Inside Makati’s hidden basement library with more than 25,000 books

Abi Sarabia M., Philippine Canadian Inquirer
September 06, 2026

Photo courtesy: Union Church of Manila

In a city known for office towers, malls and crowded coffee shops, one of Makati’s quieter spaces is hiding almost in plain sight.

Tucked inside the basement of the Union Church of Manila (UCM) at the corner of Rada and Legazpi Streets in Legazpi Village is a public lending library filled with more than 25,000 books and audio materials.

Known simply as The Library at UCM, the space offers shelves of fiction and non-fiction, classics, Filipiniana, literature, art and theology, along with popular magazines, children’s books and other materials for readers of different ages.

But perhaps its biggest appeal is that visitors do not have to buy a cup of coffee or even sign up for membership just to spend time reading or studying.

According to the library’s current visitor guidelines, anyone who only wants to read or study may use the space without applying for a library card. Visitors must, however, present a valid ID when entering the UCM building, and entry may be limited when the library reaches capacity.

Membership is required for those who want to borrow books or use the library’s Wi-Fi. Members also gain access to multimedia materials and other lending privileges.

Inside, the library feels far removed from the pace of the Makati central business district above it. There are reading and study areas, sofas for casual browsing, individual carrels for more focused work and a colorful children’s section with low shelves and books designed for younger readers.

From a small outreach project to a public library

The library’s story stretches back decades.

It began as an outreach project of UCM’s women’s ministry for Manila’s expatriate community and was initially run by volunteers, including both church members and non-members. By the mid-1980s, it began opening more regularly to members of the wider church community. The library was formally dedicated in August 2003.

Today, UCM describes it as one of the country’s few public lending libraries, serving not only church members but the wider community.

Beyond its shelves, the library has also hosted storytelling sessions, writing workshops, children’s activities and other educational programs.

There is even another surprise outside.

Near the Rada Street entrance stands a TARDIS-inspired Public Book Box, modeled after the blue police box made famous by Doctor Who. The miniature free library follows a “take a book, leave a book” concept, allowing people to pick up or share books outside the main library.

When can you visit?

As of July 2026, The Library at UCM is open Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. It is closed on Mondays, Tuesdays and public holidays.

For Makati workers looking for somewhere quiet to read after navigating the city, students searching for a study space, parents introducing their children to books or readers simply hoping to disappear into a novel for a while, this basement library offers something increasingly difficult to find in the middle of a busy business district:

a quiet place where staying awhile does not require buying anything.