Photo via Real Living

Marikina City is a mix of a picturesque old city and a verging urban modernization featuring a thriving economy, modern malls, ancestral houses, wide green parks, and friendly citizens.

Best known as the Shoe Capital of the Philippines, Marikina City is famous for its high-quality handcrafted shoes. The city produces 70% of shoes manufactured in the country. It is also the home of the world’s largest pair of shoes certified by the Guinness Book of World Records, and the infamous shoe collection of former First Lady Imelda Marcos.

Just east of Manila, Marikina is an easy escape to the metropolitan hustle and bustle. So if you are looking for a quick but interesting weekend getaway, you will definitely enjoy Marikina City.


Photo via Philippine Lifestyle

Admire the shoes in the Shoe Museum
As the shoe capital, Marikina, of course, has a Shoe Museum. Officially opened in 2001, the Shoe Museum is built to nurture the historical and cultural value of the local shoe industry.

The museum features the traditional footwear of Filipinos and other nationalities, and the shoes owned and worn by famous politicians, public servants, and celebrities. The museum is also the home of the largest pair of shoes, and a fraction of former First Lady Imelda Marcos’ (in)famous shoe collection.

Address: J. P. Rizal St, San Roque, Marikina City 1801
Hours: Monday to Sunday, 8 AM to 5 PM
Door fee: Php 50.00

Wander around the Book Museum
Tucked away in a quiet neighborhood in Dao Street, the Book Museum cum Ethnology Center exhibits the personal book and artifact collection of Atty. Dominador Buhain, chairman and president of Rex Group of companies. The museum includes first edition books, small edition books and various curiosities Atty. Buhain picked up from his travels to over 223 countries (and counting).

The Book Museum cum Ethnology Center occupies three buildings. The first building houses the book collections, while the second and third building houses artifacts from the Cordilleras, Visayas, and Mindanao. The museum also features two totem poles that illustrate Philippine mythology and two murals narrate the history of Marikina City and the printing press.

Address: 127 Dao St, Marikina Heights, Marikina City 1810
Hours: Monday to Sunday, 9 AM to 5 PM
Door fee: Php 300.00

Learn Science at Philippine Science Centrum
The first interactive science center in the Philippines, the Philippine Science Centrum (PSC) is launched in February 1900 at Manila Film Center in Pasay City. However, after being wrecked by an earthquake that same year, PSC transferred to the University of the Philippines Manila. In 2004, PSC transferred to its current location in Riverbanks Center, Marikina City.

Have fun and rediscover science with over 100 interactive exhibits in 10 galleries including Bodyworks, Earth Science, Electricity and Magnetism, Lights, Liquid, Space, Mechanics, Mathematics, and Perception.

Address: E-Com Building, Riverbanks Center, Marikina City 1800
Hours: Monday to Saturday, 8 AM to 5 PM
Door fee: Php 150.00

Try the food crawl at Lilac Street


Photo via Yedylicious

Now, you might be familiar with the popular food hubs in Maginhawa St. in Quezon City, Kapitolyo in Ortigas, and Aguirre Avenue in BF Homes Parañaque. But there is another thriving food scene you don’t want to miss – Lilac Street in Marikina.

Basically the Maginhawa Street of the East, Lilac Street in Concepcion Dos is a strip of highly-rated restaurants set up in a charming neighborhood. Wandering around Lilac Street and nearby streets, you will find restaurants offering the best Singaporean, Japanese, Thai, American, Mexican and Filipino cuisine. Protip: make sure to bring your food buddies and come in a group to try more restaurants for a lesser cost.

Address: Lilac St, Marikina City 1800

Attend mass at Our Lady of Abandoned Parish


Photo via Trip Advisor

The Our Lady of Abandoned Parish in Marikina opened in 1572 and consecrated in 1690. The church was originally constructed from bamboo and leaves, and then on 1687, it is constructed in Baroque style with heavily fortified façade, high ceiling, and round pediment bell-tower. The church enshrines several images of the Virgin Mary, one of which is venerated as miraculous and was canonically crowned in 2005.

Address: V. Gomez St, Marikina City 1800

Relax at Marikina River Park


Photo via Marikina City Government

Found alongside Marikina River, the Marikina River Park is a 220-hectare system of parks, trails, open spaces, recreation facilities and commercial complex. The Marikina River Park is the focal point of the city’s communities and cultural activities. The park is host to the Mama Mary Fluvial Parade and Festival, Marikina Christmas Festival and Metro Manila Pride March and various performing arts and concerts throughout the years.

Main attractions in the park include a skating rink, amphitheater, riverboats, Roman Garden, Chinese Pagoda, Animal trail, Freedom Park, and Women’s Park among others. Marikina River Park is open for picnic, running, biking, skating, and camping activities.

Address: 300 Shoe Ave, Sto. Nino, Marikina City 1800

Stretch out in Marikina Sports Center
A haven to sports enthusiasts and hobbyists, Marikina Sports Center is a three-hectare complex featuring an Olympic-size pool, an athletics track, a natural grass pitch, basketball courts, volleyball courts, tennis courts, badminton court, and an indoor gymnasium. Marikina residents can come in for a run or exercise as the sports center is open 24 hours every day.

Marikina Sports Center offers various sports clinics for children age seven to 16 every April and May. The sports center also hosts several sports competitions including 2014 ASEAN School Games and grand concerts, television shows, and community events.

Address: 24 Sumulong Highway, Marikina, 1800 Metro Manila
Hours: Open 24 hours
Door fee: Php 10.00

A visit to Marikina City will serve a good mix of urban and rural Philippines. Though it is a city with a growing business district, Marikina retains its charming small town ambiance. The city preserves its historical sites, ancestral houses, clean streets, and colorful festivals; while it welcomes new business investments and shopping centers. No wonder generations chose to stay close to their roots and manage the family businesses. Marikina is a good place to raise a family.

Located near Marquinton Residences along Sumulong Highway, the Tropicana Garden City and the Siena Towers of Federal Land offer condominium homes ideal for starting families. The two communities offer quiet, green and generous living spaces near to major weekend destinations, office towers, retail centers, and premier schools like the Marikina Science High School, Marikina Catholic School, Marikina City University, Ateneo de Manila University and the University of the Philippines Diliman.

Siena Towers is a two-tower condominium along Marquinton Drive that offers a beautiful and secure home in a vibrant community with the Blue Wave Mall a few steps away. Tropicana Garden City is a Mediterranean Castilian inspired community with lush pocket gardens and wide-open spaces. Residents of both Siena and Tropicana Garden will enjoy outstanding amenities, convenient location, and spectacular views of the Sierra Madre in the East and the metropolis in the Southwest.

With Federal Land, owning your first condominium residence is easy. Just contact our representatives, provide a Philippine government-issued ID (with your Tax Identification Number), fill up the required forms, pay the reservation fee and voila! The unit is booked under your name. You are now ready to start a home loan application through in-house or bank financing.


Photo via Patrickroque01 (Creative Commons 4.0 License)
Marikina City is a picturesque old city verging on urban modernization featuring a thriving economy, modern malls, ancestral houses, wide green parks, and friendly citizens. Just east of Metro Manila, Marikina may feel like a small town with clean streets, quiet neighborhood and green spaces; but it is still very much a city with a thriving shoe industry with easy proximity to major business districts of the Metro Manila.

Though it is best known as the Shoe Capital of the Philippines, Marikina City has more to offer to those looking to settle down in her land. From museums to food trucks to pride parades, here are seven reasons why we love Marikina:

The Vast Green Spaces And The Fresh, Clean Air

Photo: Marikina City Government
In the early years of Spanish colonization, Marikina was one of the largest haciendas in the Philippines. The fertile land produced excellent crops, bountiful harvest, wealthy farmers and a prosperous town. Though the Marikeños turned to shoemaking in 1887, Marikina has preserved its greenery and transformed its farmland into parks. Each of Marikina’s 16 barangays has at least one mini-park, and in the middle of the city is the vast Marikina River Park.

So thanks to the lush greenery, the air in Marikina is so much cleaner than the rest of Metro Manila.

Did you know?


Photo via judgefloro (Creative Commons 1.0 License)
The Carabao Trail along the riverbank traces the old route used by the farmers and carabaos to and from their home and rice fields.

The Rich Culture And Heritage

Photo: Philippines Lifestyle
Marikina has a colorful history of how the shoemaking industry started. A visit to Don Laureano “Kapitan Moy” Guevara’s home turned museum will give you a quick history lesson about the birth of shoemaking industry in Marikina City. Down the street, you will find the Marikina Shoe Museum. The museum features the traditional footwear of Filipinos and other nationalities, and the shoes owned and worn by famous politicians, public servants, and celebrities. The museum is also the home of the former First Lady Imelda Marcos’ (in)famous shoe collection.

Marikina also holds vibrant and colorful festivals celebrating its heritage and culture. The Ka-angkan Festival celebrated every April 16 honors the founding families of Marikina. The Rehiyon, Rehiyon Festival celebrated every December 8 honors the migrant families and their contributions to the city’s progress. The Sapatos Festival is a three-month long celebration beginning in September honors the creativity, craftsmanship, style and high quality of Marikina shoes.

Did you know
Marikina City is now referred to as the “City of Pride” for hosting Metro Manila Pride March in 2017 and 2018.
Photo:

The Foodie’s Haven

Photo: Crave Park

Now, you might be familiar with the popular food hubs in Maginhawa St. in Quezon City, Kapitolyo in Ortigas, and Aguirre Avenue in BF Homes Parañaque. But there is another thriving food scene you don’t want to miss – Lilac Street and Mayor Gil Fernando Avenue in Marikina.

Dubbed as the Maginhawa Street of the East, Lilac Street in Concepcion Dos is a strip of highly-rated restaurants set up in a charming neighborhood. Wandering around Lilac Street and nearby streets, you will find restaurants offering the best Singaporean, Japanese, Thai, American, Mexican and Filipino cuisine.

Mayor Gil Fernando Avenue, on the other hand, hosts new Instagram worthy food parks. The Crave Food Park features not only multinational gastronomic experience but also badass artsy murals. The Carnival Food Park stays true to its name with its carnival-themed setup, costumes and food. The other food parks are Terminal 8 Food Park & Lifestyle Hub, Windsor Food Park, and EATsetera Food Park.

Protip
Make sure to bring all your food buddies and come in a group to try more restaurants at a lesser cost.

The Huge Workout Space

Photo via Patrickroque01 (Creative Commons 4.0 License)
A haven to sports enthusiasts and hobbyists, Marikina Sports Center is a three-hectare complex featuring an Olympic-size pool, an athletics track, a natural grass pitch, basketball courts, volleyball courts, tennis courts, badminton court, and an indoor gymnasium. Residents can come in for a run or exercise as the sports center is open 24 hours every day.

The sports center also hosts several sports competitions including 2014 ASEAN School Games and grand concerts, television shows, and community events such as summer clinic for children ages 7 to 16.

Did you know?

The city government has started the rehabilitation of the Marikina Sports Complex.

The Convenient Access to What Matters Most

With only an area of 22.64 square kilometers, Marikina is a small city with at least 80 private schools, 7 colleges and universities, 10 hospitals, 10 malls, 5 churches, 20 gas stations, 89 banks, public market, mini parks, the iconic Marikina River Park and the vast Marikina River. With everything just a few minutes’ drive away, there is no shortage of essentials.

Moreover, major highways such as the C-5, Katipunan Avenue and Commonwealth Avenue, connects Marikeños to central business districts of Quezon City, Ortigas, Makati and Bonifacio Global City; and top universities such as Ateneo de Manila University and University of the Philippines Diliman Campus. While the scenic Marikina-Infanta Highway or Marcos Highway connects Marikina to Rizal, Laguna and Quezon for an easy weekend getaway.

The Growing Business Hub

The main industry in Marikina is shoemaking at Shoe Avenue, however there is also an upcoming food hub in Lilac Street and Mayor Gil Fernando Avenue, a booming entertainment scene at Angel Tuazon Entertainment District, a large BPO sector at IT Centers in Riverbanks e-Com, and a thriving manufacturing industry at Marikina Industrial Park.

Did you know?

The world’s largest pair of shoes is made by the shoemakers of Marikina in 2002. It measures 5.29 meters long and 2.37 meters wide.

The fusion of the urban and suburban makes Marikina an ideal home for many Filipinos starting a family. It is a city close enough to major business hubs but without the hustle and bustle of the metropolis. It is a quiet city-town where the elderly can sit and relax at a town plaza and where kids can ride their bicycles at the main street. Because of this, real estate in Marikina is flourishing. Aside from the residential house and lots in its many subdivisions, there are now a number of condominiums for sale in Marikina City.

Located near Marquinton Residences along Sumulong Highway, the Siena Towers of Federal Land offer condominium homes ideal for starting families. Siena Towers is a two-tower condominium offers a beautiful and secure home in a vibrant community with the Blue Wave Mall a few steps away. Residents of both Siena will enjoy outstanding amenities; proximity to major weekend destinations, office towers, shopping centers, and premier schools like the Marikina Science High School, Ateneo de Manila University and the University of the Philippines Diliman; and spectacular views of the Sierra Madre in the East and the metropolis in the Southwest.

The Diverse Real Estate Choices
With Federal Land, owning your first condominium residence is easy. Just contact our representatives, provide a Philippine government-issued ID (with your Tax Identification Number), fill up the required forms, pay the reservation fee and voila! The unit is booked under your name. You are now ready to start a home loan application through in-house or bank financing.

Federal Land Inc. also offer condominium units for sale -pre-selling condo units or lease to own condo units that are ready for occupancy (RFO) in Makati; BGC (Fort), Taguig; Binondo and Paco, Manila; Entertainment City, Pasay; Greenhills, San Juan; Mandaluyong; Quezon City; Sumulong Highway, Marikina; Cebu as well as in General Trias, Cavite. For lease to own plan details or pre-selling reservations, email us at digital.mktg@federalland.ph.

3 Reasons Why Condo Living Is The Best Choice For The Family

With the rising demand for residential space and the massive urban development, family dwellings evolved to accommodate the needs and aspirations of a modern family. While the ideal family home is a charming house and lot in a suburban village, more Filipino parents appreciate the value and benefits of raising their family in condominiums.

Real estate developers recognize the current demand and commit to developing secure and family-friendly communities in the Philippines. Here are three important benefits that condo living offers to starter families.

Buy a Condo in Pasay - Palm Beach West

Easy Access to social environments. Most condominiums are strategically located near business districts, prominent schools, general hospitals, shopping centers and entertainment hubs creating a positive social environment for the whole family. The children can attend more school programs, join the nearby sports clubs and explore urban adventures. Parents will have less commute and more time to help the children with homework then have dinner with the whole family.

Pre-selling Condos in Marikina - Siena Towers

More intimate living space. A thoughtfully-designed condo has living spaces encouraging family togetherness and neighbor camaraderie. The ample size of condo units are adequate to bring the family closer, and the shared amenities such as the pool and playroom provide opportunities to meet friends and cultivate a strong sense of community. It is easy to set up play dates, sleepovers and interest clubs when your friends live down the hall. Moreover, these communities have a homeowners association that organizes small social events like weekend barbeques, Halloween parties, and Christmas bazaars.

Condo for Sale - Peninsula Garden Midtown Homes

A Secure and Exclusive Community. Safety and well-being are the top priorities of every responsible parent. Securing the family’s welfare is better managed in a condominium. Residential towers come with CCTV cameras, fire suppression systems, power generators and security services 24/7. Residents have access keys for their privacy, and unannounced guests are screened at the lobby. More importantly, kids play a safe and contained area within the community grounds and not out on the streets.

It’s easy to understand why these factors are valuable to families – positive and safe social environments are conducive to fostering social relationships that are good for children’s development, health, and well-being. That is why Horizon Land creates accessible and nurturing homes and communities geared towards adding value to the lifestyles of individuals and families.

The top real estate developer, Federal Land Inc., through its subsidiary Horizon Land, is the developer of various outstanding family condominium communities in Metro Manila. Its latest offerings include the Mimosa tower of Peninsula Garden Midtown Homes in Paco, Manila; Baler tower of Palm Beach West in Pasay City; and the Sienna Towers in Marikina. Peninsula Garden Midtown Homes is the largest garden community in Paco, Manila with more than 50% of the property dedicated to an open area that allows for great outdoor adventures and enough space for relaxing and bonding with loved ones. Siena Towers is a two-tower condominium along Marquinton Drive that offers residents a beautiful and secure home in a vibrant community with a mall a few steps away. Palm Beach West is a resort-inspired residential condominium development located within a master-planned community – Metro Park, in Entertainment City along Macapagal Boulevard Pasay.

Owning

With Federal Land, owning a family condominium residence is easy. Just contact a representative to inform us of your intent to buy, provide a Philippine government-issued ID (with your Tax Identification Number), fill up the required forms, pay the reservation fee and voila! The unit is yours. And we are ready to start your home loan application through in-house or bank financing.

Federal Land Inc. also offers condominium units for sale in Makati; BGC (Fort), Taguig; Binondo and Paco, Manila; Entertainment City, Pasay; Greenhills, San Juan; Quezon City; Marikina; Cebu as well as in General Trias, Cavite. For lease to own plan details or pre-selling reservations, email us at digital.mktg@federalland.ph.