Pasay City

The city of Pasay is the third smallest district in the National Capital Region, one that is closest to the locality of Manila. Surrounded by the municipality of Parañaque on the south, Makati and Taguig on the northeast and by Manila Bay on the west. Best known for its erotic nightspots, particularly along the Manila Bay. It has become a local hangout for foreigners and businessmen alike.

Many different variations came telling the real origin of the town. One historian revealed that the name Pasay came from the cry of a brokenhearted, when the two lovers were forced to separate. Thus, the name Paz-ay was born. Others say, it was derived from pasaw because it was believed that Pasay was then covered with this exotic plant. Though the facts that is most accepted was it is named after a princess, Dayang-Dayang Pasay of the Kingdom of Namayan. It’s a group of barangays ranging from Manila all the way to Laguna de Bai.

Most of the attractions in the city are on the CCP (Cultural Center of the Philippines) Complex, on which the massive main CCP building, Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), Tanghalang Francisco Balagtas (formerly Folk Arts Theater), Manila Film Center, Coconut Palace, Product Design and Development Center of the Philippines (PDDCP), Philippine Trade Training Center (PTTC), World Trade Center-Metro Manila (WTCMM), Cuneta Astrodome, and theme parks such as Star City, Nayong Pilipino, and Boom na Boom are all located. Terminal 2 and the soon to be completed Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, as well as the terminal of the Manila Domestic Airport is located in Pasay City. Villamor Airbase of the Philippine Air Force is also located here.

Other national government offices could be found in Pasay: Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Senate of the Philippines, the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry's export promotions agency - the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) - located in the International Trade Complex's Golden Shell Pavilion, and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA). The main office of the Philippine National Bank, led by its president taipan Lucio Tan, is located in the City.

Pasay City is home to the headquarters of the SM Group of Companies and the SM Mall of Asia, touted as the biggest mall in Asia which opened on May 21, 2006. Also interesting is a budding strip of restaurants at the corner of EDSA Extension and Pres. Diosdado Macapagal Ave. It will also be the house of booming call center business industry in the Philippines due to vast land space available located in the reclamation area.