The ( in
Metro Manila in the
Philippines . Before the creation of Metro Manila, it was part of
Rizal Province. Currently Metro Manila's smallest city in terms of area, San Juan is one of the smallest among the cities and municipalities in the metropolis, second only to
Pateros . This was the site of the first battle of the
Katipunan , the Filipino revolutionary organization, against the
Spanish colonizers.
San Juan is located nearly at the center of
Metro Manila . It is bordered by
Quezon City on the north and east,
Mandaluyong City on the south, and the city of
Manila on the west. Among the many interesting places in San Juan are the
Pinaglabanan Shrine , which marks the first battle of the Katipunan, the
Greenhills Shopping Center , one of the metro's popular bargain places, especially for electronics, and
Xavier School , an all-boys school run by the
Society Of Jesus . Also located here is
Immaculate Conception Academy-Greenhills , an all-girls Catholic school for Chinese Filipinos. The
Asian Institute Of Journalism And Communication , the country's premiere institute for graduate studies in Communication Management and Journalism is also located in Greenhills. Other prominent schools in the City are St. John's Academy,Fountain International School and many more.
San Juan is famous in the Philippines for its celebration of the feast of their patron,
St. John The Baptist . The locals celebrate it by getting everyone in the streets wet with water (as is done in baptism).
Although not officially known, the tiny city of San Juan could also be called the "Town of Philippine Presidents." Of the last nine presidents since the Philippines became a Republic in
1946 , four of them were official residents of San Juan when they assumed the reins of national office. The four are/were the Macapagals, pere et fille,
Diosdado Sr. (
1961 -
1965 ) and the incumbent, his daughter
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (2001-2010). The other two were Ferdinand Marcos (1965-1986) and
Joseph Estrada (
1998 , until his ouster in 2001's
EDSA II ). Also, the second President of the 3rd Republic,
Elpidio Quirino (1948-1953) retired to this town after leaving his service at
Malacañang Palace until his death in
1956 .
Former President
Joseph Estrada served as mayor of San Juan.
On
June 16 ,
2007 voters in San Juan ratified the conversion of the municipality into a highly urbanized city, pursuant to Republic Act No. 9388 (An Act Converting the Municipality of San Juan into a Highly Urbanized City to be known as the City of San Juan).[http://www.op.gov.ph/directives/RA09388.pdf Republic Act No. 9388 - Charter of the City of San Juan]
The Sangguniang Panglungsod of San Juan is headed by VICE-MAYOR LEONARDO G. CELLES. The City Councilors are:
District I
Hon. Vincent Pacheco,
Hon. Domingo Sese,
Hon. Dante Santiago,
Hon. Ferdinand Velasco,
Hon. Angelino Mendoza,
Hon. Edgardo Soriano
District II
Hon. Francis Keith Peralta,
Hon. Francisco Javier Zamora,
Hon. Grace Cortes-Pardines,
Hon. Andoni Miguel Carballo,
Hon. Rolando Bernardo,
Hon. Jana Ejercito-Surla
San Juan is politically subdivided into 21
Barangay s:
- Addition Hills
- Balong-Bato
- Batis
- Corazon De Jesus
- Ermitaño
- Greenhills
- Halo-halo (St. Joseph)
- Isabelita
- Kabayanan
- Little Baguio
- Maytunas
- Onse
|
- Pasadeña
- Pedro Cruz
- Progreso
- Rivera
- Salapan
- San Perfecto
- Santa Lucia
- Tibagan
- West Crame
|
- Road R-6 passes through San Juan as Aurora Boulevard, as does the C-3 (Araneta Avenue). Less major routes include Nicanor Domingo (more known as N. Domingo), which heads towards Cubao in Quezon City and Pinaglabanan/Santolan, which leads towards Ortigas Avenue and eventually Quezon City.
- The Purple Line of the Manila LRT also briefly passes through the municipality while running over Aurora Boulevard (R-6), serving the stations at V. Mapa and J. Ruiz .
- Numerous jeepney routes operate through the area, heading towards Cubao, Divisoria , Crame (via Santolan), Taytay and other destinations. A bus route from Quiapo heading towards Cainta and Taytay passes through San Juan.
