City of international festivals MAKATI

The City of Manila, the acknowledged financial district of the Philippines, is poised to claim the distinction of being the country’s premier center for culture and arts as well with new initiatives being undertaken by the city government to establish the city as a venue for major international attractions and events.

As a city bursting with economic and social development, Makati will surely become a must-see destination for both local and foreign visitors what with an exciting and well-funded array of world-class festivals to be staged in the city in the coming months.

At a time when concern over peace and order has placed the country out of the destination list of most foreign visitors, Mayor Jejomar C. Binay said he is confident that Makati’s initiatives to boost the local tourism industry will help the Philippines to once again be acknowledged as a prime destination for the international community.

For the second straight year, the city government is hosting the Makati Cinemanila International Film Festival, now one of Asia’s premier venue for quality films. This year, the “Sundance of Asia” will go by a new name: Makati Cinemanila International Film Festival, in recognition of the partnership between Cinemanila International Film Foundation and the city government of Makati, which also sponsored the Cinemanila 2001 last December.

But the big bang is still to come.

The city government of Makati is planning to mount a grand New Year’s Eve celebration beginning this year. Binay said that street parties, food festivals, free concerts and fireworks display will be put together for the event similar to the famous New Year’s Eve festivities being done in New York and Sydney.

With Makati Cinemanila, Binay believes that Makati will become a must-see destination for visitors looking for more than shopping and parties. He also expressed optimism that Makati Cinemanila will rekindle a resurgence of quality Filipino films and create a wider appreciation for cinema and the arts.

“Makati Cinemanila would hopefully bring our city to the attention of the local and international arts and culture community. We hope to be able to use this opportunity to create a permanent interest in the city as a venue for quality films and other art forms,” Binay said.

Since Makati is home to many multinational firms and foreign embassies, it has a unique blend of the lifestyle and culture of the local community and foreign expatriates. This was made more evident with the recent Grand Parade held at the city’s Central Business District (CBD) as part of the city’s 332nd Foundation Day celebration.

Amid a diverse community, the parade reflected the unity and sense of purpose that binds all sectors of Makati. Makati’s top companies, the expatriate community, hotels and restaurants, the city’s 33 barangays and city employees actively took part in the celebration. The parade, which lasted three hours, was the highlight of the special 12-day commemoration of the Foundation Day, by far the city’s grandest and longest that also featured free concerts, street parties, art exhibits and food festivals.

With the resounding success of the celebration and the overwhelming support thrown by the business community, Binay said city residents and transients can look forward to even better and bigger celebrations of the city’s foundation day in the years to come.

The city of Makati also holds other festivals and events, each of them providing insights into the Makati way of life.

Promoting the rich heritage of Makati has been a major thrust of the Binay administration since 1988, when it declared the third Sunday of January as the permanent date for the staging of the Caracol festival, the city’s version of the Mardi Gras. The festival has since then been included in the Department of Tourism’s list of Philippine cultural events.

The Caracol features participants from public elementary and high schools, barangays and the private sector who perform cultural dances in colorful and exotic costumes. The private sector, represented by tourism-oriented establishments like hotels and restaurants, usually send representative groups and mascots to join the parade.