For many of us, Fort Bonifacio Global City, or simply BGC, is the excessively urbanized district in Taguig (although some claim that it is still geographically located in Makati). Wherever it may be, there are probably some important facts that you don’t know about BGC. Here are some of them.
BGC facts to know about
1) Fort Bonifacio is named after Andres Bonifacio
Non-Taguig residents may not know it, but BGC is actually named after KKK’s Supremo, Andres Bonifacio. Santiago Bonifacio, Andres’ father, is a native of Taguig.
2) Fort Bonifacio was once called Sakura Heiei
During World War II, the fort was seized by the Japanese forces. From ‘Fort McKinley,’ BGC was renamed Sakura Heiei which literally means ‘cherry blossoms barracks.’ The fort became a headquarters of the Japanese officials such as General Tomoyuki Yamashita.
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3) Fort Bonifacio was once known as Fort McKinley
Named after President William McKinley, in 1902, the fort was acquired by the US government. The fort was then called Fort McKinley. In 1949, the US government returned the fort to the Philippine government.
4) Fort Bonifacio has an underground tunnel
Today, there are at least three accessible entryways to the tunnels. These are in C5, East Rembo, and Amapola Street. The 32-chamber tunnel originally served as the headquarters and supply depot of the American forces. In 1994, the tunnels were closed due to privatization efforts at the fort.
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5) Fort Bonifacio is an example of a Hippodamian Plan
Hippodamius, who is considered as the father of urban planning, firmly believes in the proper allocation of both public and private spaces. BGC is a thriving megacity that incorporates residential, commercial and public spaces. Aside from the road network, its traffic and waste disposal systems are efficiently implemented.
6) Fort Bonifacio would pass as an open air museum
Dubbed as the ‘home of passionate minds,’ BGC boasts of its public arts and public parks. Currently, there are seven public arts from the best local artists in the Philippines. These are The Trees by Reynato Paz Contreras, Balanghai by Leo Gerardo Leonardo, Kasaysayan Bawat Oras by Juan Sajid de Leon Imao, Ang Supremo by Ben-Hur G. Villanueva, Transformation by Lor Calma, Kalikasan by Jerry Araos and Pasasalamat by Ferdie Cacnio. Further, the three public parks are called Track 30th (a park with interactive art installations), Terra 28th (an interactive playground) and Turf BGC (an artificial football field).
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7) Fort Bonifacio is considered as Metro Manila’s true ‘center’
BGC is strategically located at the heart of the metro. In fact, from BGC, you can go to other key destinations like Makati, Pasig, Paranaque, Pasay, Muntinlupa and Pateros.
Modern as it may be, history and geography play a significant role in what BGC is today. There are still many facts about Fort Bonifacio that are worth discovering.
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