Parking in Makati

Since I work in Salcedo Village, parking options are a-plenty - at a steep price. 

I can opt to use the slots at (1) the PBCom Building (around Php 130), (2) one of the vacant lots in San Agustin Street (not sure about the cost. You have to leave your keys with the parking guys), (3) Valero Open Parking, or (4) Velasquez Park (Php 40 for the first two hours, Php 10 in the succeeding hours). 

Click the photo above for the Salcedo Village map. (Photo from Wikimapia)

 I chose Velasquez Park, frankly, because it is the least congested. A tree-lined parking complex is more alluring than a drab skyscraper.

It is not sustainable to drive my car all the way to Makati during the work week. The Manila traffic situation could be unforgiving. The daily  fuel costs for the 30 kilometer trip from Quezon City to Makati and back could eat up a sizable portion of my humble salary. Since parking spots are scarce commodities in the Central Business District, the corresponding fees cost an arm and a leg.

To save cash, I usually park my car in Trinoma, ride the MRT to Makati, and walk the 1 kilometer-or-so distance to my office.

Read: "Trinoma Park and Ride"

Read: "Six Ways to Survive a Rush Hour MRT Ride"

This is a perfectly ideal set-up, if not for the time constraints. The last northbound coach of the MRT leaves at approximately 10:30 PM. If one has evening engagements in Makati (a sanitized term for drinking sprees and nights out!), it will be troublesome and time-consuming to ride bus all the way Quezon City. A cab ride to Trinoma, costing around PHP 150, is almost as expensive as bringing a car and parking in Makati. 

Hence, it is more convenient to drive to the Central Business District. At times like these, comfort and convenience take precedence over monetary costs!