Category: Announcement

The elevated pedestrian walkway along De la Rosa St. in Legazpi Village, which originally ran 795 meters, now runs the whole stretch of De la Rosa St., from Legazpi St. at the PLDT Building all the way to Salcedo St. behind the Makati Medical Center.

The new segment was blessed and inaugurated on November 28 in a simple ceremony, with Makati Mayor Abigail Campos as guest of honor.

With the 305-meter extension from V.A. Rufino to Salcedo St., the walkway now has a total length of 1,110 meters and brings the residents and workers near the Makati Medical Center and Sen. Puyat Avenue closer to the commercial center.

The 22-year-old elevated walkway has also undergone maintenance with the repair and repainting of the steel posts and railings at various parts, repainting of the hallway near the Enterprise Center, and the replacement of the polycarbonate roof at the Paseo gateway.

The Makati Commercial Estate Association has been making its mark in the Makati Central Business District for over half a century. Known simply as MaCEA, it has become synonymous with urban center development and has in fact become the model emulated by other central business districts in Metro Manila and the gold standard against which they are measured.

After 50 years, MaCEA is moving forward with a hastened stride—wearing a new face and a fresh identity that encompasses its history of proud achievement, closing loopholes and using new tools that do the job more efficiently and at a faster pace.

Hence the move for change, for rebranding, to polish the MaCEA name to a brighter, more radiant shine. An organization that is in and of the 21st century, comfortable with the technology and devices that drive it forward and keep it connected to and in step with the rest of the world.

We began with a move to boost our public image, the face that we are known by, the look that establishes our identity—a new logo.

We commissioned an artist to design a logo that reflects the Association’s new mindset—dynamic, vibrant, youthful, forward-looking, and very much in tune with the rapidly-moving times. A trademark that reflects its solid grounding on a vision of growth and on a rich history of development that have allowed it to evolve into what it is today: the certified financial capital of the country.

The new logo’s colors symbolize MaCEA’s core values and aspirations—blue for trust and stability, gold for prosperity, and green for sustainability, energy and love of nature.

The signs of change are everywhere, the new branding making itself seen and felt in many ways—we see MaCEA personnel wearing new uniforms; we see a brand-new security van driven by uniformed security men making the rounds of the district 24/7; we keep ourselves updated on goings-on by logging on our facebook page; and we connect with the MaCEA office by dialing an easy-to-remember vanity phone number that carries the Association’s identity: 81-MaCEA or 81-62232.

And there’s the MaCEA Office Building, looking new with a fresh coat of paint, a visible manifestation of the sweeping change throughout the Association.

All these measures are meant to keep us close to and ever connected with the members we serve and, by extension, the transient population that streams in and out of the district we operate in.

1.      What is MaCEA?
The Makati Commercial Estate Association, Inc. (MaCEA) is the association of property owners (numbering 391 as of 30 June 2017) in the Makati Central Business District (MCBD), the country’s premier financial center. 
 It was established in 1963 for the purpose of advancing the civic, commercial and residential interests of its members, promoting the general welfare and prosperity of the District and its surrounding communities, and enhancing the reputation of the Association as a top-notch urban planner and developer, and the stature of the MCBD as the undisputed premier financial district in the Philippines.
 MaCEA was registered with the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on February 25, 1963 for an initial operation life of 50 years. On October 7, 2011, the SEC approved an amendment to its Articles of Incorporation extending its operational existence for another fifty (50) years, from 25 February 2013 to 24 February 2063.
 2.      What are you announcing today?
MaCEA is launching today, 14 July 2017, the Sen. Gil J. Puyat Avenue Pedestrian Overpass Project. It is one of two foot bridges connecting the two sides of Gil Puyat Avenue.
The overpass being opened today links RCBC Plaza to The Columns Ayala Avenue and will benefit thousands of pedestrians and motorists who pass this main thoroughfare day and night, every day.
 The footbridge is part of MaCEA’s tri-level Pedestrianization Program designed to ease traffic in the MCBD by making walking a safer, cheaper and more convenient option for moving around the district for both motorists and pedestrians.
Also to be announced today are updates on the modernization program for the underpass and elevated walkway escalators; the new, graphically designed street wayfinders, and the latest developments on our enhanced sidewalks.
3.      Why is the Sen. Gil J. Puyat Avenue pedestrian overpass important?
Sen. Gil J. Puyat Avenue is a major arterial street in the metro that runs on an east-west/west-east course through the cities of Makati and Pasay, from EDSA on the east to Roxas Blvd. on the west.
MaCEA built the first overpass at a cost of P55 million, while the second overpass, linking the People Support building to the Makati Post Office, will cost P70 million.
The overpass is 38 linear meters long and 2.4 meters wide. It is accessible by staircases and escalators on both sides. It is covered with a roof and has been provided with glass railings.
Not many people may know this, but the avenue honors the late Gil J. Puyat, one of the most distinguished Filipino statesmen and businessmen of the country. He served as senator for 21 years, five of them as senate president. This street was formerly known as Buendia Ave., after Nicolas Buendia, a senator from Bulacan.
4.      What are the updates to your modernization of the MCBD’s underpass escalators?
Eleven of 29 escalators around the MCBD have now been replaced at the cost of P55 million. The 11 new ones are now serving the pedestrian public in these locations:
Two at the Legazpi Underpass
Four in V.A. Rufino St.
Four in Paseo de Roxas
Entrance to the elevated walkway going to Greenbelt 5
The replacement of all 29 escalators in seven underpasses and the 1-km. elevated walkway, the country’s longest, is expected to be completed by 2022.
5.      What has changed with the MCBD’s new street signs?
The new street signs have been enlarged, with a bigger, sans serif font that is eminently readable, made attractive with a graphic design at the inner corners that features the common colors of “Make it Makati” and the new MaCEA logo. The signs feature reflectorized text that make them visible in the dark.
As of 30 June, 28 new street signs have been installed in all the street corners along Ayala Avenue, from Apartment Ridge near EDSA all the way to Gil Puyat Avenue. Eventually, the new wayfinding system will cover all the street corners in the entire MCBD.

1. What improvements have been done on the Makati sidewalks? Which areas were involved?
   There are two sides to the sidewalk improvement project in the MCBD: one, the enhancement of open sidewalks, and two, the installation of roofs and lighting fixture over the sidewalks.  
   The latest run of the project has seen the enhancement of 14,721 sq.m of open sidewalks, with new tiles and ornamental plants in Salcedo and Legazpi Villages, and the outfitting of the 1,878 sq. m walkways with roofs and overhead lighting in both villages.

Traffic in the Makati Central Business District (MCBD) is expected to ease up with the opening of the first of two new pedestrian overpasses on Sen. Gil J. Puyat Avenue. The roof-covered footbridge with glass railings and escalators stretches from the RCBC Plaza building to The Columns Ayala Avenue.
The project is part of the Makati Commercial Estate Association’s (MaCEA) tri-level pedestrianization program meant to ease traffic by supporting walking as the safer, more convenient, and affordable option to move around the business district.
MaCEA, represented by vice-chairman Arch. William V. Coscolluela, and Makati City Mayor Abigail Binay, led the inaugural ceremony for the new overpass. The overpass will benefit thousands of pedestrians and motorists who traverse this busy road day and night.
Sen. Gil J. Puyat Avenue is a major arterial street in Metro Manila that runs on an east-west/west-east course through the cities of Makati and Pasay, from EDSA on the east to Roxas Blvd. on the west. Formerly called Buendia, the avenue honors the late statesman who served as senator for 21 years with five terms as senate president.
MaCEA has set the second overpass for completion in April, 2018. This new covered footbridge will link the People Support building to the Makati Post Office and will be built to the same quality standards.
MaCEA is a 391-member strong association of property owners of the country’s main financial and commercial district. Aside from the new overpass project, MaCEA is undertaking the escalator modernization program in the area. It has recently completed the replacement of 11 escalators at the Legazpi Underpass, V.A. Rufino St., Paseo de Roxas and the elevated walkway entrance to Greenbelt 5. A total of 29 escalators are set for upgrades, including escalators in the 1-km. long elevated pedestrian walkway from Greenbelt to Salcedo St. near Makati Medical Center.
Motorists and pedestrians to the MCBD may have also noticed MaCEA’s installation of a new and improved wayfinding system. The new street signs are larger, use bigger fonts with reflectorized text and graphic designs on the side to represent the colors of “Make It Makati” and the MaCEA logo. They are also more visible in the dark.
“Twenty-eight new street signs have been installed in all the street corners along Ayala Avenue, from Apartment Ridge near EDSA all the way to Gil Puyat Avenue. Eventually, the new wayfinding system will cover all the street corners in the entire MCBD,” said MaCEA President David L. Balangue. “This will aid the general public in navigating through the dynamic streets and iconic landmarks of the MCBD.”
The association has also been involved in sidewalk improvements for the MCBD. Some 14,721 sqm of open sidewalks have been enhanced with new tiles and ornamental plants in Salcedo and Legazpi Villages, while 1,878 sqm walkways have been outfitted with roofs and overhead lighting in these villages.

The Makati City government and the Makati Commercial Estate Association (MaCEA) on Friday inaugurated the Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue overpass, the first of two footbridges under the city’s tri-level pedestrianization program.

The newly built footbridge, which measures 38 meters from the RCBC Plaza building to The Columns Ayala Avenue, is furnished with glass railings, staircases, escalators and a roof cover.

“Solving the problem by improving pedestrian access and mobility is actually a more direct way of solving the problem and it makes it easier for everyone. People don’t need to take buses or cars, they can just walk one kilometer,” MaCEA governor Manuel Blas II said in a press conference on Friday.

According to MaCEA President David Balangue, MaCEA is now setting up CCTV cameras and teaming up with security personnel to ensure the safety of pedestrians crossing the Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue overpass.

“So what we’re doing now is we’re working with the security guards of the various buildings and effectively asking them to police their surrounding areas by telling people to use the garbage bins or telling them not to throw trash all over the place,” he said.

“We have [an] excellent working relationship with the city government notwithstanding the changes in the administration,” Balangue added.

As a pioneer in developing the Makati Central Business District (MCBD), MaCEA has been putting its best foot forward in leading Makati City’s initiatives in mitigating heavy traffic and promoting walking as a “safer and more efficient” way to commute. Aside from constructing overpasses, MaCEA is restoring 29 escalators around MCBD, 11 of which are now fully operational.

Last month, MaCEA replaced the old street signs along Ayala Avenue with catchier signs featuring the shades of the “Make It Makati” tagline. Similarly, the 305-meter-long De La Rosa Elevated Walkway was opened last year for the convenience of pedestrians.

FROM: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/913902/gil-puyat-overpass-now-open-for-makati-pedestrians#ixzz4o1bZGHQJ