Inside Union Church of Manila? | Ateneo De Manila Glee Club, Toby’s Estate, Legazpi Active Park

Today I was invited by my friend Kingsley to watch a special concert at the Union Church of Manila for Baroque Roots, Modern Spirit, featuring the Ateneo de Manila College Glee Club and flutist Crystal Milarose. In the past, I would often pass by this church, always wondering if I could go in. Today felt different. It was a bright and sunny day, and I arrived two hours earlier on purpose to take a walk in the park, enjoy the atmosphere, and find a place to drink coffee and eat bread. Arriving early gives me time to absorb the surroundings, notice details, and enjoy the city without rushing or worrying about traffic. Union Church of Manila is located at Rada Street, Legazpi Village, Makati City, right beside Legazpi Active Park and Washington Sycip Park. Established in 1916, it is one of the oldest Protestant churches in the Philippines and is known not only for worship services, but also for hosting concerts, lectures, and cultural programs that are often open to the public. The concert featured classical masterworks performed by organ, orchestra, and choir, including works by Denis Bédard, John Rutter, Antonio Vivaldi, and Francis Poulenc. The Ateneo de Manila College Glee Club, founded in 1921, is one of the country’s most respected university choirs, known for its disciplined training and regular participation in international competitions and cultural exchanges. Listening to them inside a historic church in the middle of Makati felt like stepping into another layer of the city. Before the concert, I stopped by Toby’s Estate Coffee, an Australian specialty coffee brand with several branches in Makati. Their flat white and long black are solid choices if you want something simple before an event. I also passed by Purple Oven, a popular local bakery known for its cakes, brownies, cookies, and soft pastries — perfect for take-home desserts. Legazpi Active Park has always been special to me. Nine years ago, this was the first park I explored in Makati, together with some theater kids for a Japanese foundation we were working with. Designed as a community fitness and leisure space, the park has jogging paths, outdoor gym equipment, shaded benches, and landscaped gardens. On weekdays, you’ll see office workers exercising before or after work. On weekends, there are often pop-up markets and small community events. Standing there again, I could still feel the delight of seeing the trees. I couldn’t help but say a prayer of thanks to the Lord Jesus Christ for everything He has given me. What a peaceful life I have now. I even found myself admiring my hair that day — it’s never wrong to celebrate yourself once in a while. Makati has been such a dream for me. I noticed the artworks, the greenery, and all the dreams that quietly came true. I was born in Baguio City, surrounded by cold air, fog, and mountains. Moving to Makati trained me to see life in a wider lens. I wanted to live in a different city where no one knew me. And here, I met so many new faces and encountered new stories — like my friend Kingsley and his mom from Cebu. It was a huge gamble for me back then, arriving in Makati with no clear idea where I was going to work or who I was going to become. While I was grateful for the life I had in Baguio, I felt I had already absorbed everything I needed from that chapter. Makati offered a new shift, a different frequency, and I felt it to the bone. From the moment I arrived, I knew a new story would unfold here — and it truly did. This is the city that allowed me to reflect, to pray, and to get to know the Lord Jesus Christ on a deeper level. A place where coffee, parks, churches, and classical music somehow became part of my everyday life.