The Philippines has seen a rapid development in recent years due to the success of Information Technology and the Business Process Outsourcing industry in the country. Financial districts like Makati and Taguig have seen a rapid growth in the buying power in the population of residents in the district. Today, BGC condo for sale are highly coveted real estate properties that have large potential to grow even more as the country and the district continues to flourish. It is also located near the Philippine Air Force National Headquarters. In truth, Fort Bonifacio has been a highly coveted area because of its growth potential. The surrounding financial districts Makati and Taguig City has vied for control on the area for more than two decades. The Government of the Philippines fought over the land title with the Americans for longer than that. Today, the jurisdiction of the disputed area known as Fort Bonifacio remains to be in limbo.
Fort Bonifacio: A Brief History
Fort Bonifacio, formerly named as Fort McKinley, was an American Military Base during the Philippine-American war in 1901. It was declared as a US Military reservation by Elihu Root, then Secretary of War. It was confiscated without compensation from Captain Juan Gonzalez for its highly strategic location south east of Manila. On the day of the American Independence, the 4th of July in 1946, the Americans finally surrendered rights of possession, jurisdiction, supervision, and control of the country to the Philippine Government, all except the use of the US Military Bases. Three years later, on May 14, 1949, the military base of what was then Fort McKinley, was finally handed over to the government of the Philippines. Fort Bonifacio later became the home of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, as well as the Philippine Navy. It was also during this time that the area was renamed from Fort McKinley to Fort Bonifacio, in honour of the country’s Father of Philippine Independence, Andres Bonifacio.
Understanding the Dispute
The area that is currently Fort Bonifacio is a contested territory between the financial districts of Taguig City and Makati City, mostly because of the overwhelming progress in the area’s economy in recent years. Taguig claims that the income generated by Fort Bonifacio through taxes is extensive in supporting the district and handing over the land to Makati would cause detrimental income loss for the municipality. The boundary dispute demands that the Fort Bonifacio area must be defined, declared, and fully stated in order for the land to be properly distributed within the boundaries of Taguig, Pateros, and Makati.
On August 22, 2013, Taguig again filed a Motion for Reconsideration before the Court of Appeal Sixth Division again claiming the land that is Fort Bonifacio. The case that is Taguig claiming the area forces the decision to be suspended, putting the claim on the area in limbo. As of today, while the area wherein BGC is located is still in favor of Makati, Taguig still has de facto claim over the area.
As of present, the area that is Bonifacio Global City is in favor of Makati City, but is still under the de facto administration of Taguig. Perhaps in the near future, the dispute between these two financial districts can be settled once and for all, for the betterment of the economy of the country, and the peace of mind of the people living in them.