Located south of the Pasig River within Metro Manila, Fort Bonifacio served as the national headquarters of the Philippine Army, surrounded by the newly developed financial district of Bonifacio Global City. While it has largely been transformed into a modern commercial and residential area, it is still scattered with war-era landmarks and cemeteries housing the remains of both Filipino and American soldiers.
Bonifacio High Street runs east to west through the heart of Bonifacio Global City and is flanked by high-tech skyscrapers and lined by pedestrian walkways. The Retail Promenade carves through the centre, lined with big-name brand stores and eateries, while the City Square Blocks feature landscaped gardens and parks that provide a hub for community activities. Lively shopping establishments such as Market! Market!, the Venice Piazza and Grand Canal Mall dot the area, while upscale condominium and multi-use residential developments such as Uptown Bonifacio, Forbes Town Center and McKinley Hill comprise much of the district. The Manila American Cemetery and Memorial occupies an elevated plateau to the south of the Retail Promenade, with more than 17,000 American soldiers who fought in World War II now laying to rest here. Heritage Park occupies a large area of leafy expanse to the south, while the Heroes’ Cemetery houses the remains of more than 33,000 Filipino soldiers killed during World War II, together with memorials to those who served in the Vietnam and Korean wars. A tunnel once used to transport military supplies, and war materials for both the Philippine and United States’ armies stretch 2.24 kilometres beneath a section of Fort Bonifacio, originally built in 1936 with the help of ethnic Igorots who inhabited the surrounding landscapes.
Fort Bonifacio is connected with the rest of Metro Manila by public bus services and jeepneys, with bus stops along all edges of Bonifacio High Street and outside the cemeteries. The Bonifacio High Street has been well planned for pedestrians, with its commercial areas and parks best explored on foot.
Fort Bonifacio was established as the US military reservation of Fort William McKinley in 1901 during the Philippine-American War. Following the independence of the Philippines in 1946, it was surrendered by the US government and became home to the Philippine Army and Navy, and was renamed Fort Bonifacio after the revolutionary leader of the Katipunan, Andres Bonifacio.