Tomas Morato Avenue

Tomas Morato Avenue is a street located in Quezon City within the Diliman and New Manila areas of northeastern Metro Manila, Philippines. The street links Eulogio Rodriguez Sr. Avenue in the village of Mariana in the south with Eugenio Lopez Drive (or also known as Scout Albano Street) in South Triangle in the north, and passes through Sacred Heart, Laging Handa, Kamuning, Obrero and Kristong Hari villages. It was named after the first mayor of Quezon City.The street is known as a restaurant row located in Quezon City's entertainment area along with Timog Avenue and West Avenue. It is also known for its bars, discos, karaoke and comedy clubs, and as a popular hangout for local actors who work in the nearby studios such as the ABS-CBN Broadcasting Center on Mother Ignacia Avenue and GMA Network Center on Timog Avenue.HistoryThe street, which opened around 1940, was originally named Sampaloc Avenue. It was so named because of the prevalence of tamarind trees which lined the street in the early days. It is believed that the trees were planted by Tomas Morato himself along with former president Manuel Luis Quezon and journalist Alejandro Roces. As of 2012, however, only two sampaloc trees remain, as they have been cut down over the years to make way for parking spaces.In 1966, the avenue was renamed to honor Morato, the city's first mayor under whose term the road was constructed. By the 1990s, the street was transformed into a trendy hot spot with bars lining the street such as the popular Tia Maria's. In 1996, one of the deadliest nightclub fires occurred at the Ozone Disco Club on Tomas Morato and Timog Avenue. In 2003, the street underwent a major renovation with the sidewalk improved and railings installed along corners of the avenue to prevent double parking.