Gateway Mall, Cubao Araneta Center Bus Terminal

According to an old legend, there was a hill inhabited by mangkukulam (witches), and that a kuba (hunchback) lived there. People passing by the place would say, "kuba, o" upon seeing the hunchback, "Kuba, o" was later shortened to Kubao and the name stuck.

But that is just an apocryphal story. Some historians attribute the name of Cubao to a "lubluban ng kalabaw" (where carabaos dip). Cubao's place in history is that it's the seat of power in the country when Quezon City was made the capital of the Philippines.

What's true, however, is that exactly 32 years ago, Araneta Coliseum played host to the historic “Thrilla in Manila” match between heavyweight champions Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. Muhamad Ali won the fight via a 14th round TKO. He pocketed $6 million for the fight, while Frazier got $3 million richer. (it is for this reason a mall was named after Muhammad Ali: Ali Mall)

Crappy "Drive-by" Photos of Cubao

Gateway Mall, touted as "like no other mall in the world," is one of Tutubi's favorite places to watch movies besides Ayala's Glorietta/Greenbelt/Trinoma cinemas. Recommends Gateway Cineplex's Cinema 10 with lazyboy seats inclusive of popcorn and drinks for a price, of course!

Cubao used to be visited by Tutubi solely for the mega-branch of National Bookstore



a crappy camera phone picture of the big dome at night

Never mind if the pictures, shot through a car window, are less appealing :(


Miscellaneous Travel Information:

Hotels in Cubao are Eurotel, Kabayan Hotel, Hotel Sogo with its distinctive red building, Nice Hotel near Arayat Market, Confiado Appartelle and Gran Prix Hotel at the Victory Liner terminal (some are really nice and cheap hotels there)

Also see: Cubao Expo/Marikina Shoe Expo where you can tour the artsy side of Cubao and eat at the authentic Italian restaurant Bellini's.

Aling Nena's Bibingka still stands also from way back in the 1960s.

How to get to Cubao:

Cubao is a transportation hub of Metro Manila. It can be reached via the MRT and LRT Line 2. Various jeepney (e.g. Angono, Quiapo, et al) and bus terminals are present there that ferries passengers to almost any point in Luzon.

Some of the Bus Terminals in Cubao:

AMIHAN

BALIWAG TRANSIT
Destination: Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Isabela, Cagayan, Tarlac, Pampanga
Terminal: New York EDSA Cubao, Quezon City
Tel No: 912-3343


Cul Transport
(occupies the former terminal of Florida Bus on the EDSA Cubao northbound)
route: Samar

DAGUPAN BUS LINE
Destination : Pangasinan and Baguio
Terminal : Cubao, Quezon City
Tel No: 727-2330

DIMPLE STAR TRANSPORT
Destination: Iloilo via Antique and Mindoro Island

DOMINION TRANSIT
Destination : Abra, La Union and Ilocos Sur
Terminal : New York Street, Cubao, Q.C.
Tel No: 741-4146

ES TRANSPORT

FIVE STAR

GENESIS TRANSPORT

HM TRANSPORT
Destination : Sta. Cruz (Laguna) (passing through Calamba (Pansol)/Los Banos/Bay/Pila/Victoria
(Pagsanjan, famous for the falls, can be reached by a short jeepney commute from Sta Cruz. A little further, you'll pass by Lumban, Kalayaan, Paete, Pakil, Pangil, Siniloan towns)
Terminal : Southbound EDSA, Cubao Q.C. (near Victory Liner and pedestrian overpass. another one (Green Star) on Taft Avenue near corner Gil Puyat/Buendia, Pasay City)

ISAROG LINE

JAC LINER
Destination : Laguna, Quezon
Terminal : EDSA cor. Kamias St., Quezon City
Tel No: 63(2)682-5750

LUCENA LINES

PARTAS TRANSIT
Destination : La Union, Abra, Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte
Terminal : 816 Aurora Boulevard cor. Arayat St., Cubao, Q.C.
Tel No: +63.2.725.7303

PENAFRANCIA TOURS


PHILTRANCO
Destination : Daet (Camarines Norte), Naga (Camarines Sur), Legazpi (Albay), Pilar/Donsol (Sorsogon), Rawis/Borongan/Guian/San Policarpio(Samar), Maasin/Ormoc (Leyte), Antique/Iloilo/Estancia (Panay), CDO, Davao
Terminal : 816 Aurora Boulevard cor. Arayat St., Cubao, Q.C.
New Terminal on EDSA just below MRT Cubao Station (site of old Alibangbang/Bangbang Alley)
Tel No: +63.2911.2523; 913-566663; 725-7303
Tip: Try their Gold Service i.e. bus with restroom. They utilize the RO-RO (Roll-on, Roll-off) facility for trips to Visayas and Mindanao. Also provides bus transportation to/from Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIC) in Clark, Pampanga

RSL TRANSPORT

SUPERLINES

TRITRAN TRANSIT
Destination : Batangas, Quezon
Terminal : EDSA, Quezon City
Tel. No: +63.2.925.1758

RAYMOND TRANSPORTATION
Destination: Quezon (Infanta, Real), Bicol
Terminal: EDSA, Quezon City (near Victory Liner)
Tel. No.: +63.2.492.6994

Solid North Transport
Shares JAC Liner terminal near Kamias and EDSA northsbound with destinations: Tarlac, Pangasinan and Pampanga


SUPERLINES
Destination : Daet, Camarines Norte
Terminal : EDSA, Quezon City

VICTORY LINER
Destination : Alaminos, Baguio City, Bolinao, Dagupan City, Lingayen
Terminal : EDSA, Cubao
Tel No: +63.2.727.4534
Tip: Try their luxury coach 29 seater with restroom (deluxe bus)

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UPDATED: MARCH 2013

Please call the bus company's contact numbers or visit their official website, if any, for current bus fares, trip schedules, chartered bus rates, reservations, freight (waybill) and other inquiries. Most of the bus companies operate additional trips in Holy Week, from Palm Sunday, Holy Wednesday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Black Saturday and Easter Sunday (when many people return to Manila)


Related posts:
Bus Stations in Pasay Taft corner Buendia
Bus Stations in Pasay Taft EDSA Rotonda

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