About
IntroductionPoblacion is the cultural and heritage district of Makati. It is the City’s seat of government then and now. It is also a secondary business district of the City of Makati. Poblacion is also home to a number of educational institutions.
It is noted for its religious practices, traditions, and rituals especially on Holy Week. The Pabasa in Kalbaryos and the Good Friday Procession of life-size religious images are the much awaited Holy Week traditions in Poblacion.
The Centuries-old Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul and the Virgen de la Rosa are also celebrated by the Barangay every June 29 and 30. Most noteworthy is the devotional Panatang Sayaw called the Baile de los Arcos. Equally noteworthy church-based treasures of Poblacion are the unique images of the Virgen de la Rosa brought to Makati from Mexico in 1718 and the Sto. Niño de Pasion believed to have saved Makati’s children from the cholera epidemic in the 19th Century.
While remaining devoted to its heritage, it has also been a productive location for business and commercial investments. Modern high-rise residential and office buildings have been built around Poblacion transforming it to an augmentation to the Central Business District (CBD).
Poblacion also has the two old municipal buildings and the 22-storey City Hall within the Barangay. It is also home of the best public secondary and primary education in Makati such as the Makati High School, Gen. Pio del Pilar National High School and the Makati Elementary School. Private educational institutions may also be found here, including the Ateneo Professional Schools in Rockwell Center.
About Barangay PoblacionBarangay Poblacion is the first settlement of the City of Makati. In fact, when you mentioned San Pedro Macati during the pre-war period, it indicated Barangay Poblacion. Since it was the original community of the town, it became the center of the local government and has remained as such today.
In 1620, the San Pedro Church was built by the Jesuits as the center of the Catholic Faith of then San Pedro Macati. The residents corrupted this name to “Sampiro” and used this moniker to refer to both the church and the town. When the Jesuits were expelled from all Spanish territories in the 18th Century, the Spanish government confiscated all their properties which included San Pedro Macati. This began the turnover of the land from one owner to another until the Zobel de Ayala-Roxas family began its modern development during the latter part of the 19th Century.
Official records show that the first Municipal President of Makati was its illustrious son who hails from Poblacion, Marcelino Magsaysay. Most of the succeeding Municipal Presidents or Mayors were likewise bonafide constituents of Poblacion namely: Eusebio Arpilleda, Hermogenes Santos, Jose Magsaysay, Pedro Domingo, Ricardo Arpilleda, Nicanor Garcia, Jose Villena and Maximo Estrella.
The first Municipal Building called the Presidencia was built in 1918 in the middle of Poblacion at Plaza Trece de Agosto, now J. P. Rizal Street. It is now occupied by the Museo ng Makati. In 1961, then Mayor Estrella ordered the construction of a new municipal building in its present site which was donated by the Ayala Land, Inc. In the early years of the 21st Century, Mayor Jejomar Binay instituted the high-rise 22-storey City Hall of Makati, making Poblacion as the center of Makati’s government then and now.
Although Poblacion has kept its old-world charm, it has also embraced modernity and economic development with the presence of a number of commercial establishments in the area, specifically along the main thoroughfares of J.P. Rizal, Makati Ave., P. Burgos and Kalayaan, the Rockwell Center, the A. Venue Mall and Suites and the upcoming development by Century Properties and Picar Holdings in the old site of the International School called the Century City and Picar Place, respectively.
Historical Sites
- Sts. Peter & Paul Parish Church, build in 1620 by the Society of Jesus. Its architectural design is baroque,
typical of colonial churches. Focal point is the carved retablo. - Museo ng Makati, formerly the Presidencia, Makati’s seat of government and is now the repository of the city’s
cultural and heritage treasures. - Plaza Cristo Rey, fronting the Sts. Peter and Paul Church, formerly the San Pedro Macati Cemetery.
- Poblacion Park, formerly the site of Casa Hacienda, the offices of the precursor of the Ayala Corporation.
Poblacion also has a number of heritage houses, most of which were built during the turn of the 20th century.
Poblacion is the cultural and heritage district of Makati. It is the City’s seat of government then and now. It is also a secondary business district of the City of Makati. Poblacion is also home to a number of educational institutions. It is noted for its religious practices, traditions, and rituals especially on Holy Week. The Pabasa in Kalbaryos and the Good Friday Procession of life-size religious images are the much awaited Holy Week traditions in Poblacion. The Centuries-old Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul and the Virgen de la Rosa are also celebrated by the Barangay every June 29 and 30. Most noteworthy is the devotional Panatang Sayaw called the Baile de los Arcos. Equally noteworthy church-based treasures of Poblacion are the unique images of the Virgen de la Rosa brought to Makati from Mexico in 1718 and the Sto. Niño de Pasion believed to have saved Makati’s children from the cholera epidemic in the 19th Century. While remaining devoted to its heritage, it has also been a productive location for business and commercial investments. Modern high-rise residential and office buildings have been built around Poblacion transforming it to an augmentation to the Central Business District (CBD). Poblacion also has the two old municipal buildings and the 22-storey City Hall within the Barangay. It is also home of the best public secondary and primary education in Makati such as the Makati High School, Gen. Pio del Pilar National High School and the Makati Elementary School. Private educational institutions may also be found here, including the Ateneo Professional Schools in Rockwell Center. |
Barangay Poblacion is the first settlement of the City of Makati. In fact, when you mentioned San Pedro Macati during the pre-war period, it indicated Barangay Poblacion. Since it was the original community of the town, it became the center of the local government and has remained as such today. In 1620, the San Pedro Church was built by the Jesuits as the center of the Catholic Faith of then San Pedro Macati. The residents corrupted this name to “Sampiro” and used this moniker to refer to both the church and the town. When the Jesuits were expelled from all Spanish territories in the 18th Century, the Spanish government confiscated all their properties which included San Pedro Macati. This began the turnover of the land from one owner to another until the Zobel de Ayala-Roxas family began its modern development during the latter part of the 19th Century. Official records show that the first Municipal President of Makati was its illustrious son who hails from Poblacion, Marcelino Magsaysay. Most of the succeeding Municipal Presidents or Mayors were likewise bonafide constituents of Poblacion namely: Eusebio Arpilleda, Hermogenes Santos, Jose Magsaysay, Pedro Domingo, Ricardo Arpilleda, Nicanor Garcia, Jose Villena and Maximo Estrella. The first Municipal Building called the Presidencia was built in 1918 in the middle of Poblacion at Plaza Trece de Agosto, now J. P. Rizal Street. It is now occupied by the Museo ng Makati. In 1961, then Mayor Estrella ordered the construction of a new municipal building in its present site which was donated by the Ayala Land, Inc. In the early years of the 21st Century, Mayor Jejomar Binay instituted the high-rise 22-storey City Hall of Makati, making Poblacion as the center of Makati’s government then and now. Although Poblacion has kept its old-world charm, it has also embraced modernity and economic development with the presence of a number of commercial establishments in the area, specifically along the main thoroughfares of J.P. Rizal, Makati Ave., P. Burgos and Kalayaan, the Rockwell Center, the A. Venue Mall and Suites and the upcoming development by Century Properties and Picar Holdings in the old site of the International School called the Century City and Picar Place, respectively. Historical Sites
Poblacion also has a number of heritage houses, most of which were built during the turn of the 20th century. |