The Makati police and fire departments have both been cited as the country's best units in 2004. At present, the city government is building a state-of-the-art police headquarters, patterned after that of the Los Angeles Police Department, near the Central Business District. It will form part of an Integrated Central Command Complex that will house all protective sectors, including the city's fire and rescue teams, and the Disaster Coordinating Council.

The City government also takes pride in having recently established the nation's first free-standing emergency care facility, the Acute Care Center (ACC) Ospital ng Makati in Bel-Air. It is staffed round-the-clock by a full complement of qualified doctors, nurses, and support personnel trained in responding to life-threatening illness or injury via the team approach.


The ACC gives crucial support to the major hospitals in the city, which include the Makati Medical Center and the Ospital ng Makati in Barangay Pembo.

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Going the ‘Extra Mile'

The above-mentioned attributes of the city have won the confidence of leading multinational and local corporations, including big players in the IT industry like Microsoft, Oracle, and Hewlett-Packard.

But mindful of the needs of the working class as well, the city government has gone out of its way to promote programs that would benefit employees. One such initiative was the establishment of what are now popularly known as “jolly-jeeps” in strategic areas of the Central Business District. These are mobile canteens that provide affordable, yet clean and nutritious meals to ordinary employees of Makati-based companies.

And as the number of call center locators grew, the city government responded by allowing these jolly-jeeps to operate on a 24-hour basis for the benefit of call center employees and other night-shift workers in the city.

ICT-Readiness

Makati is the top choice of I.T. locators because it has ICT-ready buildings that allow them to plug in and immediately start operations. To date, 41 I.T.Buildings in the city are registered with PEZA. Some of these I.T. buildings include: 6750 Ayala Avenue Building, 6780 Ayala,Alphaland Southgate Towers, BPI Buendia Center, Burgundy Corporate Tower,Century City, Convergys IT Building,Exportbank Plaza Building, ePLDTVentus Jupiter Building,Glorietta 1 BPO,Glorietta2 BPO, G.T. Tower International, PBCom Tower, RCBC Plaza, SM Makati Cyberzone Building,The Enterprise Center, MSE Center, Multinational Bancorporation Centre, The Paseo Center IT Center, and more. These buildings all have double-fed electricity and managed power that ensure continuous operations, with most having their own additional backup power.

IT Zone buildings allow the locator to take advantage of the following PEZA incentives:

• Income tax holiday (ITH) or exemption from corporate income tax for four years, extendable up to a maximum of eight years.

• After ITH period, the option to pay a special 5 percent tax on gross income in lieu of all national and local taxes.

• Exemption from duties and taxes on imported capital equipment, spare parts, supplies, raw materials.

• Domestic sales allowance equivalent to 30 percent of total sales.

• Exemption from wharfage dues and export taxes, imposts and fees.

• Permanent resident status of foreign investors and immediate family members.

• Employment of foreign nationals.

• Simplified import and export procedures

The presence of leading telephone companies (i.e., PLDT, Globe Telecom) provides value-added services to corporate locators. Broadband is available throughout the CBD.

Data security is easily addressed by a local community of cyber-security experts.