ABOUT SAN JUAN CITY
The City of San Juan (Filipino: Lungsod ng San Juan) or simply San Juan is a city 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.
LOCATION
San Juan City 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 O.B. Montessori Center, Dominican College, Aquinas School, St. John's Academy, Montessori De San Juan, Fountain International Academy and others. The San Juan National High School, which was established in 1969 during the time of then Mayor Joseph Estrada, is the lone public high school in the City. Pinaglabanan Elementary School and San Juan Elementary School are one of it's public schools
HISTORY
San Juan is famed for its celebration of the feast of their patron, St. John the Baptist. The locals celebrate by dousing the streets - along with passers-by and vehicles - 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). Congressman Ronaldo B. Zamora sponsored the Cityhood Bill at the House of Representatives and worked for its approval.
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