Araneta City: Then and Now

Story by Clara Rosales

(SPOT.ph) You can't talk about Cubao with talking about the Araneta establishments.
Many know it to be Araneta City right now, but before its rename and rebrand, many of
the Metro's commuters, workers, and people had a map of landmarks in their heads
without really knowing it's an Araneta property. The family and the business has
been around for decades, establishing roots in Cubao on continuing to develop the area
to accommodate millions of people from all walks of life.

Araneta Coliseum

We can't talk about Cubao and Araneta City without bringing up the Coliseum. The
structure, once the only thing present in the area, has paid witness to countless historical
matches, games, and performances. First opened in March 16, 1960, the multi-purpose
sports arena has been renovated throughout the years so it can continue to accommodate
crowds and events up until today.

Some of the notable events to have been held in the 36,000-capacity arena include the
Thrilla in Manila boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier held in 1975,
where all tickets were sold out. In the realm of entertainment, the coliseum first comes to
mind when the Binibining Pilipinas beauty pageant is brought up. The 11th and 34th
FAMAS Awards also took place in the arena,

Among the notable events to take place at the arena were the 11th and 34th FAMAS
Awards, the 1975 "Thrilla in Manila" boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Joe
Frazier, in which the arena was renamed into the "Philippine Coliseum", and the annual
Binibining Pilipinas beauty pageant.

At the height of boxer boxer Manny Pacquiao's career, the coliseum saw record-high
earnings in 2006. Pacquiao's match with Mexican boxer Óscar Larios earned a whopping
P96.2 million.

In 2011, Araneta entered a naming rights deal with Smart Telecommunications to rename
the Araneta Coliseum to Smart Araneta Coliseum—a name it maintains until today. More
recent events to be held in the coliseum were the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup and
an onslaught of concerts from global artists looking to meet the Filipino crowds after a
long lockdown.
Farmer's Market

Farmer's Market was where you could score the best prices and deals on everyday
needs—from fresh seafood to imported fruits and vegetables, to high-quality protein and
a variety of cooking ingredients, the market had it all. Nowadays, the space still functions
as a wet market and resource point for life's necessities. If you're not on the lookout for
the typical palengke fare, consider strolling along the many flower shops that have
popped up in the market.

Farmer's Plaza

In case you didn't know, Farmer's Plaza was actually the first air-conditioned mall in the
Philippines, and while it's no longer the newest Araneta establishtment in the area,
countless people still march to the mall in search of food, entertainment, and everything
else in between.

The five-story complex is actually one of the oldest commercial buildings in the country,
having opened in 1997 and expanded and renovated in 1999 and 2014 respectively.
At present time, you'll find that Farmer's Plaza is still filled with lifestyle and electronic
shops both local and foreign, along with dining outlets and entertainment facilities. It might
not be as snazzy and updated as its younger siblings—the Gateway Mall and Gateway
Mall 2—but it remains reliable even after all these years.

Read more at Araneta City: Then and Now (msn.com)