Forbes Park in the 1950s

John L. Manning, president of the Ford Motor Company agency, was the first person to buy a lot in Forbes Park.

Ayala y Compañia (now Ayala Corporation) sold the lot at only P6 per square meter, merely a third of its development cost. Nine other lots were sold that year.

Forbes Park, named after American Governor-General William Cameron Forbes, was the brainchild of Col. Joseph McMicking, managing partner at the Ayala y Compañia. Modeled after the sprawling residential developments in Southern California, the park featured mission style houses and open spaces, evoking an atmosphere of peace and relaxation.

After Manning acquired his Forbes property, the cost of lots in the exclusive subdivision began climbing steadily. At present, Forbes Park is among the most valuable real-estate developments in the country.