Mega Metro Manila Malls [Archive] - Page 28

Sinjin P.

October 15th, 2007, 04:02 PM

Yeah, like what I've always said before, lighting and layout is fine for me.

Bakit ba kailangang magreklamo nang magreklamo ng mga tao sa layout? Kung naliligaw sila, may mapa naman sigurong mapo-produce ang TriNoma in the near future when almost all the shops are open, hindi naman mababago ang layout nila kahit magreklamo ang mga tao, isapuso na lang ang layout ng mall para di na kailangang magreklamo na nakakaligaw ang layout. Hindi naman siguro kailangang maging henyo para mataandaan ang layout nito, diba?

Yung ilaw, maganda naman eh (except the activity area! :nono: ), tigilan na ang reklamo na medyo madilim kasi yun talaga ang design, period. Saka hindi naman yung sarili mo o ibang tao ang titignan mo pag nagsho-shopping o naghahanap ng store, kundi yung mga store mismo na maliwanag naman, pati ang mga signs nila, maliwanag din. Hindi ka naman sa dim hallway mamimili kundi sa loob maliwanag na mga store. Saka the dimmer-than-the-usual hallways are like trying to pull the eyes into the well-lit stores, imbis na sa cutie na makakasalubong mo sana ikaw mapatingin, eh sa mga tindahan kasi mas maliwanag yun. Strategy na naman! :D

P.S. Masama talaga ang ugali ko pag wala sa mood. :colgate:

Very true Aaron. Ako nga eh I've always liked Ayala Malls' layouts over the SM malls kasi they group stores of the same category (food, upscale, apparel, shoes, technology, etc.) together. I noticed naman na ginagaya na rin ito ng SM malls :lol: Well ganyan talaga, wala namang copyright for mall innovations.

Also, sa opinyon ko'y hindi nga nakakapagod ang layout ng Ayala Malls kasi paikot-ikot ka lang. Hindi gaya sa mga older SM malls na shoebox lang eh from kanto to kanto ang drama, parang ang OA. Pagdating mo sa isang dulo eh hinihingal ka na at du'n mo pa nalalaman na kailangan mo pang bumalik sa shop sa kabilang dulo. Shox, that's super mega nakakabadtrip :lol: Yung palaging nagrereklamo sa layout ng Ayala Malls ay ang mga taong walang sense of direction.

Ofcourse naman, its obvious na hindi talaga mapoposisyon ng TriNoma ang kanyang sarili bilang upscale-only mall kasi connected siya sa MRT at sino nga ba ang gumagamit ng MRT? Ang masa po. Inevitable din ang mga eskaesque o Jolo Revilla ang dating sa TriNoma kasi tingnan nyo naman ang environs, nakakaloka, parang pugad ng mga ipis :lol: :jk: (Just an exaggeration)

TriNoma is a destination for everyone, kaya nga ang kanilang slogan eh: Where All Come Together. Muli nga nating sulyapan kung ano ang TriNoma: TriNoma is a regional mall in Northern Manila bringing all the best in shopping, dining and entertainment that people from North have always sought elsewhere. Characterized by beautiful landscaping and punctuated by stunning water features, it is home to a wide array of retail and dining choices. From well-loved stores to new shopping concepts, from fun to fine dining, from state-of-the art cinemas to a lively activity center - everything comes together at TriNoma.

Para naman sa naghahanap ng upscale o high end shops, eh dapat may common sense sila. Kaya nga tinawag na high end kasi nasa high end ng mall ang mga tindahang ito :lol: Not entirely true pero kung mapapansin nyo eh ang mga tindahan eh sorted out by target markets per floor. Yung para sa masa eh nasa ibaba at habang umaakyat ka eh mas nagiging sosyal ang nasasalubong mong mga tindahan.

At sa mga nacheacheapan sa floor tiles ng TriNoma, eto lang ang masasabi ko: mas cheap 'yong napakakintab na floor tiles, walang class, floor wax lang ang katapat :okay:

Mas marami namang magandang feedback sa TriNoma ano. Sa moviehouses palang eh maraming may gusto kasi maluwang. Sa rooftop garden naman, yung mga nakakatunghay sa mist eh nasasabing parang nasa "langit" daw sila. Ang Landmark Supermart naman ay mas maaga magbukas kesa katapat na hypermarket at base sa mga nabasa ko eh halatang mas mura ang mga produkto nila.

NOTE: I'm playing with the words :lol:

gonzahr22

October 15th, 2007, 05:12 PM

One reason why Trinoma never lived up to its aim(maybe) of becoming an upscale mall is the MRT North EDSA connect. Ginagawa lang daanan ang Trinoma. Gaya rin ng Farmer's mall sa MRT Cubao. Its only Shangrila, Greenbelt and Powerplant malls can really live up to the tag as an upscale mall. For me, mas classy pa ang The Block. I agree with one observation here that if SM mgt. will convert the whole SM NoE into a The Block type of mall, then its high time the Ayalas must rethink of their strategies for Trinoma. The lighting plays a big part as well. :)

anonymous_filipino

October 15th, 2007, 05:47 PM

Sinjin P.

October 15th, 2007, 06:44 PM

^ As I read in other forums, may mga jologs sa Shangrila, especially sa upper levels, yung naghahanap ng aliw :laugh:

Magdiwang

October 15th, 2007, 07:25 PM

14 Oct 2007

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gonzahr22

October 15th, 2007, 07:44 PM

Magiging upscale lang yang Trinoma if exclusive high-end shops lang ang mag open dyan. Otherwise, it'll just be another hype. Actually the mall's structure is really nice. I just dont know why it seems so far of becoming an upscale mall. Di ko rin alam kong ano ang kulang or sobra. And as observed by others here, Shangrila is also connected to an MRT station yet mas upscale talaga ang dating. Kahit may so called "jologs" or mga "pasosyal" , upscale pa rin ang atmosphere ng Shangrila compared to Trinoma. Baka lalong maging kawawa yang Trinoma pag nag total facelift ang SM NoE. :lol:

Magdiwang

October 15th, 2007, 07:48 PM

14 Oct 2007

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Sinjin P.

October 15th, 2007, 07:51 PM

^ I know Ayala and hindi nila hahayaang kinakawawa sila ;)

gonzahr22

October 15th, 2007, 08:02 PM

^^Sana nga. Ang taas pa naman ng expectations ng tao sa Trinoma or the Ayalas in particular. Hopefully makabawi ang Trinoma, after its grand launch, from all the not so satisfying comments we've heard from its shoppers and clienteles.:)

LhexiMont

October 16th, 2007, 12:24 AM

Parang mas bagay kasi ang Trinoma sa BGC , dapat nag swap na lang sila ng place ng Market Market ....

c0kelitr0

October 16th, 2007, 01:12 AM

trinoma was not meant as an upscale mall or else, they wouldn't have allowed jollibee nor mcdonald's as tenants. these are masa-magnets. give the poor places they can actually afford, they'll go and flock there.

come on, let's not be so snotty here. this is the philippines. for now, we will always be overrun by the jologs, the mabaho-looking, the walang-ligo-looking, the mabantot-looking. let's live with it.

Sinjin P.

October 16th, 2007, 08:53 AM

^ Very true.

Parang mas bagay kasi ang Trinoma sa BGC , dapat nag swap na lang sila ng place ng Market Market ....

Hindi naman siguro kasi marami ding masa sa environs ng Market! Market! (Taguig Area) and besides, if there is a significant demand for high end stores in Market! Market! eh eventually mapapalitan din ang mga tenants niyan. Ganyan naman talaga ang mga malls, nagtatransform to cater to the needs of their clients ;)

thomasian

October 16th, 2007, 09:10 AM

trinoma was not meant as an upscale mall or else, they wouldn't have allowed jollibee nor mcdonald's as tenants. these are masa-magnets. give the poor places they can actually afford, they'll go and flock there.

FYI, the upscale Power Plant also has both McDonalds and, yes, a Jollibee, plus KFC, and Dunkin Donuts.

I guess if you go by the standards of an upscale mall not having affordable places to eat, then the only upscale mall in the Philippines will be The Podium.

icarusrising

October 16th, 2007, 09:58 AM

Parang mas bagay kasi ang Trinoma sa BGC , dapat nag swap na lang sila ng place ng Market Market ....

It's also a matter of positioning. Market! Market! might find itself disadvantaged if it were placed at Trinoma's location. I remember previous postings here of how Trinoma's high-end branding has lured away SM City North Edsa's patrons. If it were just another "masa mall", most customers would be content to stay with SM.

Onionz

October 16th, 2007, 10:29 AM

I say TriNoma is a Super-Regional mall like SM Megamall or Festival Supermall. Malls of this size usually cater to a mixed tenants from upper-class to lower class. In theory it's not profitable for an upscale mall in the Philippines to be more than 150,000 sq. ft. GLA - it's simply unsustainable especially with the demographics of our market.

correction mate...it's 150,000 sq.m of GLA not sq.ft

so 150,000 m² = 1,614,586.6 ft²

Sinjin P.

October 16th, 2007, 10:36 AM

Btw, TriNoma's Gross Leasable Area is 195,000 square meters. :)

bariQ

October 16th, 2007, 10:42 AM

gusto ko talagang pumunta ng trinoma! hahay... kelan pa kaya...

guys ilang mall naba ang nasa metro manila??? parang ang dami dami na ah...

mall ba rin yung 168 mall? tsaka yung nasa divisoria??

icarusrising

October 16th, 2007, 11:24 AM

eh di ba sabi ng Ayala Land during its construction na kaya nila ginawa ang TriNoMa to tap the large upscale/hi-end market ng QC? MRT as the cause kung bakit nagiging jologs mall ang TriNoMa? i don't think so... bakit ang Shangri-La connected sa MRT pero hindi nagiging jologs mall?

Yung Megamall, accessible pa rin siya whether it's from Shaw station or Ortigas station. Yung SM City North EDSA parang inilayo na talaga... Hehehe. I bet 90% ng sumasakay sa MRT, dun na agad tumutuloy sa Trinoma.

I read somewhere that the design of the mall also has something to do with it. Yung Shangrila kasi parang denisenyo siya para ma-intimidate yung di niya target market. Hindi siya conducive for strolling in the sense that Megamall is. Megamall is horizontal lang. Para ka lang nasa plaza na airconditioned.Yung Shangrila iba ang lay-out sa bawat level. Parang maze at high-end nga naman ang mga tenants. Kita mo rin kung paano makipot yung pasukan ng Shangrila na naka-connect sa MRT. Parang dadaan ka muna sa butas ng karayom bago makapasok.

Yung sa Trinoma parang wala ka nang choice kundi pumasok sa loob pagbaba mo ng MRT. :lol:

Sinjin P.

October 16th, 2007, 12:06 PM

Yung Shangrila Mall naman hindi kasi heavily marketed gaya ng ginagawa ng TriNoma na binabaha ang mga broadsheets at tabloids ng mga advertisements. And sa pagtingin mo palang sa TriNoma eh magiging curious ka kasi malaking-malaki ito tingnan mula sa labas at napakainviting nga naman.

anonymous_filipino

October 16th, 2007, 12:11 PM

tignan natin, once matapos na hype ng TriNoMa, it will cater na to its intented market of upscale residents of Quezon City... the problem is masyadong inadvertised ng Ayala ang TriNoMa kaya ang daming pumupunta... nung ginawa naman yung Greenbelt 2-4 hindi masyadong nagkamedia attention kaya it serves its intented market. same goes to The Podium and Power Plant Mall. those are what i think are the mistakes of TriNoMa and Gateway, too much media attention...

Sinjin P.

October 16th, 2007, 12:16 PM

By the way, nabasa ko sa ibang forum that when SM North EDSA had its 3 day sale few weeks ago, may nag-akalang lalangawin ang TriNoma so he checked it out at nashock siya kasi mas nakakalula daw ang dami ng tao sa TriNoma. TriNoma is becoming a magnet na huh. :lol:

thomasian

October 16th, 2007, 12:17 PM

^^ The events that they're holding in TriNoma, tulad ng Lastikman Mall Tour, daming naa-attract nun na mga tao. Siguro dapat piliin lang nila yung mga events sa gaganapin dun.

cq40

October 16th, 2007, 02:50 PM

TriNoma is a big pang-asar to SM North Edsa. <---Period :lol:

Like: People of Quezon City, (after 20 years) now you have a CHOICE!

nayki

October 16th, 2007, 05:18 PM

May mga reklamo pa rin about TriNoma:

-masyadong maraming tao
-magulo ang layout
-konti ang escalators
-nasa gitna lang ang majority sa mga escalators at wala sa mga tagong corridors
-wala pang signages sa parking areas
-medyo madilim pa ang mall
-ang hirap ng parking
-the mall is dirty
-the mall is hot
-people just walk and eat and go, halatang pissed off

Are these being addressed to by the management?

Also, hindi pa rin convinced ang mga tao (based on blog comments) that TriNoma is an upscale mall :lol:

Hehehehe Kayo naman syempre bago lang ang Trinoma at sobrang ingay ng promotion nila kaya dinudumug siya ng tao mula sa lahat ng class. Alam nyo naman ang mga pinoy basta may bagong mall sugod lahat. Ako nga sobrang daming kakilala ko ang nagtanong na sa akin kung paano pumunta ng trinoma at kahit sa province maraming nagtatanong sa akin kung maganda ba daw sa trinoma kasi gustp nila pumunta. Karamihan naman talaga sa mga mall goers eh namamasyal lang sa mall at kumakain kaya ganon. Tungkol naman sa pagiging medyo mainit at magulo nung mall, expected na un dahil nag-soft opening lang sila ngayong taon at dinumog na sila ng tao. Napakadami pa ng stalls na di pa bukas hangang ngayon. Pero di naman magtatagal at magiging normal din ang lahat pag nag cool down na ang hype ng mga tao sa trinoma. Tungkol naman sa escalator nila sa tingin ko napaka efficient nung escalator system nila, kasi ang position ng mga escalator is pa circular shape sha na parang ladder. So pag baba mo ng isang escalator lakad ka lang ng deretso medyo paikot escalator ulit para bumaba hangang makarating ka sa baba.

nayki

October 16th, 2007, 05:26 PM

FYI, the upscale Power Plant also has both McDonalds and, yes, a Jollibee, plus KFC, and Dunkin Donuts.

I guess if you go by the standards of an upscale mall not having affordable places to eat, then the only upscale mall in the Philippines will be The Podium.

Oo nga may mga fastfood din sa mga upscale mall, medyo na-amaze nga ako nung nagpunta ako ng Power Plant nung kumain ako sa jollibee sa may lower ground ang mga crew nila sosyal. Mga mayayamang tsinoy ang crew nila, at ang service nila ok galing! Pag may hiningi ka sa kanila ang bilis kagad tapos matutuwa ka kasi pag nag-uusap usap sila english or chinese. Siguro gusto lang nila ma-experience ang magcrew sa fastfood siguro part na din ng training nila :lol:

Sinjin P.

October 16th, 2007, 06:07 PM

Hehehehe Kayo naman syempre bago lang ang Trinoma at sobrang ingay ng promotion nila kaya dinudumug siya ng tao mula sa lahat ng class. Alam nyo naman ang mga pinoy basta may bagong mall sugod lahat. Ako nga sobrang daming kakilala ko ang nagtanong na sa akin kung paano pumunta ng trinoma at kahit sa province maraming nagtatanong sa akin kung maganda ba daw sa trinoma kasi gustp nila pumunta. Karamihan naman talaga sa mga mall goers eh namamasyal lang sa mall at kumakain kaya ganon. Tungkol naman sa pagiging medyo mainit at magulo nung mall, expected na un dahil nag-soft opening lang sila ngayong taon at dinumog na sila ng tao. Napakadami pa ng stalls na di pa bukas hangang ngayon. Pero di naman magtatagal at magiging normal din ang lahat pag nag cool down na ang hype ng mga tao sa trinoma. Tungkol naman sa escalator nila sa tingin ko napaka efficient nung escalator system nila, kasi ang position ng mga escalator is pa circular shape sha na parang ladder. So pag baba mo ng isang escalator lakad ka lang ng deretso medyo paikot escalator ulit para bumaba hangang makarating ka sa baba.

True, that's one more thing I love about Ayala Malls, they're organized. :yes:

JustHorace

October 16th, 2007, 10:17 PM

Area51

October 17th, 2007, 01:18 AM

Well, do not expect the upscale shops in Trinoma to open anytime soon. A very very big majority of the shops and retail spaces reserved for SSI haven't even been awarded to contractors yet. They just posted the names of the "proposed" stores to make it appear that Trinoma is "mostly occupied". I don't see any of those openning anytime soon.

With regard to the airconditioning, somebody really made a big mistake with the design of their airconditioning system. Many things were not considered including the Phil's intense tropical climate. SM City Edsa was supposed to use the same system but decided not to do so after finding out about the big big problem of Trinoma.

thomasian

October 17th, 2007, 01:38 AM

^^ Oh, that makes Tri Noma "hot"... literally hot, that is. :D At least there are portions of the mall that are adequately cooled. I hope the opening of more stores won't add to Tri Noma's, uhm, heat.

gonzahr22

October 17th, 2007, 02:33 AM

Bakit kaya andaming reklamo sa Trinoma??? ... maybe this mall deserves another look from the management itself, the Ayalas. The mall's concept & structure is good pero parang may kulang talaga for shoppers and mallers to stay longer in this mall. For me( and for now), mas maganda pa ang The Block compared to Trinoma. :)

c0kelitr0

October 17th, 2007, 02:36 AM

FYI, the upscale Power Plant also has both McDonalds and, yes, a Jollibee, plus KFC, and Dunkin Donuts.

I guess if you go by the standards of an upscale mall not having affordable places to eat, then the only upscale mall in the Philippines will be The Podium.

but guess where in Powerplant these fastfood chains are located? :D

in trinoma, jollibee and mcdonald's are really big stores. they stand out and are located at the center of the mall. there's even a second mcdonald's on the topmost floor. these places, together with trinoma's park, attract the masa people like maggots to shit :D

gonzahr22

October 17th, 2007, 02:42 AM

FYI, the upscale Power Plant also has both McDonalds and, yes, a Jollibee, plus KFC, and Dunkin Donuts.

I guess if you go by the standards of an upscale mall not having affordable places to eat, then the only upscale mall in the Philippines will be The Podium.

Agree! Agree! And to think na theres nothing wrong if Trinoma welcomes the masa crowd. Dyan naman talaga kumikita ang mga malls sa so called masa. Again and again, hinay hinay sa pagiging "pasosyal". :)

thomasian

October 17th, 2007, 03:19 AM

but guess where in Powerplant these fastfood chains are located? :D

LOL. I don't have to guess. :D They're at level P1, or in regular terms, basement-1. But it's not that bad of a location, it's still considered as a prime spot on the mall, where Rustan's Supermarket and other upscale restos are.

...and McDo enjoys the benefit of being seen first upon entering the mall from the parking at P1.

Sinjin P.

October 17th, 2007, 03:22 AM

c0kelitr0

October 17th, 2007, 04:32 AM

@aaron, hehehe. my point is, if trinoma really wanted to target the A,B & C+ crowd, di na nila sana nilagyan ng mga stores with products na the masa can actually afford. PLUS the Park where anyone can loiter for free.

as far as i can remember, sabi ng ALI, trinoma is a super regional mall and targets everyone.

at dahil dyan, di na dapat tayo nagugulat pa na may mga gusgusin na namamasyal sa mall. eh ako nga, naka shorts and tsinelas lang pag nagmamalling. isa na siguro ako sa sinasabi nilang mukhang walang ligo :hilarious :lol:

thomasian

October 17th, 2007, 06:31 AM

^^ LOL, nasa pagdadala yan ano, saka kung sa Power Plant ka magmo-mall, mas maganda nga yung outfit mo eh, yung tipong parang di masyadong nakapag-ayos na look na parang kabababa mo lang ng Rockwell condo unit mo, o katatawid mo lang mula Bel-Air. :colgate:

Onionz

October 17th, 2007, 08:48 AM

Btw, TriNoma's Gross Leasable Area is 195,000 square meters. :)

Oh yeah right on, you got that right...it is 195,000 m² GLA for Trinoma the largest in the country so far on paper.
I guess Sinjin you have too much time on your hand, eh man.

What do you do for a living? just wondering. :)

3cr

October 17th, 2007, 08:55 AM

TriNoma formally opens in Quezon City

AYALA LAND, INC., the country’s largest property developer, on Monday formally launched its Triangle in Northern Manila (TriNoma) mall in Quezon City, some two years after construction began in 2005.

AFP TriNoma General Manager Javier Hernandez told BusinessWorld the mall was expected to be fully occupied in the first quarter of next year. He said round 80% of the tenants have started operations in the mall, which would have the Landmark Department Store and Supermarket as the anchor tenant.

"The mall is addressing the ABC market. We are quite happy with the outcome," he said.

"We complement our neighbor (SM North EDSA) across the street. There is only 20% overlapping of tenants but the remaining 80% is unique to TriNoma."

TriNoma, which is ALI’s first foray into northern Metro Manila, is right across SM North EDSA, the Sy group’s first mall, and is connected to what is currently the last stop in the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) system.

Mr. Hernandez said foot traffic was expected to hit 200,000 to 250,000 by yearend. He did not indicate how many people are now trooping to the Ayala-owned mall.

Currently the second largest SM mall, SM North was established in 1985. It is the SM chain’s busiest mall as it attracts an average daily foot traffic of 315,000 out of the two-million average daily foot traffic of all SM malls.

TriNoma had a soft-launch last May but only 50% of the tenants were operational at that time. ALI had previously eyed a June grand opening.

In his speech on Monday evening, ALI President and Chief Executive Jaime I. Ayala said the opening of TriNoma "underscores the company’s confidence in the development of Quezon City as a thriving business district as well as its continuing commitment to the progress of the nation."

"We hope TriNoma will be a catalyst in the ongoing development of this dynamic city. We envision TriNoma to be a prime contributor to the progress and evolution of Quezon City as the city stands at the forefront of economic growth in our country," he said.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was the guest of honor of the formal launch of the 12.9-hectare mall, which has four major floors and 2,500 parking slots. Also present were Vice-President Noli de Castro, ALI Chairman Fernando Zobel de Ayala, and Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte, among others. Mall magnate Henry Sy was seen after the program with his son Henry Jr. Robina Gokongwei-Pe, of the Gokongwei group which owns the Robinsons mall chain, was also present.

"With its scale and wide range of offerings, we hope TriNoma will be the complete dining and entertainment hub of northern Metro Manila," Mr. Ayala said.

"With the opening of this mall, we have now brought all ALI’s business lines to Quezon City," he added.

TriNoma is a project of North Triangle Depot Commercial Corp. (NTDCC), which owns the development rights over the MRT depot in northern Metro Manila.

ALI controls 49% of NTDCC. ALI is the project and operations manager of the commercial center project.

thomasian

October 17th, 2007, 09:03 AM

TriNoma formally opens in Quezon City
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was the guest of honor of the formal launch of the 12.9-hectare mall, which has four major floors and 2,500 parking slots....

12.9 hectares = 129,000 sq.m.

I guess that figure didn't include Landmark?

Sinjin P.

October 17th, 2007, 10:08 AM

12.9 hectares (129,000 square meters) total footprint (inc. parking building)

129,000 sq.m. x 4 = 516,000sq.m. Gross Floor Area (inc. parking building)
195,000 sq.m. - Gross Leasable Area

...or somewhere near that figure :D

Oh yeah right on, you got that right...it is 195,000 m² GLA for Trinoma the largest in the country so far on paper.
I guess Sinjin you have too much time on your hand, eh man.

What do you do for a living? just wondering. :)

I'm still a student pursuing an online career. ;)

cq40

October 17th, 2007, 10:14 AM

12.9 hectares = 129,000 sq.m.

I guess that figure didn't include Landmark?

It seems like, yeah..

Sinjin P.

October 17th, 2007, 10:14 AM

"The mall is addressing the ABC market. We are quite happy with the outcome," he said.

True. Iyang nakikita nating jologs ay nasa C market at may pambili rin. :yes:

"We complement our neighbor (SM North EDSA) across the street. There is only 20% overlapping of tenants but the remaining 80% is unique to TriNoma."

Nice. Wide array nga naman talaga.

Mr. Hernandez said foot traffic was expected to hit 200,000 to 250,000 by yearend. He did not indicate how many people are now trooping to the Ayala-owned mall.

Currently the second largest SM mall, SM North was established in 1985. It is the SM chain’s busiest mall as it attracts an average daily foot traffic of 315,000 out of the two-million average daily foot traffic of all SM malls.

Wow, malapit na nilang maabot ang figure na binuild-up ng SM North EDSA for years. Pretty impressing for a relatively new mall that isn't even 100% operational yet.

Mall magnate Henry Sy was seen after the program with his son Henry Jr. Robina Gokongwei-Pe, of the Gokongwei group which owns the Robinsons mall chain, was also present.

:applause:

Sinjin P.

October 17th, 2007, 10:17 AM

Arroyo to grace TriNoma opening (http://www.pacificnewscenter.com/print_this_story.asp?smenu=1&sdetail=13844)

Staff Reporter
11:10 a.m.

Philippine President Gloria M. Arroyo will formally launch Monday, TriNoma, a super-regional shopping mall, one of the world's Top 20 largest, at the corner of North Ave., Mindanao Ave. and Mindanao Ave. in Quezon City. An Ayala Land, Inc. Malls Group's shopping complex north of Manila, the TriNoma has a total land area of 12.9 hectares.

The mall has four major floors and 2,500 parking spaces. The Mall is directly linked to the Metro rail system along highway 54 or the EDSA Highway.

The President is expected to arrive at 6 p.m. at TriNoma, one of metro Manila's newest giant shopping centers. She will press the button that will switch on the lights of the whole mall to signify TriNoma's formal opening to the public. A recent Forbes magazine survey of the worlds largest shopping malls showed metro Manila to have three of the worlds largest malls, with a total of six malls, including the new TriNoma Mall, in the top global 20 in terms of total floor area.

The Chief Executive will be assisted by Metro Point Board of Directors (MPBD) Chairman Fernando Zobel de Ayala, Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte and Congressman Vincent Crisologo of Quezon City's 1st District.

Ayala Land said there will be a video presentation of the newly-established mall focusing on its brief history.

After the launching rites, the President will tour the facilities, including TriNoma's shopping stores.

Ayala Land President Jaime Ayala will deliver the welcome remarks during the launching ceremony.

The new shopping mall, situated just across the street from SM North Edsa, boasts of popular and specialty stores of both local and international brands, fast food outlets, seven digital cinemas, cafes and amusement centers.
The second floor is also the second home for Landmark Department Store and Supermarket.

alliele

October 17th, 2007, 10:54 AM

so it was true. sayang hindi ako nakapunta. :(

icarusrising

October 17th, 2007, 12:20 PM

^^ Friends naman yung mga yan. They belong to the same upper crust society. Kaya sports lang...

I even remember a story about Sy and Gokongwei having a toss coin to decide who would get the land where the Galleria now stands.

thomasian

October 17th, 2007, 12:44 PM

What is Henry Sy and Robina Gokongwei-Pe doing there? Were they invited? :D

They're all business partners. SM having the Gokongwei tenant Warehouse, and Topshop and Topman at Podium, and also in MoA. Robinsons having the Sy tenant Watson's in some of it's malls. SM leasing SM Makati from the Ayalas. And a lot of other symbiotic business partnerships.

JustHorace

October 17th, 2007, 12:48 PM

Both those slots are already leased out and committed to those "proposed" shops

Maybe he was talking about the closed stores labeled with "Stores Specialists, Inc." It won't tell which brands are occupying those slots, pero they're leased out to SSI.

Re: TriNoma opening
:banana: Nice! A great opening for a great mall!

thomasian

October 17th, 2007, 12:56 PM

^^ Hakot naman yata lagi kumuha ang SSI to ensure that the upmarket and high-end brands they brought here are all clustered together. Sa GB3 malaking part ng ground level at part ng 2nd level ang sa kanila. Sa GB4 hakot din sila. Sa Mall of Asia, sa kanila yung pinaka-prime space sa gitna ng 2nd level ng Main Mall. Kahit yata di pa sila sigurado sa ilalagay nilang brands eh kinokontrata na nila yung spaces. I guess clustering their brands would create a bigger impact and more of the wow factor.

pau_p1

October 17th, 2007, 01:04 PM

last saturday nandun kami and the band Click Five was there... napakadaming kabataan na nandun... heheheh...

Bosnyboy

October 17th, 2007, 01:07 PM

Err heres my humble opinion regarding the issue of why trinoma isnt really or doenst look like an upscale mall. I think its because of the fit and finish of the mall itself. If we compare greenbelt or podium with trinoma, there are big differences with regards to the materials used and the workmanship. In trinoma i see the floors made of natural stones but looked really dirty. And the interiors is really dark maybe because a lot of stores arent opened yet but still it is dark. I saw ceilings which are peeling off already and water stains here and there. Plus the color is mostly dark colors like gray and dark brown owing to the natural colors of the stones used. Ayala's glorietta 4 and glorietta 3 are much more upscale-looking than trinoma in my opinion. The block looks upscale becoz of the cool-white color of the lights plus the very shiny cream white tiles used. The block also uses a lot of stainless materials like in their railings. Something really is not right with trinoma. Its there but not quite there yet. I duno hard to explain. And also no thanks to the area surrounding the mall. Squatter colonies abound. Whereas in greenbelt u see high rises surrounding the malls adding to the upscalish appeal. Just my 2 cents.

JustHorace

October 17th, 2007, 01:40 PM

^^Wasn't TriNoma projected to cost around 7 billion prior to construction but ended up being a 3.5-billion project? That's like half of the original budget!

last saturday nandun kami and the band Click Five was there... napakadaming kabataan na nandun... heheheh...

Yeah, I was there too! Saturday night, right? I was looking for a despedida in some restaurant when I chanced upon Click Five rushing into Rockefeller's. Behind them were teenage girls running to keep up! Hahahaha!

Rence

October 17th, 2007, 01:52 PM

last saturday nandun kami and the band Click Five was there... napakadaming kabataan na nandun... heheheh...

:banana:Nandiyan naman kami next week October 25 to October 28 for the Gawad Kalinga EXpo , Nasa Philippine Orchid Society Booth ako !

Text Ninyo na lang ako kapag nasa SM MOA kayo during those days!

Sinjin P.

October 17th, 2007, 05:04 PM

^^Wasn't TriNoma projected to cost around 7 billion prior to construction but ended up being a 3.5-billion project? That's like half of the original budget!

True, parang tinipid ata, hmmm.

Anyway, baka mas maliwanag na ang TriNoma ngayon after PGMA did the ceremonial switching on of lights. We'll see.

cq40

October 18th, 2007, 04:18 AM

True, parang tinipid ata, hmmm.

Anyway, baka mas maliwanag na ang TriNoma ngayon after PGMA did the ceremonial switching on of lights. We'll see.
I'm sorry it's still gloomy in TriNoma but very-The Blocky/Classy feel sa LandMark...weird..

Sinjin P.

October 18th, 2007, 05:19 AM

Well, in my opinion, dim is classy. :D

thomasian

October 18th, 2007, 06:15 AM

^^ Para sa akin naman, glamorous! At fab!

le Reine

October 18th, 2007, 07:59 PM

^^Wasn't TriNoma projected to cost around 7 billion prior to construction but ended up being a 3.5-billion project? That's like half of the original budget!

Yeah, I was there too! Saturday night, right? I was looking for a despedida in some restaurant when I chanced upon Click Five rushing into Rockefeller's. Behind them were teenage girls running to keep up! Hahahaha!

last saturday nandun kami and the band Click Five was there... napakadaming kabataan na nandun... heheheh...
well, I was also there playing at timezone. Who would've thought that 3 ssc forumers are in the same mall at the same time eh?

Well, in my opinion, dim is classy. :D

^^ Para sa akin naman, glamorous! At fab!
I definitely agree!

Onionz

October 18th, 2007, 09:28 PM

[QUOTE=cosmoManila;15938672]^^Wasn't TriNoma projected to cost around 7 billion prior to construction but ended up being a 3.5-billion project? That's like half of the original budget!

Where did you get those numbers from for the budget cost? Is it true and reliable source...I mean we do voice out our opinions here on anything, facts like that need to be proven facts and on paper.
Anyway P3.5billion is so cheap to construct a grand mall like that from the Ayalas if it is really true.

Sinjin P.

October 19th, 2007, 01:53 AM

^ I still need to recover the articles but yeah, the original cost for TriNoma was pegged at P7 Billion, then slashed to P5 Billion and now its P3.5 Billion. :)

tyronne

October 19th, 2007, 02:51 AM

Ang ganda ng Landmark Foodcenter. Kumain ako don last Tuesday.

raf

October 19th, 2007, 04:31 AM

the edsa side of trinoma looks like a cement factory. Kulang na lang mga higanteng chimneys:lol:

The mindanao avenue side looks classy though.

LhexiMont

October 19th, 2007, 02:26 PM

the edsa side of trinoma looks like a cement factory. Kulang na lang mga higanteng chimneys:lol:

The mindanao avenue side looks classy though.

Nakita ko nga ..inconsistent nga may maganda at not so good side.

Among the super regional malls in MM , Festival Supermall still tops for me pagdating sa uniformity, vastness at great looking on all sides or angles . It has been repainted too recently . It maybe not so lavish but functional and very maller friendly . It started the trend of covered walks on malls and it made indoor themeparks free of entrance ..which was prevalent in most malls prior to its opening in 1998 . Somehow , its also the first mall with a flowing water stream on the course of the longest train ride in a mall .. which means way before Trinoma ..FS had that water- feature 9 years ago though small in scale . Mall anchorwise , FCC has an edge over BGC with Festival vs. Market !Market !

Sinjin P.

October 19th, 2007, 02:30 PM

The thing is, wala medyong nakakalat na benches. Yun lang ang minus point ng Festival Supermall. But that doesn't stop me from frequenting the area. :)

LhexiMont

October 19th, 2007, 02:54 PM

Maybe , to encourage shoppers to move around and buy something from the stores. It has some benches on second level though where you can sit .

alliele

October 19th, 2007, 04:21 PM

i passed by Trinoma earlier, and everything was much normal despite tightened security.

and i didn't know Krispy Kreme's already open in Trinoma. level M4 to be exact.

Onionz

October 19th, 2007, 07:41 PM

Which has the best looking facade or overall outside view of all angles among all the supermalls there in MM? SM MOA vs Trinoma vs Festival Supermall vs SM Megamall etc.

LhexiMont

October 20th, 2007, 12:35 AM

SM MoA - its beautiful and one of a kind location by the sea is an add on .
Festival Supermall - beautiful on all angles , surrounded by lush greens and top notch
landscaping .

icarusrising

October 20th, 2007, 06:18 AM

^^ SM Megamall, I believe, is the country's longest horizontal box structure... which I find aesthetically spartan... I mean considering that it has been once touted as one of the world's biggest malls ( and still probably is). They tried to reconfigure it by adding those colorful "commercial boxes" and putting those wave-like cantilevered canopies on the main entrances along EDSA. They also tried to encourage street dining but it seems unsuccessful because of what else but pollution and vehicular noise on the EDSA side. If they want to encourage this, there should be more greens and add water features to create a more relaxing atmosphere and neutralize negative environmental factors.

Work is on going at the portion facing the San Miguel headquarters and what formerly was the Megastrip. I hope they build something vertical to "break the mold". With its great location, they should build connected towers for offices or a hotel. Does anyone have a rendering of what they plan to build there?

Adenium

October 20th, 2007, 07:44 AM

icarusrising

October 20th, 2007, 07:56 AM

^^ Ang husay! Salamat sa visuals. :okay:

3cr

October 20th, 2007, 09:26 AM

Mall anchorwise , FCC has an edge over BGC with Festival vs. Market !Market ! Yup Market!Market! is inferior to Festival mall but don't forget BGC also has Boni High Street to boast of. :)

jogavilz

October 20th, 2007, 10:14 AM

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa122/wabbygabby/smedsa.png

What SM mall is this?

icarusrising

October 20th, 2007, 10:16 AM

^^Could be anywhere... It's generic enough. But maybe... it's SM City North EDSA. You can look at the number 1 post here and compare.

Sinjin P.

October 20th, 2007, 11:31 AM

^^Could be anywhere... It's generic enough. But maybe... it's SM City North EDSA. You can look at the number 1 post here and compare.

Yes it's SM City North EDSA, which is just about to be redeveloped

thomasian

October 20th, 2007, 02:49 PM

Megamall still looks and feels gigantic to me everytime I go there. Sana gawin nila condo iyung extension nila. Bibili ako dun, hehe.

The steel reinforcements look like they will have a tower built taller than the solid rectangular block like you mentioned:
http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff137/verdigris_photo/smmegaexpansion.jpg

That part is now a level higher than that of the pic. It looks like there'll be a circular atrium in it, something currently not present in Megamall with its boxy forms/

the edsa side of trinoma looks like a cement factory. Kulang na lang mga higanteng chimneys:lol:

The mindanao avenue side looks classy though.

A big part of the EDSA side is Landmark, maybe that explains why it doesn't have windows.

LhexiMont

October 20th, 2007, 06:31 PM

Yup Market!Market! is inferior to Festival mall but don't forget BGC also has Boni High Street to boast of. :)

I did not say that its inferior , what I said was FCC has an edge over BGC at least in their respective malls because , projects-wise BGC has lots of it while FCC has some .

Sinjin P.

October 20th, 2007, 08:40 PM

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2336/1648749374_a3aa78f68f_o.jpg
by deckchua (http://flickr.com/photos/13676251@N02/)

"SM Megamall, a day after the Makati Bombing, I'd thought more people will stay at home, but I guess the 3 day sale is more effective than the bomb." - Deck Chua

Sinjin P.

October 20th, 2007, 08:45 PM

Robinsons Galleria
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2013/1621121676_10c70a7f50_o.jpg
by iceeb0y (http://flickr.com/photos/10251660@N05/)

Adenium

October 20th, 2007, 09:01 PM

QUOTE=icarus-rising;15997935]^^ Ang husay! Salamat sa visuals. :okay:[/QUOTE]

@Icarus, you are welcome!

Here is SM Megamall's little but BIG sister:okay::okay:

http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff137/verdigris_photo/adbavenuefacingpodium.jpg

thomasian

October 21st, 2007, 09:04 AM

The Podium is still an alternative parking area for SM Megamall. Last Friday, the first day of the 3-day sale, Megamall's parking got full so the Podium guys are waving placards "Megamall parking full. Please proceed to the Podium parking."

Onionz

October 21st, 2007, 09:13 AM

What the freak is going on in there in the Philippines...I am very sad hearing news like that.
what's with the glorietta 2 being bombed? I'm very sad and angry. :(

It makes me sick of what these terrorist are doing there...at the same time you Sinjin and others showing pictures just going on with normal lives strolling around the malls as if this is the norm and acceptable there now???!!!!!

What's the stupid government doing there and that midget president Arroyo doing there?
you gotta be more vigilant... 2 or 3 or even 10 million pesos ain't gonna do much
gotta use that money to prevent or find the perpetrators.

I guess this will be the new issue now with malls all over there in the Philippines, BUILD BETTER SECURITY. I would say install hundreds of CCTV cameras everywhere, hire more guards. This is freak'n ridiculous.
SM and Ayala have both been attacked and people have died in those malls and hundreds injured.
I say stop with their competition now who gets the better mall, grandest mall forget that!. The Philippines arguably has the best malls in the world, but now they should make it the most secure ones too...
I know life goes on there...but you people there gotta fight back!!
and it just makes me sad from here in Canada about new like that, I plan to visit back home in a couple or so years from now, but now I think that might be further delayed

:(

icarusrising

October 21st, 2007, 09:59 AM

Ano ba yun? Pagkatapos ng bombing, nagkaroon naman ng sunog sa Glorietta kanina... :ohno: Sigh...

Restaurant in Glorietta 4 on fire

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=96541

Firefighters are trying to put out a fire at a restaurant on the 2nd floor of the Glorietta 4 mall in Makati, the ABS-CBN News Team reported. No injuries were reported.

Superintendent Sophia Mendoza of the Bureau of Fire Protection said the fire, which is now on its first alarm and is under control, started at 12:10 at the Seafood Seafood Market Restaurant.

In a telephone interview with ANC, Alfonso Reyes, spokesman of Ayala Corporation said the fire was traced to an exhaust problem has been contained.

A report on DZMM said the fire started on the mall’s 2nd floor. Glorietta Mall is the portion of Glorietta on the right side of complex. On it’s right is SM Makati and it is directly in front of Inter-Continental Hotel Manila.

Smoke from the fire which started at Seafood Seafood Market reached the 3rd floor.

Fortunately, Mendoza said they did not need to raise the fire alarm because the firefighters were able to respond immediately.

She said the fire has not been declared as out because firemen have been unable to enter the place of the fire due to the thick smoke.

The responding firemen have had to break the glass fronting the Seafood Seafood Market in Glorietta 4 and the employees and customers orderly exited the premises through the supervision of the Glorietta 4 management.

With Rod Izon

icarusrising

October 21st, 2007, 10:03 AM

Fire hits Glorietta 4 restaurant, already contained

By Thea Alberto
INQUIRER.net
Last updated 03:06pm (Mla time) 10/21/2007
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/metro/view_article.php?article_id=95808

MANILA, Philippines--(UPDATE) Two days after the deadly explosion in Glorietta 2, a fire has hit another part of the Glorietta complex shortly after lunch Sunday, a police official said.

The fire started at the Seafood Seafood Market restaurant in Glorietta 4 and was declared contained past 1:00 pm, said Chief Superintendent Luizo Ticman, southern police district chief.

No casualties or injuries were reported.

An electrical wiring fault may have caused the fire, Ticman said, quoting initial reports.

"We would like to inform the general public that this is not a cause for alarm," said Ticman.

He said the fire was not related to Friday's blast in Glorietta 2 area, which authorities believe started from the basement. As of this posting, 11 people had been confirmed dead because of the blast while 120 others sustained injuries.
Originally posted 1:28 p.m.

Waldenstrom

October 21st, 2007, 03:38 PM

waaahh, i was about to go Glorietta this afternoon. Buti na lang hindi na naman ako natuloy. :D

le Reine

October 21st, 2007, 08:25 PM

^^kamusta naman Doc? Madami ba pasyente mula dun sa binomba?

Waldenstrom

October 22nd, 2007, 01:14 AM

Yup, madami. Sa Makati Med lahat nitransfer lahat ng patients from Ospital ng Makati. The day after the blast, may mga dumating pa rin na patients with minor injuries.

cq40

October 22nd, 2007, 02:06 AM

Yup, madami. Sa Makati Med lahat nitransfer lahat ng patients from Ospital ng Makati. The day after the blast, may mga dumating pa rin na patients with minor injuries.

Nang malaman nilang Ililibre sila ng Alaya...
Nagsilipatan agad sa Makati Med :nuts:

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

alliele

October 22nd, 2007, 03:53 AM

with these things happening in the Glorietta complex, it just means one thing.

ALI should start working on redeveloping the entire place. and yes, make it more secure as possible.

pau_p1

October 22nd, 2007, 05:50 AM

Sinjin P.

October 22nd, 2007, 07:08 AM

well.. I think that with the structural integrity of Glorietta 2 is doubtful now.. I think the Ayala's might redevelop Glorietta 2 before Glorietta 1....

If I'm not mistaken.. once Glorietta 5 is built.. they'll demolish Glorietta 1 for a better mall..

ALI lists priorities after blast;
businessmen fret over impact (http://businessmirror.com.ph/10222007/headlines04.html)

By Honey Madrilejos Reyes
Reporter

ENSURING the safety and security of tenants while cooperating fully with investigators of Friday’s explosion that gouged the center of Glorietta 2 in Ayala’s main commercial center are priorities of mall owner and operator Ayala Land Inc. (ALI), officials said Sunday.

This, as Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay predicted the city will be back on its feet in no time as it seeks to cope with the tragedy that killed 11 people, hurt more than 100 and cost property damage initially estimated at P100 million.

Foreign investors and big business have offered unsolicited advice on how to go forward and prevent the apparent terror attack—though the perpetrators are still unknown—from dampening an economy that has performed well in past months, and further denting investor confidence in the country.

Roughly 100 tenants were affected by the explosion that rocked the mall at 1:30 p.m. on Friday.

But Ayala Land officials assured they will be temporarily relocated to allow them to continue operations while Glorietta 2 is being reconstructed.

Corporate spokesman Alfie Reyes told BusinessMirror tenants and merchants have been very supportive in this crisis.

“We’re still drafting our plans for the tenants. At the top of our list is their safety. Once we are certain that it is already safe to enter the premises, we will allow our tenants to secure possessions and take out their stocks so they may be able to sell them at their other stores,” he said.

He added ALI will look for a temporary staging facility where the tenants can resume their operations.

Asked how much the financial impact of the incident to both ALI and its tenants is, Reyes said they are not yet making calculations at this time. The P100 million was an initial estimate offered by probers.

“Honestly, we are not there yet because what we are prioritizing is the safety and security of the people,” he said.

----------------------
Anyway,

Business at usual at Glorietta a day after the blast except that the Glorietta 2 wing is closed off from the public

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2028/1680629311_21c211d56d_b.jpg
photo by mcoplin2000

(http://flickr.com/photos/mcoplin/)

Sinjin P.

October 22nd, 2007, 07:40 AM

Glorietta 5

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2269/1666330017_f47e66207c_b.jpg

photo by millipot] (http://flickr.com/photos/millipot/)

Sinjin P.

October 22nd, 2007, 07:45 AM

Greenbelt 5

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2131/1585228763_6dce4224b0_b.jpg

photo by juvyjuvs (http://flickr.com/photos/juvyjuvs/)

Sinjin P.

October 22nd, 2007, 07:59 AM

Alabang Town Center
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2210/1575885274_6ef4517a76_b.jpg
photo by kleyr2007 (http://flickr.com/photos/8055405@N02/)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2046/1595719865_b9918962b9_b.jpg
photo by Normski's (http://flickr.com/photos/normski/)

el_dasik_oo1

October 22nd, 2007, 10:20 AM

Grabe konti lang tao sa glorietta ngayon. I was at Glorietta nung lunch time. Kokonti lang nakita ko tao dun.. Some shops are close kahit hindi part Glorietta 2.

Sera

October 22nd, 2007, 02:13 PM

More than the sensationalism of this incident. I lament the casualties of this disaster, let us pray for their families. But business will go as usual, malls will always be a passion of filipinos.

el_dasik_oo1

October 22nd, 2007, 02:24 PM

yep. Business as usual. I was able to pass by new Greenbelt *sa likod nga lang*. It feels like I'm in Singapore. Hindi na ako balik dun, sa greenbelt na lang. :D

Sera

October 22nd, 2007, 02:27 PM

Ako sa TriNoma naman pag week-end, though nasa Makati ako nakatira. Lagi ko kasi nakikita Glorietta kaya gusto ko parang nag escapade ako sa malayo. :lol:

dancethingy

October 22nd, 2007, 08:15 PM

yep. Business as usual. I was able to pass by new Greenbelt *sa likod nga lang*. It feels like I'm in Singapore. Hindi na ako balik dun, sa greenbelt na lang. :D

My tita just got back from Singapore, sabi nya saakin

"ano ba yan, parang malaking greenbelt lang"

le Reine

October 22nd, 2007, 10:54 PM

^^ahaha...sosyal.

I still feel sad for Ayala center. Nakakaasar. Kung sino man ang gumawa nun. I went there (again!) yesterday evening and Glorietta was very very gloomy. Iilan lang kami dun sa may starbucks G4 which was always full before. :(

jericholic

October 23rd, 2007, 01:23 AM

le Reine

October 23rd, 2007, 02:26 AM

^^I'm starting to become alive again after hearing from the news that the "bombing" might not actually be bombing at all. There's also a big possibility that it was a "methane gas leak," in short, it was just an accident. I really hope that it was not intentional as what was initially stated.

el_dasik_oo1

October 23rd, 2007, 06:40 AM

My tita just got back from Singapore, sabi nya saakin

"ano ba yan, parang malaking greenbelt lang"

sosyal nga! :lol:

hiiamdib

October 23rd, 2007, 07:09 AM

The bombing of G2 really brought a tremendous effect to ALI's profits, as evidenced by the gloomy atmosphere and thin crowd on the said mall these days. People either just stay home or go to Ayala's other malls or SM. What Ayala should do is to beef up security on its other malls so at least they can still survive this problem. Or better yet, renovate the whole of Glorietta and change its name once it finishes its renovation.

well, they could re-launch the G2 with a bash to attract attention and send signals to shoppers that Glorietta is alive and well, but I think they have to put the explosion behind first.

feistyradical

October 23rd, 2007, 07:40 AM

10/23/2007 | 10:35 AM

Updated 12:31 p.m.) The police on Tuesday ruled out bombing as the cause of last Friday's Glorietta 2 incident saying investigators found no bomb indicators.

Director Geary Barias, chief of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), said the deadly blast was more likely triggered by gas that leaked from the mall's basement.

"The Philippine Bomb Data Center, together with the EOD (explosives and ordnance division) and SOCO (scene of the crime operations), completed yesterday (Monday) the post-blast investigation," Barias said in an interview over radio dzMM.

Barias said the significant findings are the following: 1) no traces of Improvised Explosive Device component were found; 2) there was no crater found; and, 3) there was no ventilation at the basement for air circulation.

"What I can say is it's very difficult to support the theory of (bombing) in the absence of the two critical things," Barias said in referring to the first two findings.

Barias said the physical effects of the incident support, on the other hand, the gas explosion theory, particularly the upward direction of the blast.

"The petro-chemical experts also examined the layout of the fuel tank and their finding is that it did not follow the standard cylindrical structure that would cause an even distribution of the pressure. Their tank is rectangular and this might have contributed to the explosion," he said.

Asked about the liability of the basement operator, Barias said: "That should be a necessary consequence of the investigation because people died and people were injured. So there should be some criminal liability and civil liability for that."

The investigators, however, have yet to identify those who have responsibility over the facility.

The blast left 11 people dead and over a hundred others injured.

Also on Tuesday morning, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo convened the National Security Council (NSC) as she asked for updates from her top officials about the Glorietta 2 explosion.

QTV Balitanghali quoted Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno as saying that there was "high certainty" that last Friday's explosion was indeed an accident.

Radio dzBB said Director Gen. Avelino Razon, Philippine National Police chief, told the President during the NSC meeting that investigators have not dismissed the bombing angle even though evidence at hand tended to show a different cause.

Razaon was quoted as saying that the probe has not been concluded and that all possible angles were being checked. He said the PNP was still awaiting inputs from forensics experts who have been helping examine the blast site.

He said investigators have yet to recover any bomb components. What was believed to be a crater on the floor, Razon said, was actually a stairwell that led to the basement.

President Arroyo reportedly conveyed that she was satisfied with the investigation findings so far, but ordered the PNP to continue coordinating with experts from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation and Australian.

In a related development, Puno ordered more inspections of malls, condominiums and similar structures in the wake of the incident.

National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales was now inclined to believe that the Glorietta explosion was an accident and not an act of terror, which he earlier suspected was the cause.

He advised building owners to inspect their structures's basements to prevent a repeat of Glorietta incident.

Onionz

October 23rd, 2007, 09:15 AM

Maxxclip

October 23rd, 2007, 09:22 AM

^^sweet revenge:)

your talking about billions of pesos in here:)

Sera

October 23rd, 2007, 09:55 AM

Sana mag-open na yung Landmark Dep't Store sa TriNoma. Mabuti nalang binuksan ng Ayala yung TriNoma this year para may buffer sila sa incident sa Glorietta. Nung pumunta ako kanina ang haba ng pila ng mga tao na pumapasok galing sa MRT entrance ng TriNoma. :bow:

icarusrising

October 23rd, 2007, 10:00 AM

Sera

October 23rd, 2007, 10:11 AM

Thanks sa tip. Anyway, I'm happy TriNoma is still getting more and more patrons despite recent anxieties.

adverg

October 23rd, 2007, 10:28 AM

Hope this latest result of the investigation would not end up again a messy speculation to very Filipino, the political arena and national interest of the whole country just an scapegoat to threatened the momentum of our economic growth. No matter how it was made this incidents, I feel so sad to those who offer their lives to this cause. I extend my sincere condolences to the family of death victims and to those in survivals, I do pray that they will recover soon from this tragic incidents and cope up to overcome the mental torture brought by this enigma. I do hope that this trials pass by to us would remind us and be a lesson that this is time for us to be unified, stronghold for the goodwill of every Filipino people and country and remove immature mindset to face what is really the reality in this life.

Sinjin P.

October 23rd, 2007, 11:29 AM

Ayala's gonna get a big lawsuit for that...oh yeah...I suggest those families of the people who died and the injured (hundreds of them) should find very good lawyers and file a big lawsuit against Ayala... anyway they can manage, they got budget cuts off of Trinoma didn't they? I mean speculations here in this forum stated that Ayala slashed the budget of Trinoma from P7Billion to at least P3.5B right? NOW USE THAT MONEY to compensate for those people who are affected.

Ayala Land, Inc., denies any negligence in Glorietta security (http://www.mb.com.ph/MAIN20071023106570.html)

Kathleen Anne H. Johnson

Ayala Land, Inc., yesterday denied security negligence on its part amid reports that the Glorietta 2 mall explosion last Friday was just an "accident" for lack of evidence pointing to its "real cause."

Ayala Land spokesman Alfonso Reyes said the security of Glorietta 2’s basement is under the jurisdiction of Makati Supermarket, one of its tenants, not Ayala Land.

"The basement in question is not secured by Ayala Land. These are private premises of one of our tenants. We also have no knowledge of any construction because these are not our premises," Reyes said.

He added that the supermarket falls under one of the mall’s two types of tenants — business establishment that rents space and those that lease land — and Makati Supermarket is under the 1st type.

"These tenants are in charge of whatever construction is in their establishment as well as the security, referring to the second type of lessees," he said.

He said it is still too early to pin the blame on security breach, but said Ayala Land will continue to conduct a probe on the matter.

"All of these issues, including the alleged security breach, are still under investigation. So at present, all these hearsay reports are pure speculations," he said.

He added that ths explosion made the firm double its security forces and efforts in all its shopping malls to avoid similar incident.

He said that Ayala Land directed its security personnel to be more vigilant and continue to coordinate closely with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the local government.

"We will be complimenting our regular force of 120 security men by 20 percent to protect the public. We will have additional personnel and bomb- niffing dogs. This move is in addition to the metal detectors we installed last year," he said.

The authorities fnitially theorized that the explosion was probably due to an accidental blast of a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tank, but PNP chief,Director General Avelino Razon said it was set off by a bomb.

Bomb experts said they have recovered traces of RDX(royal demolition explosive), a component of a powerful chemical explosive such as C-4.

However, no other evidence such as bomb parts was found by the post-blast team of investigators composed of the Makati police, the PNP Crime Laboratory, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and the PNP Bomb Data Center in the cargo storage basement where the explosion reportedly took place.

A team from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), as well as anti-terrorism experts from the Australia Federal Police, have visited the Makati blast site to help in the investigation, providing technical skills in forensic science investigation.

Three groups of investigators said they are not discounting the possibility that a massive gas leak might have triggered the powerful explosion.

Meanwhile, Makati City 1st District Councilor Jejomar Erwin "Junjun" Binay asked the public not to make any conclusion on the incident and said it is better to wait for the findings of the official investigation being conducted by the authorities.

"I think it is premature to make any conclusion while the investigation is still going on," Binay said.

Sinjin P.

October 23rd, 2007, 01:15 PM

May closure order na pala ang Makati City para sa Glorietta 1, 3 and 4. Bukas, they will conduct an inspection and if may natagpuan silang defect sa structure ng Glorietta 1, 3 and 4, ipapasara nila ito temporarily.

Anyway, if the mall will indeed be temporarily closed, it will be the best time to implement the Ayala Center Redevelopment project. :)

thomasian

October 23rd, 2007, 01:41 PM

^^ Ipasasara temporarily (if ever they will find defects) not the whole mall but parts of it, until whatever defects they see would be fixed, according to the news.

It was also said in the news, "Nirerekomendang i-kondina (condemn) ang Glorietta 2 dahil sa natagpuang bitak sa isa sa mga poste na sumusuporta sa istruktura sa basement nito kung saan nangyari ang pagsabog."

If ever it will really be closed, for good, then it would bear an impact on their redevelopment plan, rendering unplanned changes that will have to be implemented to the center. Problems may arise, like questions on:

-where the G2 tenants will be relocated
-G1 being demolished later than what was planned
-Glorietta 5 having to be redesigned to accomodate the movement of more tenants
-how possible could that G5 redesign be
-the reconfiguration of South Drive
-the demolition of PS2

pau_p1

October 23rd, 2007, 02:11 PM

oo nga... this really be putting Ayala a lot of problems... anyways... at least sana accident nga lang ito at hindi intentional...

xednanx

October 23rd, 2007, 03:23 PM

Landmark Trinoma Dep't Store opens on October 26

nayki

October 23rd, 2007, 04:25 PM

oo nga... this really be putting Ayala a lot of problems... anyways... at least sana accident nga lang ito at hindi intentional...

Hopefully accident lang talaga to dahil lalabas na malaki talaga ang butas ng security natin at mas lalo makaka affect sa economy natin. Pero dapat managot talaga ang ayala kung accident lang nangyari dahil sa mga pag kukulang nila na naging sanhi ng pag sabog.

Onionz

October 23rd, 2007, 10:59 PM

oo nga... this really be putting Ayala a lot of problems... anyways... at least sana accident nga lang ito at hindi intentional...

Well kahit na accidente lang it shouldn't be taken lightly...People have died
and hundreds injured! that's gonna tarnish a little bit of Ayala's glory in real estate and mall development.

Ayala has to pay for it, for this incident...so what if they deny about things that it's not their security company...it's still under Ayala property

Onionz

October 23rd, 2007, 11:09 PM

Well guys what do you think of this idea?

Do you think that Supermalls in MM or all over the Philippines like SM MOA, Trinoma, Megamall, Festival, SM NOE etc. should have airport kind of security???

pau_p1

October 24th, 2007, 04:26 AM

medyo exaggerated... pero.. I think all malls should at least have that metal detector in their entrances just like what the Ayala malls have.... at least.. the lines of people would be too long.... also the MRT and LRTs should have them as well...

Sinjin P.

October 24th, 2007, 04:28 AM

^ Yeah, Ayala Center Cebu has one metal detector already. Seems like they're trying it out muna before they implement it in all entry points.

Sinjin P.

October 24th, 2007, 05:09 AM

Glorietta remains closed pending probe of building stability (http://www.mb.com.ph/MAIN20071024106654.html)

Leonard D. Postrado

The Makati City government said yesterday the preventive closure of Glorietta Mall will remain despite an appeal made by executives of Ayala Land, Inc., to continue its operation.

Makati City Engineer Nelson Morales said in a letter sent to Ayala Land President and Chief Executive Officer Jaime Ayala that City Hall will not lift the temporary suspension order as his office has yet to conduct its probe on the soundness and stability of the entire mall building.

"Pending the result of our investigation, and that of other concerned government agencies, we regret to inform you that the temporary suspension order cannot be lifted yet," Morales said.

"Our engineers will have to conduct our own investigation of the entire building of Glorietta, including the soundness and stability of the adjoining buildings as well as mechanical, electrical, and sanitary/plumbing installations and facilities," he added.

On Monday, the Makati City government ordered the temporary closure of the Glorietta shopping mall following concern over possible collapse due to Friday’s explosion that ripped part of the building.

Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado said the city engineer’s office served the preventive closure order to Ayala Land early in the morning so it could perform necessary checks on the mall’s integrity.

"This is just a joint inspection of our engineers and the technical personnel of Ayala. We just want to make sure that the building remains safe for the public," Mercado said in a press conference at the Makati City Hall.

Mercado said about 12 structural and electrical engineers would conduct the inspection.

"The checks will be done in a matter of two to five hours so we expect to open the mall the next day. If we don’t find anything wrong, we will immediately release a certification," Mercado said.

Sources said that the building inspection, which members of the media were supposed to cover, was made at around 4 p.m. while the media briefing was going on in the Makati City Hall.

The Makati vice mayor said the inspections would start at the blast site in the heavily damaged Glorietta 2, then move on to other parts of the shopping mall. He added those to be particularly checked are the beams, posts and walls, and electrical wiring.

Mercado, however, said the joint inspection with Ayala Land will not cover the cause of Friday’s explosion because this is currently being investigated by the Makati police.

"It would be hard for us to speculate without any basis. We better leave that to the police," he said when asked if the explosion was an accident.

He said the "situation" in the entire Makati Central Business District remains "under control" and that business operations are normal three days after the huge blast.

Sera

October 24th, 2007, 05:36 AM

Landmark Trinoma Dep't Store opens on October 26

At least we have some Great News. :bow:

cq40

October 24th, 2007, 06:55 AM

icarusrising

October 24th, 2007, 07:14 AM

By Marvin Sy
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20071023118

There were visible signs of devastation, but it’s “business as usual” at Glorietta where President Arroyo and her retinue indulged yesterday in one of the country’s favorite pastimes – malling.

Glorietta opened its doors to Mrs. Arroyo – and to the public – despite a temporary closure order from the Makati City Building Office, which wanted further checks on the mall’s structural integrity.

After meeting with Cabinet and security officials at Malacañang on the progress of the investigation of last Friday’s explosion at Glorietta 2, Mrs. Arroyo proceeded to Glorietta to do some shopping and to emphasize that everything is back to normal after the explosion that left 11 people dead and scores wounded.

At past noon, the President went to the nearby Rustan’s department store where she spent a little over half an hour shopping.

Rustan’s Nena Tantoco, Criselda Lontok and Ayala Land Inc. president and chief executive officer Jaime Ayala escorted the President as she went around the women’s section of the store and tried on some shoes.

The President bought two pairs of boots and was later presented by Lontok with her line of clothes. She chose two tops and a dress from the Criselda line.

The President then proceeded to the main activity center of Glorietta where she greeted shoppers and store employees.

“Business as usual,” the President declared as she stood on the second floor just underneath the Glorietta 2 signboard.

Police personnel and Ayala then accompanied the President and Social Welfare and Development Secretary Esperanza Cabral through the closed-off walkway leading to the blast area.

“She was very sad to take a look at all these things. She said at this time it’s business as usual because we should go on with our lives,” Cabral said.

Cabral also noted that Ayala Group personnel were still barred by investigators from moving into the Glorietta 2 area.

Ayala said they were willing to cooperate with the investigators but stressed that Glorietta 1, 3 and 4 were safe.

“We’re very glad that ma’am is here today in order to demonstrate to our customers that the mall is safe,” Ayala said, referring to Mrs. Arroyo.

In a top-level meeting at Malacañang earlier, Mrs. Arroyo said there would be no letup in the fight against terror.

“Although the investigation of the Glorietta incident has not yet been finished, we still need to strengthen measures to ensure the security of the people,” Mrs. Arroyo said in her opening statement.

She instructed her Cabinet to submit regular reports on security and human rights, the fight against poverty and economic development.

“The enemies of the people think we will easily surrender to the forces of fear, chaos and conflict. They are mistaken,” Mrs. Arroyo said. “The Philippines is moving forward. Let us not stop it.”

No bomb but sabotage still likely

Police have ruled out bombing but experts stressed that sabotage should still be looked into.

“It was difficult to support a bomb blast theory because our investigators did not find any bomb fragment at the site,” National Capital Regional Police Office chief, Chief Supt. Geary Barias told reporters.

Experts, however, have said the blast, which blew a hole through the roof of the mall, could not have taken place without sabotage. The damage to the mall was put at P100 million

Barias said investigators did not find any bomb crater. “The crater is critical in any bomb blast investigation,” he said, adding the upward direction of the blast supported the theory of a gas explosion.

He said experts also found defects in the construction of a 4,000-liter diesel tank at the basement.

Corroborating Barias’ assessment were Southern Police District director Chief Supt. Luiso Ticman and chief investigator Supt. Fennimor Jaudian of the Bureau of Fire Protection.

But Ernesto dela Cruz, a chemical engineering professor at the University of the Philippines, told reporters a mix of diesel and methane gas would result in fire, not an explosion.

“You need to heat diesel up to 200 centigrade to vaporize the fuel and make it explode,” Dela Cruz said, adding that methane by itself would not explode unless something set it off.

Order disregarded

Ayala Land Inc., operator of the Glorietta malls, disregarded the city government’s closure order, which was supposed to have taken effect at 8 p.m. Monday.

Building Officer Nelson Morales denied ALI’s request for the lifting of the temporary closure order.

In a letter to Jaime Ayala, Ayala Land president and CEO, Morales said the inspection conducted by Ayala’s structural engineers is not enough to justify the lifting of the temporary closure order. Business was normal at the Glorietta 1, 3 and 4 yesterday. Morales said that the city government has to inspect the building even if ALI had already undertaken its own inspection.

Morales said the temporary suspension order would only be lifted once the Building Office declared Glorietta safe.

“Hence, pending the result of our investigation and that of other concerned government agencies, we regret to inform you that the temporary suspension order cannot be lifted yet,” Morales said.

“The preventive closure order to the Ayala Land, owner of the Glorietta, is to allow city engineers to inspect the entire area of the Glorietta mall and determine whether it is still safe,” Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado told a press briefing last Monday.

“The inspection is intended to determine up to what area has to be closed or until when and where it has to be closed,” he added. Mercado said the preventive closure order was issued for safety reasons.

Mercado said the Philippine National Police (PNP) has yet to furnish the Makati City government a copy of the result of its investigation of the blast.

“The City engineer’s office will just certify what has to be preventively closed. They will conduct the inspection from the blast site to the entire Glorietta mall area,” Mercado said.

Mercado assured the public that the situation in Makati, particularly at establishments “is now under control.”

“If we will move on fear, we will achieve nothing. We must face our fear and solve the problem,” Mercado said.

Counseling

Secretary Cabral said the victims and families of the explosion would be made to undergo critical incident stress debriefing (CISD).

CISD is a psychosocial intervention given to victims of traumatic incidents to lessen the impact of traumatic incidents.

“As soon as the victims have settled and are ready to pour out their emotions, DSWD social workers will start giving the CISD. Meantime, we will let them go about their normal activities, such as grieve and bury their dead before we will give them CISD,” Cabral said.

Cabral said families of the injured who are still confined at the Makati Medical Center get assistance and counseling from the agency’s social workers and psychologists.

“Relatives of those who died are being followed up by appropriate field offices,” she added.

Meanwhile, detained Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, who was threatened with new legal sanctions for blaming the Arroyo administration for the blast, said he is ready to reveal damning information from his military contacts only to an impartial, independent and credible probe commission.

In a press statement yesterday, Trillanes maintained that last Friday’s explosion was not an industrial accident but a government-sponsored operation.

He said agents of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) visited him twice last Saturday ostensibly to extract information from him.

Trillanes had accused National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff, Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr., of masterminding the “accident.”

The defense and military officials, led by Secretary Gilberto Teodoro condemned Trillanes for issuing such accusations, which he claimed as without basis and therefore irresponsible.

“As a person, and now as an elected lawmaker, I do not just make statements out of pique, or without anything to stand on, or to grandstand. I have information obtained from my own network of informants in the AFP and the intelligence community,” Trillanes said.

He said Gonzales was one of the key figures in the Light-a-Fire Movement in the ‘70s.

Light-a-Fire was an anti-Marcos underground movement responsible for several bombings in Metro Manila that also left dozens of Filipinos dead or wounded.

“This information is readily available in the Internet and was even documented in the memoirs of Ed Olaguer, one of the leaders of the Light-a-Fire Movement. In short, this man is very much capable of wreaking havoc on our society. He is the true terrorist,” he said. - - with Cecille Suerte Felipe, Jose Rodel Clapano, Jaime Laude, Helen Flores, Reuters, AP

Onionz

October 24th, 2007, 08:58 AM

By the way, these Ayala Malls, no matter how imperfect for the taste of some people here, are still one of the most beautifully made malls ever constructed. Kung di mo ma take ang itsura nila at nang gagala-iti kang mag hasik ng kabahuan sa thread na ito, kung pwede wag na please, nakaka rindi basahin...

I mean, it's okay to bash very ugly and low quality malls (eh maganda kaya mga Ayala malls and some of SM's too). Kc yung iba dyan, kung umasta akala mo may grandyosong mall na pinapatakbo.. :lol: TukMall :lol::lol::lol:

Who are you referring to man? in what you've been saying above? no back stabbing here just be frank we all wanna know since we all don't see each other face to face might as well say it out loud your grievances against who?
Is it me??? :?

Onionz

October 24th, 2007, 09:02 AM

Hey I wanna ask about your MRT/LRTs there in the Philippines, how secure are they?
and do they have LRT police or guards at every station and even inside the trains while traveling, if they do do you think they should add more and beef up the security at these things and especially going to supermalls?

Sinjin P.

October 24th, 2007, 11:58 AM

Robinsons Place Manila - Midtown Mall - NOW OPEN!!!

Grand Entrance
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2157/1665918329_e1be3bc579.jpg

A few shops have opened
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2273/1666767066_bbef4fbf52.jpg

photos by joelsuplido (http://flickr.com/photos/jsuplido/)

Sinjin P.

October 24th, 2007, 12:31 PM

Ayala Land says PNP theory of methane gas blast unlikely (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/65708/Ayala-Land-says-PNP-theory-of-methane-gas-blast-unlikely)
PATRICIA DE LEON, GMANews.TV
10/24/2007 | 12:50 PM

Data presented by the Ayala Land Inc. (ALI), the owner of the Glorietta 2 mall in Makati City, indicated that methane gas was the unlikely cause of the deadly mall blast last week.

In a press conference, ALI president and chief executive officer Jaime I. Ayala, quoting data from the company’s technical team, on Wednesday said there could not have been an accumulation of high methane gas levels in the mall’s basement since wastes coming from the mall only stays in the sump pit for less than 24 hours.

Ayala also said there was nothing out of the ordinary with the mall’s sewerage system prior to the blast, contrary to police’s pronouncement that there was a leak that had to be fixed.

"There is constant flow of mainly liquid wastewater from toilets into sump pit and onto city sewer. Wastewater entering the pit stays in pit for less than 24 hours. The usual decomposition process brought about by large amounts of solid matter in house septic tanks does not occur in this pit," Ayala said, reading from data supplied by the company’s technical team.

In the press conference, Ayala also said there were no "reports or observations by maintenance personnel of any aberrations to the diesel tank", noting that the diesel fuel tank was last used during the last power outage in June.

He also noted that the basement is well-ventilated.

Ayala said the company is waiting for the results of investigations conducted by local authorities and foreign experts before it makes a final assessment on the mall explosion.

The executive also declined to answer questions on the conditions in the site of the explosion saying they have been given “very limited access to site".

The company’s study supported the opinion of Dr. Ernesto dela Cruz, chairman of UP Chemical Engineering Department, who said it was highly improbable that diesel fumes caused the explosion, contrary to the theory being pursued by police investigators.

Dela Cruz said it was almost impossible to have an accumulation of diesel fumes in the mall basement, saying diesel will not evaporate until it reaches the temperature of 210 degrees Celsius which is hotter than boiling water.

Also, Dela Cruz said that from what he saw from footages taken shortly after the explosion, the smoke emanating from the blast site was “white smoke". If it were a diesel explosion, the smoke should have been black, Dela Cruz said.

According to police investigators, diesel fumes and methane gas that have accumulated in the mall basement could have triggered the blast, after these were ignited by a spark from a switch in the basement. This angle has led to the theory that the blast was accidental.

Earlier in the day, Ayala Land officials accompanied representatives from the Makati City Engineering Office to conduct an inspection on the Glorietta malls to determine the structural soundness of the buildings.

QTV's Balitanghali reported that blast victim Jeffrey Burcer, who expressed readiness to give his account of the incident, also joined authorities in the inspection. Burcer said all he could remember after the explosion was that there was white smoke all over.

Local and foreign bomb experts still conducting investigations in the scene of the explosion were asked to temporarily stop their investigation to give way to the inspection, the report said. Investigations resumed around 11 a.m. after the inspection.

In another development, Ayala Land set up a white tent near the exit of Glorietta 2- only meters away from blast site - where offerings of white flowers and candles were made in honor of the 11 fatalities in the blast.

LhexiMont

October 24th, 2007, 05:40 PM

LhexiMont

October 24th, 2007, 05:44 PM

l .

Alitaptap

October 24th, 2007, 07:34 PM

cq40

October 25th, 2007, 01:04 AM

Jejeje. :lol:

Ayala would surely reject that the blast was accidental, because they would be at fault and it would be a "big law suit in the making". If it is a terrorist attack then they are not culpable, since they already said that the security of that particular area is the responsibility of the renter, and not theirs.

Yeah!

That's like one of the cheapest alibi's i've ever heard. I mean, it is their land, their property, their space being leased with somebody...So if that somebody is doing crime for years unnoticed till now, they should not be blamed? They should have checked on them coz they are also resposible for it...:lol:

Kalokohan, haay Ayala, thanks sa pag tulong sa mga namatay but like the wowowee tragedy, it will be a very long story...a long one indeed. :lol:

Sinjin P.

October 25th, 2007, 04:00 AM

Jejeje. :lol:

Ayala would surely reject that the blast was accidental, because they would be at fault and it would be a "big law suit in the making". If it is a terrorist attack then they are not culpable, since they already said that the security of that particular area is the responsibility of the renter, and not theirs.

But still, sabi naman ng Ayala na hihintayin nila ang final findings ng PNP regarding the matter. And handa silang harapin ang anumang kaso na isampa sa kanila. I don't think this is a challenge which Ayala cannot surpass.

On the other hand, magsasagawa naman ang Makati City ng kanilang sariling imbestigasyon kasi kaduda-duda at kahina-hinala ang maraming beses na pagpapalit-palit ng lead ng PNP.

Sinjin P.

October 25th, 2007, 04:29 AM

Kahina-hinala na talaga. Kailangang gawing as transparent as possible ang imbestigasyon kasi baka may nagmamanipula na sa mga eksena diyan behind the scenes.

-----
ALI insists: Mall is safe (http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/10252007/headlines01.html)
AYALA SHARES DATA DISPUTING ‘INDUSTRIAL FAILURE’ THEORY IN GLORIETTA BLAST

By Estrella Torres and Rene Acosta
Reporters

AYALA Land Inc. (ALI), owners of Glorietta mall, declared Wednesday “there was nothing out of the ordinary” in their operations that could have caused the tragic Friday explosions that killed 11 people and injured more than a hundred. Company officials issued the statement a day after police said both foreign and local experts working on the case were close to reaching consensus that the most probable cause of the blast was the toxic soup of substances at the mall basement.

Jaime I. Ayala, president of ALI, told a media briefing that initial investigations by their privately hired technical experts showed that the solid- and liquid-waste management at the basement area was of “normal condition” when the two explosions tore through Glorietta 2 at about 1:30 p.m. on October 19.

As Mr. Ayala spoke, inspectors from the Makati city government were combing through Glorietta 1,2,3 and 4 in an effort to determine any other risks to public safety. Mall management posted signs at the entrances of the humongous mall complex, saying they were cooperating with authorities, which issued a temporary closure order while inspections were ongoing.

“We have not seen anything specific [that could lead to the bombing]… or [information] on any person going down the basement area before the bombing. There was nothing out
of the ordinary,” said Ayala in a media briefing Wednesday at the Intercon hotel in Makati City.

ALI’s initial investigation appears to disprove initial findings of the police and academic experts that the blast was caused by methane gas forming from an accumulation of solid waste clogged in the sewage system. “Due to the nature of customer use of toilets in restaurants, waste is seldom solid and mostly liquid. Per our sewage expert opinion, approximately 98 percent of waste is liquid”.

He indicated that the mall’s waste-collection and disposal system works in such a way that there is never a time when waste is allowed to accumulate in the system, as it is pumped out continuously into the city’s sewer system.

Police officials countered, however, that certain facilities in the basement, including pumps, were being repaired in the days leading to the blast.

Meanwhile, Mr. Ayala said the ALI revenues have not been gravely affected by the closure of the mall. He said mall business that includes Ayala malls in Alabang, Muntinlupa as well as in Cebu and other mall affiliates comprise only 17 percent of the total business.

The Glorietta 2 area represents 2 percent of the earnings for the mall operations, said Ayala. He said in 2006, revenues from Glorietta 2 reached P123 million.

“Given the size of the company and its diversification, we expect to end 2007 on a strong upnote,” said Ayala.

The ALI president appealed to the public not to spread rumors through text messages that all Ayala malls will be bombed.

“ It is not helpful to spread panic in our country, we have beefed up security in all of our malls with increased security personnel and sniff dogs; the frontliners are following strict security orders,” said Ayala.

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police stuck to its belief that the explosion on Friday was accidental as shown by evidence that it has so far gathered.

National Capital Regional Police Office chief, Director Geary Barias said they are not ruling out other angles, though, as they have yet to receive reports from experts analyzing substances taken from the blast site.

“If the facility is working normally, then methane [gas] would not have accumulated,” Barias said in a press conference on Wednesday. Methane which spewed out of the septic tank, or its mixture with other elements, was being pointed to by investigators as the factor that triggered the explosion.

The explosion occurred at the lower basement of the mall, where the building’s septic tank, oil depository and electrical controls are located.

Barias said they also learned that the septic tank’s pump which was supposed to pump the waste into the sewage was not working.

However, the police director said they have to be sure with their findings, and this is why they have to wait for the official report of the NBI and metallurgical experts and petrochemical forensics before coming out with the official investigation report.

Barias said the NBI asked for five days to complete its analysis on the combination of water, oil and other substances that probers took from the blast site.

Probers siphoned off 14 truckloads of these substances, 12 truckloads of which are the objects of the analysis, not only by the NBI but by the tapped metallurgical and petrochemical experts.

At Malacañang Palace, Southern Police Chief Luizo Ticman said in an interview that five days of evidence gathering and investigation at the blast site have not turned up any evidence to suggest that the explosion was caused by a bomb.

Ticman was reacting to the claim of Dr. Ernesto de la Cruz, chairman of the University of the Philippines Chemical Engineering Department, that it was highly improbable that diesel fumes had caused the explosion, an angle being pursued by authorities.

“They have no findings. They are just saying that it’s not possible. But the experts we’re talking with are saying that it’s possible. Our experts who are onboard have inspected the area, they have seen the evidence we have. They have seen that it is possible,” he said.

The experts include forensic teams from Australia and the US Federal Bureau of Investigation sent by their governments to help determine the cause of the blast.

Ticman said the UP experts have been invited to join the investigation but “so far they have not turned up.”

“Other experts in their line of work are helping out. These experts are trying to help us in finding out what really happened, why it happened,” he said.

He noted that the evidence so far point to a gas explosion—among them, the upward ruptures and damages on the diesel tank, which is believed to be the source of the explosion, and the concrete slab directly on top of the diesel tank which had become concave due to the pressure emanating from the tank.

As earlier noted by the PNP, there was no bomb crater at the blast site, no blackened area, no bomb parts recovered, and no traces of nitrate, which all weaken the bomb blast theory.

“Our [foreign] counterparts have the same findings,” Ticman said.

He declined to comment on the position of mall owner Ayala Land Inc. that the blast was unlikely to have been caused by a high level of methane accumulation at the basement, based on the findings of its private technical experts.

“I cannot comment on that. What we’re trying to present are the evidences, what we saw at the site, and that is what we are presenting to the public. And we are trying to find out how it happened, why it happened. So let me not comment on that. We’ll just do our job of investigating.”

Asked to comment on Ayala Land’s claim, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said in an interview with reporters, “I think ultimately it will boil down to physical evidence.”

Sinjin P.

October 25th, 2007, 04:45 AM

Glorietta complex remains closed for on-site inspection (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=96978)

The upscale Glorietta mall complex in Makati City remained closed Thursday for the second straight day as building engineers conducted on-site inspections to check the structural integrity of the mall after last Friday's deadly explosion.

"This is the order of Makati City Hall. They wanted to conduct a secondary inspection of all of the facilities in the interest of safety and security of the public and, of course, we are fully compliant with the order for closure," said Alfonso Reyes, corporate spokesman of Ayala Land Inc.

"We are hopeful that the complex will be opened this morning subject to another inspection," he added.

Reyes said if ever the three malls are found dangerous for shoppers, ALI would be willing to rebuild the establishment for the sake of the customers' safety.

He said ALI is continuing its own investigation on the cause of last Friday's explosion that killed 11 people and wounded 120 others. Earlier reports said at least 18 people remain confined at the Makati Medical Center, three of whom are in critical condition.

He said ALI had already mobilized victim assistance teams and had been constantly monitoring the blast patients in Makati Medical Center and Ospital ng Makati.

"They are being cared for under the supervision of our own in-house physician Dr. Bernardo Cueto. We have arranged special facilities and arrangements with the Makati Med and Mercury Drug for faster delivery of medical assistance," he said.

In a press conference held Wednesday, ALI president and chief executive officer Jaime Ayala rebuffed claims that inadequate ventilation caused the accumulation of methane at the basement, which eventually led to the deadly explosion.

“The basement is ventilated by air entering the approximately 2.4x2.4 meter opening at the stairwell, which is connected to the delivery bay area which at that time was opened to the road,” Ayala said.

He added that it was almost impossible for methane to accumulate at the mall basement since human waste coming from the mall doesn’t stay long at the building’s sump pit. The waste is “98 percent liquid,” he said.

“There is constant flow of mainly liquid wastewater from toilets into the sump pit and onto the city sewer. Wastewater entering the pit stays in the pit for less than 24 hours,” Ayala explained.

“The usual decomposition process brought about by large amounts of solid matter in house septic tanks does not occur in this commercial sump pit,” he pointed out.

He also stressed that the diesel tank at the basement was in good shape and that it was last used during a power outage in June.

The Philippine National Police earlier said last Friday's explosion was most likely an industrial accident and not a bombing.

PNP chief Director General Avelino Razon Jr. said the Glorietta 2 blast was "an accident waiting to happen."

He said that based on initial findings, a lethal mix of methane and diesel fumes in a poorly ventilated basement compartment set off the powerful blast.

Razon said foreign experts, including those from Australia and the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, corroborated the initial findings of police investigators.

“We have asked experts to come in because it’s beyond our expertise. That’s why we sought the help of experts from the private sector and foreign counterparts to be able to help determine the cause of the blast,” Razon said.

He said investigators are still closely coordinating with petrochemical and metallurgical experts to get a clearer picture of what sparked the blast.

“If we are to place the evidence on a weighing scale, it now tilts heavily on accidental explosion and until such time that we find evidence to support a sabotage or terrorism theory, the investigation leads to the direction of an accidental explosion,” he added.

Director Geary Barias, National Capital Region Police Office chief, said investigators failed to find bomb components at the blast site. He added that there was no crater at the blast site.

"If a bomb was used in a blast there should be a crater, especially in an explosion with this magnitude," Barias said, adding that investigators found a crater-like shallow hole on a floor leading to the basement, but later ruled that it was only damaged flooring.

Barias also clarified that the traces of RDX initially found at the blast site could have come from pharmaceutical or cosmetics products. He said RDX, a main component of C4 plastic bomb, is used in other products.

He said police are still waiting for results of laboratory tests on water samples extraced from the blast site before submitting the final report on the post-blast investigation.

anonymous_filipino

October 25th, 2007, 06:24 AM

^^ that's what i like about Ayala.. they are willing to shoulder the expenses of the victims, ready to face criminal charges if they are charged with ones, and very cooperative with authorities. one thing more, OT lang, kung ang sabi ng PNP that their partial investigation is corrobated by the FBI and Australian experts, then where is the FBI's report that corrobates their partial investigation? and the person tasked to head the investigation, NCRPO Director Gen. Geary Barias, is not an anti-terrorism expert. dapat si Gen. Razon maghead because he is really the anti-terrorism expert for having foiled the assasination attempt of Pope John Paul II and the Operation Bojinka by Al-Qaeda

xednanx

October 25th, 2007, 04:01 PM

OT: meron ba kayong alam shops or places in metro manila na nagpepaint ng eyeglasses (frames)? (kung meron man) thank you

Rence

October 25th, 2007, 05:24 PM

Try Quiapo!

LhexiMont

October 25th, 2007, 06:12 PM

I already went to Robinson Ermita's swanky and new Midtown wing and I am impressed . Nice ceramic flooring , glass railings and a better roofing design and great lighting . There's also soon to open cinemas on its top floor ( level 4 ) . Above the main entrance are extended balconies which will probably for al fresco restos and bars and even a glass enclosed elevator located outside the mall. They also put up their totally improved department store. This will probably the permanent location , coz I have a feeling that they will also impoved the current department store location and convert it into rows of shops .
Medyo nakakapanibago talaga if compared mo yung current mall area sa Midtown wing , halata na nagdeteriorate na yung current mall . Poor lighting , steel railings and crappy ceilings .
Naka complement din sa impresssive mall entrance yung mga katabing high-rise condo towers

PnoyD2Tayo

October 25th, 2007, 09:08 PM

I am still freaked out by the incident at Glorietta, after all, three weeks ago I was there like every single day! Very sad!

PnoyD2Tayo

October 25th, 2007, 09:18 PM

I visited the MOA for the first time last month. For some reason my friend described it as a "boat" and I didn't see the comparison, maybe it's close to the water and it is huge, I dunno, I just don't get it.

Anyway I noticed the architecture seems familiar. It reminded me of the AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami. Apparently they were designed by the same people.

I am impressed by the size of the place but not the stores, some of which are too upscale for my tastes. I spent a lot of time in the outdoors mall area, the one with the Nike store and computer/electronics stores. I didn't eat at the food court, but had lunch at Aristocrat.

The hockey arena is also full-size, which I knew offhand but it's weird to see one inside a mall. It even has a scoreboard!

Overall I preferred TriNoMa to this one. TriNoMa architecture and lanscaping is just top-notch.

kalbongdad

October 26th, 2007, 07:10 AM

Onionz

October 26th, 2007, 09:14 AM

of course they do...it goes without saying....duh!

well what are you implying with that statement?!!
I'm just asking, I don't live there and I don't know how things work there and how strict the security is because unfortunately the Philippines is not very good at that.

Sinjin P.

October 26th, 2007, 09:16 AM

^ Well, don't we have some of the most secured airports in the world? Some foreign tourists even commended our very good security. :dunno:

3cr

October 26th, 2007, 09:32 AM

The other thread is already locked so dito na lang ipost ito...

A Senior Property Specialist of Ayala sent me an e-mail regrding the Glorietta 2 incident.

October 24, 2007
Announcements

http://us.mg1.mail.yahoo.com/ya/download?mid=1%5f53694%5fALmzo0IAAL91Rx7qWwCx%2bkXwW98&pid=3&fid=ALSI%252dEXCH&inline=1
ALI Official Statement RE. GLORIETTA 2 INCIDENT: Oct. 24, 2007
by Paulo Campos
To All ALI Colleagues:

Below is Ayala Land ’s official statement as read by JIA at our noon press conference held at the Intercon today.

We at the Glorietta Explosion Response Team would like to send our gratitude and appreciation to all ALI, CII, Avida, APMC and MDC colleagues for forwarding texts and emails regarding the incident to the team. We would encourage you to continue texting any other information you may hear or receive – including updates on radio interviews and TV segments – to me at 0917-805-3711. All the information that you have provided us has been a great help to the team.

Thank you!

Best regards,
Paulo

ALI Official Statement RE. GLORIETTA 2 INCIDENT: Oct. 24, 2007

Until recently, most of our efforts have been focused in assisting the victims and securing the safety of our premises and patrons.

Separately, our technical team recently began compiling relevant information and gave us an initial report last night.

Inasmuch as the PNP has yet to give a final report on the Glorietta 2 incident and is still in the process of sifting through data, we would like to inform you that we have given the PNP additional technical information that we deem would be helpful to them in their investigation, particularly with respect to the basement area which has been their recent focus.

This information is as follows:
1.Basement dimensions: 178 sqm floor area; approx. ceiling height: 2.28m
2.Diesel fuel tank: Last used in June during last power outage; capacity: approx. 14,000 liters; estimated content on day of incident: 6,000 liters; the flash point of diesel contained is 72 degrees Celsius and auto ignition temperature is 220 degrees Celsius. There are no maintenance reports or observations by maintenance personnel of any aberrations to the diesel tank.
3.Fuel transfer pump: transfers diesel fuel from storage tank at basement 2 to day tank at the roof deck.
4.Ventilation: basement is ventilated by air entering the approx. 2.4m x 2.4m opening at stairwell connected to delivery bay area
5.Ambient room temperature: estimated range from 28 to 30 degrees Celsius
6.Grease trap: separates grease from wastewater entering the sump pit; maintained daily for one hour together with cleaning of basement.
7.Sump pits (there are two types of sump pit):
a. Kitchen sump pit (approx .1.5m x 1.5m x 2m): Wastewater from kitchens of five restaurants in Glorietta 2 enters the sump pit. The grease trap separates the grease from the wastewater (grease is extracted daily, every morning). A pump in kitchen sump pit pumps out wastewater to the main city sewer line automatically (there is a standby sump pump).
b. Waste sump pit (approx. 1.5m x 1.5m x 2m): Wastewater from toilets in a portion of Glorietta 2 is dumped into sump pit (21 water closets; 20 lavatories; 8 urinals). Due to the nature of customer use of toilets in restaurants, waste is seldom solid and mostly liquid (per our sewage expert opinion approx. 98% liquid). Wastewater enters sump pit and is pumped out to street sewer by a sump pump (there is a standby sump pump). Therefore, there is constant flow of mainly liquid wastewater from the toilets into the sump pit and on to the city sewer. Wastewater entering the sump pit stays in the sump pit for less than 24 hours. The usual decomposition process brought about by large amounts of solid matter in house septic tanks does not occur in this commercial sump pit.
We will give you copies of this information sheet after the press con.

To further support the PNP, we have offered to make our foreign and local technical experts available to the PNP should they deem it helpful to them.

This is a very sad and tragic event for our country, and we are all interested in helping the authorities establish the facts and bring the matter to conclusion so that the country can move forward.

cq40

October 26th, 2007, 10:06 AM

well what are you implying with that statement?!!
I'm just asking, I don't live there and I don't know how things work there and how strict the security is because unfortunately the Philippines is not very good at that.

The tone of your question sounds insulting...Period.

The Philippines is known worldwide as a terrorist target years back.
By this time, beefed-up security must have been implemented everywhere.
Asking if we do have security in public trains is like, asking if we have common sense! :ohno:
Since you are implying that you Do Not Know It Yet (oh my goodness),
for that kind of questions, i will suggest sending a PM to a member or SinJin
for clarification..First b4 posting; Because This is a forum and not everyone will agree with everything that's posted here. Unless...uh! Anyway

That Glorietta Incident is a really huge blow to Ayala...Nakaka baba talaga. And i can't help but conclude that it's because of their negligence. :ohno: Buti pa SM walang ganyan kalala..

Alam nyo bang may gumuhong crane sa TriNoma during its construction? Di ko sure kung may nabagsakan yun...

Sera

October 26th, 2007, 12:26 PM

thomasian

October 26th, 2007, 12:46 PM

GB5 10.25.07

Legazpi St. Entrance
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/thomasian/Photo_102507_003x.jpg

Side facing GB4
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/thomasian/Photo_102507_001x.jpg

Sinjin P.

October 26th, 2007, 12:59 PM

^ Wow! :shocked:

xednanx

October 26th, 2007, 01:57 PM

I have just been to Landmark Dept Store at Trinoma

merong pang shelves na walang laman
wala pa masyado ads

i didn't like the color theme, parang market market

Sinjin P.

October 26th, 2007, 01:58 PM

^ Nice. Modern ba ang dating?

cq40

October 26th, 2007, 02:53 PM

OMG! That's greenbelt 5? Oh my hindi sya mukhang mall...para syang excecutive's office of some sort to be...It looks sooo tasty!

Kaya lang parang naaalala ko yung MRT station sa 2nd pic..LOL!!!!!!!!!!!

xednanx

October 27th, 2007, 06:18 AM

^ Nice. Modern ba ang dating?

dko alam hoho

pero masmaganda pa talaga SM MEGAMALL (redeveloped) DEPARTMENT STORE.
para sa akin

kunoL8

October 27th, 2007, 08:03 AM

greenbelt 5 looks so nice! apparently, Kiehl's already opened (which to me is weird since it looks like work is still being done in the mall). they had their unveiling yesterday, i think. info on here: thefashpack.blogspot.com

Sinjin P.

October 27th, 2007, 08:32 AM

^ Nice, they might have had a soft opening yesterday

thomasian

October 27th, 2007, 12:46 PM

GB5 10.25.07

Legazpi St. Entrance
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/thomasian/Photo_102507_003x.jpg

This is the inside of that pic, also taken Thursday by the-fash-pack ( http://thefashpack.blogspot.com/ ) , umaga lang yung sakin. It's the same ceiling you see. Outside the space is a double height volume that slopes down inside.

http://bp1.blogger.com/_VBulLxvv8CI/RyEy4kdsevI/AAAAAAAABJo/Tn0Kece3360/s1600/screenshot_01.jpg

http://bp1.blogger.com/_VBulLxvv8CI/RyEy4kdsevI/AAAAAAAABJo/Tn0Kece3360/s1600/screenshot_01.jpg

------------------------------------------------

10.27.07 - May pasok pa ako nyan, kung walang pasok ang dami ko sigurong napuntahan na mall

SM North EDSA

SM North EDSA Annex u/c

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/thomasian/Photo_102707_005x.jpg

The sky garden...

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/thomasian/Photo_102707_002x.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/thomasian/Photo_102707_003x.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/thomasian/Photo_102707_004x.jpg

--------------

Landmark TriNoma

Mindanao Ave. Ext. Entrance
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/thomasian/Photo_102707_001x.jpg

--------------

Greenhills Shopping Center

Connecticut Parking Building expansion

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/thomasian/100_8772x.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/thomasian/100_8771x.jpg

-----------

Sekai Center - new circular canopy being installed, almost finished.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/thomasian/100_8770x.jpg

-----------

Puregold Agora

Façade
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/thomasian/100_8765x.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/thomasian/100_8764x.jpg

Robinsons Handyman Do It Best Home Center and Agora Market Entrance (basement)
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/thomasian/100_8766x.jpg

Robinsons Appliances - Opens November 2007
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/thomasian/100_8767x.jpg

Waldenstrom

October 28th, 2007, 03:17 AM

Cute ng color, green and yellow. :D

Sinjin P.

October 29th, 2007, 01:41 PM

Kapit na, dahil heto na! GREENBELT 5

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2348/1775010887_15049f8721_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2243/1775005045_83255b21d3_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2072/1775003521_ceccd083d9_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2115/1775013183_b098c2d221_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2271/1775849816_37da3a1a30_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2360/1775008745_6a8b099e6b_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2409/1775859574_83a135d927_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2099/1775852172_5bd2eb4b50_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2042/1775851440_fa62bc0b79_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2287/1775009951_9efa27c74b_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2171/1775012361_c88a1d3f1d_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2089/1775861228_e0a6db12a7_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2386/1775014455_38e22520ce_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2386/1775008063_6ea1b867bb_o.jpg

photos by JP Bagoy - Flickr (http://flickr.com/photos/20813615@N00/)

JustHorace

October 29th, 2007, 04:11 PM

^^COOL! Shopping's getting better in Manila, no? First we had our first Marc Jacobs at GB4, then followed by Marc by Marc Jacobs in the swanky new GB5, and now we have a St John! I'm expecting a whole lot more of surprises from Greenbelt Five. That's a big relief for both the Ayalas and their patrons after that dreaded G2 accident.

KiBeN

October 29th, 2007, 05:53 PM

ano nga ba to? :lol:
http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/4004/dsc6554im8.jpg

GB4
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/4002/dsc6556et7.jpg

Greenbelt
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/3365/dsc6558qh0.jpg

http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/6195/dsc6559ew1.jpg

GB3
http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/897/dsc6561zd6.jpg

KiBeN

October 29th, 2007, 05:54 PM

Greenbelt
http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/8114/dsc6562po0.jpg

http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/7391/dsc6563ew1.jpg

http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/8498/dsc6564ar9.jpg

http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/7857/dsc6565bp3.jpg

http://img67.imageshack.us/img67/3839/dsc6566ut5.jpg

http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/3420/dsc6567pr9.jpg

KiBeN

October 29th, 2007, 05:55 PM

GB5 pics, kanina lang
http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/6726/dsc6568nf1.jpg

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/7750/dsc6572ri8.jpg

http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/2273/dsc6586hz9.jpg

http://img49.imageshack.us/img49/7540/dsc6589vo2.jpg

KiBeN

October 29th, 2007, 05:55 PM

GB5
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/1111/dsc6590fh5.jpg

http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/6052/dsc6593qv0.jpg

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/1696/dsc6605en6.jpg

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/9173/dsc6611dr4.jpg

KiBeN

October 29th, 2007, 05:56 PM

GB5
http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/5953/dsc6598ey4.jpg

http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/7540/dsc6627ij3.jpg

http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/7074/dsc6587wz3.jpg

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/2517/dsc6612ft1.jpg

http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/1176/dsc6616gv6.jpg

icarusrising

October 29th, 2007, 06:09 PM

Good job, Kiben... Thanks for the preliminary tour.

[dx]

October 29th, 2007, 06:12 PM

^wow, really classy! :eek: i like the spiky chandeliers :okay:

icarusrising

October 29th, 2007, 06:16 PM

^^ Parang naalala ko bigla ang Inuyasha... Mga piraso ng hiyas? Nice concept... ALI keeps on surprising us...

eonynx

October 29th, 2007, 06:18 PM

wow! very nice pix of a gleaming new structure!

PnoyD2Tayo

October 29th, 2007, 06:57 PM

Thanks for the pics. I walked past this construction site for several days about a month ago, and it's nice to see how it looks inside!

kunoL8

October 29th, 2007, 08:14 PM

GB5 looks really great!!! the chandeliers are awesome and kudos on the use of wood!

i noticed that some of the shops already have stores in either GB3 or GB4 - DKNY, Kenneth Cole, Mix, Bally.

^^COOL! Shopping's getting better in Manila, no? First we had our first Marc Jacobs at GB4, then followed by Marc by Marc Jacobs in the swanky new GB5, and now we have a St John! I'm expecting a whole lot more of surprises from Greenbelt Five. That's a big relief for both the Ayalas and their patrons after that dreaded G2 accident.

yeah, manila's shopping scene is on a roll! i'm actually envious that you guys have marc by marc jacobs over there! i have to travel 4 hours to LA just to go to one - we only have marc jacobs collection in vegas. :( actually, st. john has been in the philippines for quite a while now. they have a store at the shang.

c0kelitr0

October 29th, 2007, 10:35 PM

@cosmo, we already have a ST. JOHN at Shangri-la :D

c0kelitr0

October 29th, 2007, 11:01 PM

waaahhh, i'm lost for words. :eek:

Greenbelt 5 is the swankiest mall i've ever seen in Manila.

hoping to see Emporio Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Chanel, Dior and Versace :D

alliele

October 30th, 2007, 01:03 AM

just one word for GB5 - WOW! :cheers:

c0kelitr0

October 30th, 2007, 01:56 AM

do we have a list of GB5's tenants?

so far...

St. John, Kiehl's, DKNY, Banana Republic...what else?

kunoL8

October 30th, 2007, 02:27 AM

^^ go to this blog: thefashpack.blogspot.com
her second entry has pictures of the store directory. :D

yeah hopefully, with gb5's opening, we'll see emporio armani and dior return to manila. it's nice to know that filipino brands especially ones that have gained international recognition such as Rafe, Celestina and Aranaz are setting up shop at gb5.

Onionz

October 30th, 2007, 02:37 AM

Wow, GB5 very exquisite and that's an understatement to say the least...

c0kelitr0

October 30th, 2007, 02:52 AM

omg! rafe's coming to Manila?? :eek:

c0kelitr0

October 30th, 2007, 03:07 AM

here's a partial list :D

Stores:

Adora
Aguas
All Flip Flops
Aranas
Arnel Papa
Avatar
Bally
Banana Republic
Bang & Olufsen -- wow!
Ben Sherman -- great! for more preppy look :D love their shirts
Bonne Bouche
Borders
Budji Living -- finally!
Celestina
David & Goliath
Designs Ligna
DKNY
Domecillo
dotdotdot
Escada
Escada Sport
Furla
Galerie Hans Brumann
Gaupo
Hives by Restoration
Jun Escarlo
Kai
Kate Torralba
Kenneth Cole
Kiehl's
L Manila
Lila Almario
Marc by Marc Jacobs
Michael Kors -- another wow!
Mix
Myth by Randy Ortiz
Osmundo
Patrice Diaz
Paul Smith
Prizmic & Brill
Rafe -- weeeehhhh, my sis is going to scream! :D
Religioso
Rocks by Ana Rocha
St. John
Vic Barba
Victoria Marin
Zara

JustHorace

October 30th, 2007, 03:13 AM

^^Good to hear another Zara's coming up. I hope they do open another store in Alabang.
Bang & Olufsen is also coming?! My gosh!

DKNY and Bally stores in GB4 and GB5 are just a five-minute walk away (That's if you walk REAL SLOW). Nevertheless, great additions!

@cosmo, we already have a ST. JOHN at Shangri-la :D

Oo nga ano. My bad. The one at Shang is getting pretty old na.
Dolce and Gabbana pala yung nawala no?

JustHorace

October 30th, 2007, 03:17 AM

GB5 looks really great!!! the chandeliers are awesome and kudos on the use of wood!

i noticed that some of the shops already have stores in either GB3 or GB4 - DKNY, Kenneth Cole, Mix, Bally.

Yeah, sure it looks good! At least they made up for that huge disappointment in the North.

Like what Coke said, I sure hope GB5 would bring in the huge names. Siguro we'll be seeing them in Phase 2. Otherwise, they could tear down Greenbelt 1!

kunoL8

October 30th, 2007, 03:27 AM

^^ i guess some gb4 and gb3 shops will be relocating to gb5. i dont think phase 2 will disappoint. i heard a rumor that chanel, hermes and dior are coming to manila real soon. baka phase two will be their home. more luxury brands!! so, is the marc jacobs store at gb4 open already? it's kinda sad that YSL had to go but oh well.

tyronne

October 30th, 2007, 03:42 AM

Wow! GB5 looks really nice! I'll drop by there one of these days:D Usyoso lang, no shopping hehe!

Sinjin P.

October 30th, 2007, 04:33 AM

Nice photos Kiben!!! :shocked:

Is GB5 airconditioned?

pau_p1

October 30th, 2007, 04:36 AM

uy bukas na pala sya...

kennethologist

October 30th, 2007, 08:13 AM

lovely lovely architecture for GB5... That is one design i can finally associate as Filipino... It isn't zen, it isn't western... it's Filipino! from the way the tile work was designed to the weave accents on the railings... truly fabulous!

i also like the creative lighting incorporating shadows... (o diba lighting with shadows?! FAB!) that one was really cute :D

Sinjin P.

October 30th, 2007, 08:44 AM

^ True. I think Greenbelt 5 was meant to showcase everything Filipino, from the fashion, to the architecture, etc.

_zner_

October 30th, 2007, 11:39 AM

BoNduRanT

October 30th, 2007, 12:28 PM

NICE NICE NICE!!!!!! :okay:

lex_99

October 30th, 2007, 04:27 PM

NO VANILLA IN MANILLA
The Philippines boasts some of the world’s most innovative retail projects
By Joel Groover
http://www.icsc.org/srch/sct/sct1206/feat_manila.php

Asian developers hunting for new retail concepts often ask Scott Harris for a list of must-see malls in the U.S. But Harris, who, as ICSC’s vice president of business development, monitors activity in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, likes to show these seekers that a Grand Tour of American Malls may not even be all that necessary.

“If you want to see some really interesting, creative stuff that is working,” Harris tells them, “go to the Philippines.”

With the help of U.S. and European business partners and consultants, developers in China, India and the Middle East are rapidly mastering shopping center basics. In the Philippines, however, a handful of local developers have been putting up modern regional malls and mixed-use projects for decades. “Their properties are well designed and very professionally managed and operated,” said Harris. “These are people who understand the business.”

It is a hallmark of the industry’s maturity that Philippines developers — Araneta Group, Ayala Land, Robinsons Land Corp. and SM Prime Holdings among the dominant names — spend much of their time strategizing about how to reinvent, expand and differentiate aging properties. Some malls in the Philippines, such as Ayala Land’s 700,000-square-foot Greenbelt, in Manila’s Makati Central Business District, have undergone multiple remakes in the past few years and yet continue to evolve along with the country’s fast-growing consumer economy. Ayala Land plans to open the first and second phases of Greenbelt 5, a 336,000-square-foot fashion, luxury retail and fine-dining expansion (so named because it will be the fifth retail component to be built at Greenbelt) in October 2007 and August 2008, respectively. This year SM Prime Holdings completed a five-level, 820,000-square-foot expansion of one of the first malls built in the Philippines, SM City North Edsa, which has grown from one building to four since opening in Quezon City in 1985.

New malls, too, are on the drawing board, particularly on the outskirts of metro Manila and in the high-growth provincial cities. SM Prime, which owns 27 malls amounting to a total 38.7 million square feet, will open as many as six malls per year during each of the next four years, says Jeffrey Lim, the firm’s executive vice president for finance and administration. SM Prime opened five malls this year, including SM Mall of Asia, a behemoth that made international headlines and for whose May 21 opening nearly 1 million people turned out. The 4.2 million-square-foot center, which occupies 19.5 hectares in Pasay City, next to Manila Bay, is the largest mall in the Philippines and the third-largest in the world, behind only China’s Golden Resources Mall, in Beijing, and the South China Mall, in Dongguan. Besides some 700 local and international retailers and approximately 150 indoor and outdoor dining outlets, the Mall of Asia is home to the country’s first Imax cinema and its first Olympic-size skating rink. Perhaps more impressive, though, is the fact that this mammoth property is over 90 percent leased. “Sometimes it is difficult to imagine how the Philippines can hold a mall of this size,” Lim said.

The flood of international tourists visiting the mall clearly helps. But the real driver of mall development in the Philippines is the extra cash that now fattens the wallets of many local shoppers, observers say.

Some of that cash comes from the mass migration of business process outsourcing (BPO) outfits to the country. Tess Fernandez, head of research at Jones Lang LaSalle’s Manila office, writes in an October report that the Philippines now ranks second to India as the outsourcing destination of choice for multinational corporations. Fernandez cites government data showing that as many as 150 outsourcing firms, which earned revenues of about $2.4 billion in 2005, have set up shop there. The BPO industry’s annual growth rate stands at between 75 percent and 100 percent. “The boom in outsourcing is driving growth in other sectors, most notably in the real estate industry,” Fernandez wrote.

Indeed, retail real estate property holders reap manifold benefits from this boom. A shortage of office space in the Philippines means that BPO firms must pay higher rents for offices at mixed-use developments. It also means that they are more likely to move into Philippines malls.

Computer maker Dell operates a large outsourcing branch at the Mall of Asia, and Robinsons Land has wired up high-tech call centers at five of its shopping centers.

And young BPO workers love to shop, of course. “BPO workers are normally between the ages of 22 and 30, with very strong purchasing power,” said Nilo S. Mapa, general manager of Robinsons Land’s commercial centers division. “These are people who are likely to be single, and in the Philippines, even at that age, so long as you are single you live with your parents. This gives [these workers] a huge propensity to spend.”

They cannot spend that disposable income, however, if the malls and restaurants they would patronize are closed when they finish their shifts. “Interestingly enough, their work hours are during our nighttime, when the mall is closed,” Mapa said. “When they get out at 6 o’clock in the morning, they need some places where they can spend some recreation and eat. We now have to open certain sections of the mall to be able to accommodate them.”

Other economic factors buoy consumer spending too. During the Asian financial crisis of 1997, the sheer volume of remittances from overseas Filipino workers enabled the Philippines to weather the storm better than some of its neighbors. In 2005 an estimated 10 million Filipinos in 180 countries sent $10 billion back home. The Filipino population now stands at 89.4 million and is growing at about 2 percent per year. The median age is just 22.5.

Beyond macroeconomics is the centrality of shopping in Philippines culture, which long ago coined the term “malling” as a national pastime. On weekends it is not unusual for Filipino families to spend about four hours at the mall, says Miriam O. Katigbak, executive vice president and head of Ayala Land’s mall division. A foreign visitor might be surprised to see churches in the country’s shopping centers, but for Filipinos, a Sunday of malling often begins with mass, right on the property. “The Philippines basically has two seasons, the rainy season and the very hot summer season, and so an enclosed, air-conditioned space is a luxury for many,” said Katigbak. “Also, we don’t have that many open parks and museums and places to entertain, so the mall has become a gathering place for everyone.”

To be sure, the Philippines’ shopping center industry is not without challenges. A typical mall is a one-stop-shopping site measuring between 540,000 and 860,000 square feet, Lim says. Occupancy rates at these properties are high — Mapa estimates north of 90 percent for the portfolios of Ayala, Robinsons Land and SM Prime. But many of these tenants are local mom-and-pops, and the anchor stores are frequently owned and operated by the mall owners themselves.

“There are lots of good entrepreneurs in the Philippines, but their access to capital is not as high,” Mapa said. “So oftentimes the domestic retailers aren’t as excited to expand as aggressively as we are, especially when it comes to the provincial areas.”

Mapa, for one, would like to see the major owners do more to set themselves apart from one another by offering distinct tenant mixes. If more international retail chains stepped up their presence in the Philippines, this would be easier, Mapa says. But as columnist William Esposo noted in a recent article for Philippines news site Inq7.net, international investors often have an exaggerated view of the risks of doing business in the Philippines, in part because media coverage focuses on violent crime in Manila, Muslim and communist insurgencies in the provinces, government scandals and the gap between rich and poor.

Still, the major mall owners are working toward differentiation. Ayala puts a major focus on special events and now has some 18,000 event days across its eight-mall portfolio. (The company has five expansions and/or new developments in the pipeline.) Its Greenbelt reinvention, in fact, is a good example of the role creativity can play in differentiation. Before its 2002 redevelopment, Greenbelt was an unremarkable jumble of specialty and convenience retail anchored by a bus terminal, a supermarket and two open-air centers.

The goal of the redesign was to offer something new to Filipino shoppers by overturning the regional mall concept to which they have long been accustomed. Rather than a department store or supermarket, Greenbelt’s primary anchor is a 300,000-square-foot park that, with its lagoon and tropical landscaping, serves as an oasis for up to 100,000 daily visitors.

The standard mall here is an air-conditioned, enclosed box that shields shoppers from the elements. Greenbelt, by contrast, defied skeptics — and the Philippines’ tropical climate — by adopting an open-air format and streetscape design, all in a country where outdoor cafés cooled by misters and shaded by trees and awnings are ubiquitous. The mall further defied conventional wisdom by emphasizing exterior architecture and nonretail elements such as an art museum and a chapel. Some 70 percent of its 250 tenants serve food.

Ayala wants the Greenbelt 5 expansion to showcase local talent. “What will make Greenbelt 5 unique is that, aside from having more restaurants featuring the best chefs, we are also going to have a Filipino zone that will feature the best Filipino artists in fashion and home,” said Rowena Tomeldan, vice president and deputy head of Ayala Malls Group. “The Philippines has a lot of top exporters, but they don’t sell their product in the country.”

Given the resiliency of Filipino shoppers and the creativity of these mall owners, it’s no wonder Harris is bullish on the country. “It qualifies as one of those hidden opportunities that is not normally mentioned when people talk about emerging markets,” Harris said. “I went earlier this year, and every place I visited was really crowded. People were shopping, and there was a lot of vibrancy.”