Case closed: San Juan City is Metro Manila’s geometric center, says Namria

MANILA, Philippines — Whenever friends living on both ends of Metro Manila — north and south — decide to go out, there is always a debate on which part of the metropolis is geographically convenient for both parties.

A recent discussion sparked online to settle the question on which city is the geographic midpoint of the region. Social media users have posted their calculations to support their claims.

Twitter user @sohkatoa started the exchange, saying that the center of the metro is Glorietta in Makati City based on Google Maps.

“In terms of distance, ang halfway ng North at South ay Glorietta. According to Google Maps, Alabang Town Center to Trinoma is 37km. Alabang to Glorietta is 17km. Trinoma to Glorietta is also 17km,” she said.

In terms of distance, ang halfway ng North at South ay Glorietta

Accdg. to Google Maps, Alabang Town Center to Trinoma is 34km.

Alabang to Glorietta is 17km
Trinoma to Glorietta is also 17km pic.twitter.com/hJPM98gGMm

— K.M. (@sohkatoa) February 18, 2019

However, Arvin Boller countered the claim on Facebook, arguing that the use of Trinoma as a landmark for the North “does not capture the distance of the “true” north as much as Alabang does with the South.”

Instead, he said it is “better” to use SM Fairview as the landmark for the North as many “Northerners” live in Novaliches.

“So I revised the calculation and entered SM Fairview and Alabang Town Center as landmarks. Furthermore, google maps often include the skyway in its algorithm, so I removed it along with other toll roads,” Boller said.

https://www.facebook.com/arvin.boller/posts/10218726747781219

Using the website meetways.com, Boller said that Metro Manila’s midpoint is Pasig City.

“If we include Novaliches in the equation, the natural route is C5, and true enough, the midpoint is in the Pasig area of C5, somewhere near Valle Verde area. But if we include the skyway, the midpoint will be Galleria/Megamall/Edsa Shang,” he said.

“So there you have it, if you guys wanna meet up, it’s not Cubao or Glorietta. The good choice is actually the Ortigas-Pasig area, traffic notwithstanding,” he concluded.

But after much discussions and buzz online, a government agency has finally settled the debate.

The National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA) said that San Juan City is the ‘geometric center of Metro Manila.’

https://www.facebook.com/foiph/posts/791129637930505

In a Facebook post, the Freedom Of Information (FOI) Philippines shared an infographic showing that San Juan City is indeed the geometric midpoint of the national capital region.

“According to the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA), the geometric center of Metro Manila is the City of San Juan,” the post said.

Last year, the “North vs South” discussion also trended on Twitter after user @MillennialOfMNL tweeted: “Mas masarap magmahal ang mga taga-South.” /ee