I hate going to Makati. When it comes up in conversation, I voice out how I hate the business district and how its buildings engulf me. The reason for my hatred is probably because the city is the hub of my nine-to-five grind. Its tiring underground tunnels, non-commuter friendly streets, and the traffic. Oh god, the Makati traffic kills the Rizaleno in me.
But this Makati is nowhere to be found during the COVID-19 lockdown. On the ninth day of quarantine, Vira Scabano from Stolen Shots Studios made a video of its empty streets.
It’s a beautiful, yet eerie sight—with the usually bustling business district turned into a ghost town due to the lockdown. The busy streets are empty. Its usual swarm of workers is nowhere to be found. And the only lights visible are from its streetlamps.
“This is what Makati feels like now,” the creative writes in his caption. He compiled snippets of the city while attending to his daily needs during quarantine. The shots he took are from the comforts of his condominium’s roof deck. In the video, people can see only a few motorcycles and bicycles around Ayala Avenue and the Central Business District.
As a Makati girl (as my mom calls me), seeing the city empty is weird. It’s peaceful and quiet—two traits you never associate with the city. We probably won’t see Makati this way too often. So for your viewing pleasure, here’s Makati: Uncrowded
Still from “Makati: Uncrowded”