Why Ortigas is the Ideal Working Hub for Young Professionals

Cities often have a convergence of businesses in certain zones. These clusters are called central business districts (CBD). Several CBDs are found in Metro Manila, and its midpoint is at Ortigas Center, Pasig City. You may wonder why one would choose to work and live in Ortigas Center, considering the long list of modern business hubs in Metro Manila. Simply put, Ortigas is the ideal work hub for young professionals because it offers several kinds of activities in proximity.

Ortigas Center is not just a concrete jungle that accommodates business deals but is an oasis of activities for people considering working or living in its vicinity. After all, choosing to live in a CBD means accessibility to a great variety of things. Here are some to-do items to tick off on your errands list, recreational activities to enjoy in the area, and business tasks to cross off your action plans.

Everyday Activities

• • Live. Buildings in Ortigas CBD are not limited to offices. Some of them are residential condominiums. What a great place to choose to live other than the ones near your workplace, right? People may argue about the cost of living in the zone. However, time from skipping Manila’s infamous traffic during rush hours is also a valuable resource to consider.
  • Park. While some residential properties include car parking spaces, some do not. Hence, there are public parking spaces you can turn to when you need to stay put and get on your toes to walk around. Here are some options around Ortigas Center (rates may change depending on the establishment):
    • Pro Parking – 2F and 3F of West Tower. Php80 for 2 hours. Php30 for every succeeding hour
    • Creekside Parking Lot – Exchange Road. Php60 for 2 hours. Php 20 per succeeding hour. Php180 for 8 hours.
    • Parking Area Access Mater & Solutions Inc. – Php60 for 2 hours. Php100 per excess of 2 hours up to 8 hours. Php150 in excess of 8 hours up to 12 hours.
    • PSecure – Pearl Drive, Ortigas Center. Fees: Php80 for 2 hours. Php30 per succeeding hour. 
  • Exercise. There are fitness centers in the district so you can stretch your muscles, sweat it off, and reach your daily step goal. You can also walk or run in the area, especially during weekends when most offices and streets are vacant. Below is a list of some fitness centers in Ortigas business hub:
    • The Upper Deck – Ortigas Technopoint
    • Fitness First – Megamall 
    • Kinetix Lab – The Podium
    • All Core Pilates – The Podium
    • Cyclehouse Indoor Cycling Mnl – Padilla Building, beside Emerald Ave
    • Curves – EDSA Shangri-La
    • Elorde Boxing Gym – Technopoint Bldg., Dona Julia Vargas Ave.
    • Anytime Fitness – Holiday Inn
    • UFC Gym – Robinsons Galleria
  • Commute. Ortigas has a lot of terminals and stations for commuters heading in whichever direction. There are various options to move to wherever you are headed. You can choose from trains, vans, cabs, jeepneys, or tricycles. Here are some of the transport terminals in Ortigas:
    • MRT Shaw Boulevard Station
    • MRT Ortigas Station
    • UBE Express Terminal – Robinson Galleria Transport Terminal
    • SM Megamall Bus Terminal – In front of SM Megamall
    • Antipolo-Ortigas UV Express Terminal – EDSA cor. Ortigas Ave., In front of Robinsons Galleria
    • EDSA Bus Carousel – EDSA
    • Starmall Transport Terminal
    • Pasig-Cainta Jeepney Terminal – Shaw Boulevard

• • Get Treated. The location of hospitals is among the things people look at when deciding where to live. In Ortigas, there are several hospitals and clinics that can serve your medical needs. You won’t have to worry about emergencies or routine consultations since you have access to these facilities nearby. Here’s a list of some hospitals and clinics in the area:
    • The Medical City – Ortigas Avenue
    • Cardinal Health Australia – Citiland Shaw Tower, Shaw Boulevard
    • Hi-Precision Diagnositic Center – Dona Julia Vargas 
    • Manas Dental Clinic – GF Amberland Plaza Building, Jade Drive
    • Medicard Ortigas Clinic – Parc Royale Condominium, Jade Drive
    • Metro Dental – The Podium and Megamall
  • Study. One big aspect of life is learning. You can find an educational institution if you are pursuing your post-graduate schooling or looking for an academy for your children. There are also schools for special interest in Ortigas, including: 
    • University of Asia and the Pacific – Pearl Drive
    • Saint Pedro Poveda College – P. Poveda Road
    • Little Georgia Academy – The Currency Residential, Julia Vargas Avenue
    • Reedley International School – Antel Global Corporate Center, Julia Vargas Avenue
    • Lourdes School of Mandaluyong – St. Francis Street cor. Shaw Boulevard Ave.
    • International Cabin Attendant Training School – Unit 907-A PSE East Tower, Exchange Road  
    • Swiss IT Academy Inc. – 20F Tektite Bldg. West Tower 
    • Grace School of Theology – Jollibee Plaza Building, F. Ortigas Jr. Road 
    • Fashion Institute of the Philippines – 19F Jollibee Plaza, Emerald Avenue

Lifestyle Activities

• • Eat. People’s love for eating is undeniable. Ortigas business hub is abounding with restaurants that can be part of your gastronomic journey. Whether you crave Filipino, Italian, Chinese, Thai, or Japanese, there will surely be something available in the area. Another good thing? They often offer delivery straight to your offices or condos. Here are a some places to dine in the area:
    • Buddy’s, KFC, Jollibee, McDonald’s, Yellow Cab Pizza Co. – G/F Tycoon Center, Pearl Drive
    • The Happy Chef Restaurant – 2/F The Linden Suites, San Miguel Avenue
    • World Spices International Cuisine – 2/F The Linden Suites, San Miguel Avenue
    • Pan de Manila – Pacific Place, Pearl Drive
    • Subway – Pearl Plaza Building, Pearl Drive
  • Drink. Do you prefer coffee, tea, or something with a kick? You can find coffee shops, milk tea shops, cocktail bars, wine bar, and even KTV bars in Ortigas business hub. Choose your spot and have a good chug and chat with your colleagues or friends. Listed below are some options on where to consume your drinks:
    • Batter or Dough – G/F Tektite East Tower
    • Starbucks – G/F Tektite East Tower, Exchange Road
    • Ming Bistro and Bar – G/F Tektite West Tower, Exchange Road
    • Tully’s Coffee – G/F The Exchange Regency, Exchange Road
    • Zone Out Coffee – 10/F IBP Tower, Jade Drive
  • Shop. Malls housing a lot of brands are in Ortigas. This means you can shop, eat, drink, and lounge all in one place. However, malls are go-to places to shop. You can grab your home needs, school supplies, clothing haul, or groceries. These establishments can be of service to you. Listed below are some establishments that can be of service to you. 
    • SM Megamall
    • Robinsons Galleria
    • Estancia
    • The Podium
    • Shangri-La Plaza
    • Ayala Malls The 30th
    • St. Francis Square Mall
    • Metrowalk

• • Get Entertained. There are a variety of recreational activities to choose from when you are in Ortigas. On the list are trampoline parks, bowling alleys, water spas, an archery range, ice skating, and it goes on. It just depends on what mood you are in.

• • • Arrowland Archery – SM Megamall
    • SM Skating Rink – SM Megamall
    • Plunge Dive Club – Ortigas Technopoint
    • Kidzoona – Shangri-La Plaza
    • Polecats Manila – Strata 100 Bldg., Ortigas Jr. Road
    • Ace Water Spa – United Street cor. Brixton Street
    • CHI, The Spa – Shangri-La Plaza

Business Activities

Transact. You may need to pay your bills, get money from the bank, or hand over your products to your courier. These things and more can be done in many establishments in the vicinity.

Work in a Shared Space. Traditional business office setup means owning or renting a dedicated office space for your business. However, this situation evolves as times change. The past decade brought forth the emergence and fame of coworking spaces. These are office areas that can be rented out on flexible terms, without the commitment of leasing the space out for long periods of time. Coworking spaces are more cost-effective than the traditional setup and are most applicable for small to medium-scale businesses. In Ortigas business hub, there is one coworking space worth paying a visit to. Check out M Spaces located in Tektite Building.

M Spaces: Your Fully-Serviced Office Space in Ortigas Center

Nestled in the heart of Ortigas, M Spaces is your go-to coworking space to get away from your work-from-home setup and have a space dedicated to increase your productivity. You can choose between private offices and meeting rooms.

Private offices range from 8 to 23 sqm. and offer three size options: micro (4 to 5 seats), medium (6 to 7 seats), and mega (8 to 12 seats). All choices include use of business address, high-speed WiFi and LAN connectivity, office chairs, desks, and overhead shelves, receptionist during business hours, biometric access, 12-hour meeting room access, free use of printer, scanner, and photocopier, pantry, water, and coffee, and access to a private toilet for M Space tenants.

Meanwhile, M Space meeting rooms can accommodate team meetings of 6 persons to 22 persons. There are three options as well: Small (11 sqm.), Large (18 sqm.), and Conference (40 sqm.). All rooms are equipped with TV monitors, whiteboards, soundproof walls, desks, and chairs.

Do you want to experience working in a clean, distraction-free environment? Contact M Spaces by sending an email to mspacesph@gmail.com or reaching out by calling 5328-5300 or 09175439349 today. Find your coworking space in Ortigas now!