Taytay in the early 80's

Taytay is only 12 kilometers from the Greenhills Shopping Center. But in the early 80's, it already took us more than an hour to get there on normal days. Normally we would start at Ortigas extension at Taytay then pass Junction, Rosario, Marikina river bridge, Meralco, EDSA, then reach Greenhills.

The problem was that the volume of cars coming from Rizal was increasing while Rosario was still one lane on either side. At the same time, the construction of the Manggahan floodway was started around 1981. So the same bumper to bumper jams that you see now were actually there since 1980 (so don't feel to bad hehe).
To get around this, my dad would sometimes make a detour around Valley golf - exit through Sumulong highway (where Seven Suites Hotel and Grilla are located now) then drive through Marcos highway -turn left at Ligaya - drive 5 kilometers along A. Rodriguez avenue - then exit through Rosario. Marcos highway was empty back then. None of the subdivisions had been constructed (no Q-mart, Sta. Lucia) and only farmlands could be seen all around.

I would know that we were close to Rosario because I would see the big "FUMAKILLA" insecticide factory along A. Rodriguez. I think this factory is at the intersection of Industria street with A. Rodriguez (there's a Jollibee there now).

All these roads are much busier now and Taytay and Antipolo's population have increased significantly since then. And Unimart is not the only destination that's near Taytay anymore. Good to remember those times. Too bad I don't have any old pictures of the places I mentioned.