the central point

If anyone visits a city or town in the Philippines, most especially in the provinces, one would surely notice the church is always the center of any town's life- both figuratively and literally.

The church always has become a monument, a landmark, a face of any city or town. People pass by the area regularly and will always see the facade of that spiritual dwelling place. And in front of the church is usually a plaza, a small park or a fountain. At a distance are municipal hall, commercial area, etc. These are what one should expect when going to cities, towns, most notably at the provinces.

The church is the main point of every area. And from that main point, all else follows. Thus, a church can change the surroundings it occupy.

In the modern times, the church has remained intact, but the central point is no longer the church. What one can see the church of before are the Malls of today. Truly, if one looks at all the malls in the country, they have transformed the society in a big way. They have become the central and main points of a city.

Whenever one puts up a mall, the surroundings benefit from it. That particular area will grow rapidly for sure. Makati Central Business District will not survive without Glorietta and Greenbelt, Ortigas can't be the Ortigas today without SM Megamall and Robinson's Galleria, Fort Bonifacio wouldn't be complete without Market! Market! and Boni High Street. It will also be inevitable that Quezon City will soon become more prosperous with the opening of Trinoma and the expansion of SM North EDSA. It is also a guarantee Pasay will become a business district since the Mall of Asia is just there.

The mall has created a new lifestyle. Every area grows if one puts up a mall, most especially if the mall is popular such as SM, Robinson's, Ayala or even Gaisano. Having a mall actually has rose a standard for a particular city. Before if a huge church is built in one's city, it means the city is really growing, has big economy, etc. Now if there is a mall in one's area, it means that area is economically stable, civilized and has social life. It's like "Oh you have a Mall na in Sulu or whatever city".

The church has then become a background, a tourist spot and for some, an irrelevant structure towering over a town. While the mall has become a place where friends meet, hang out and enjoy. With these in mind, What would be the future's central point?