San Juan Municipal Hall

The City of San Juan was formerly a part of the Rizal Province before Metro Manila was created. Now it is the smallest city found in Metro Manila based on its land area. The name of the place was in honor of their patron saint, St. John the Baptist. The celebration of their feast day is what made the place famous.  Every 24th of the June, the people of San Juan celebrate their fiesta by dousing the streets with water, which obviously make the passers-by soaking wet, locally known as “Basaan Na“. This is likened to the baptism as described in the Bible. As this is their tradition, the people, even the newcomers are already used to it and are aware of this yearly event, so they just enjoy the celebration.

Greenhills Commercial Center

Among the many interesting places in San Juan are the Pinaglabanan Shrine, which marks the first battle of the Katipunan - the site where the first gunfire was shot during the Filipino war against the Spaniards; the Greenhills Commercial Center, which includes a shopping center where good buys from cellular (mobile) phones, to computers, clothes, accessories, to exotic plants, home furniture and furnishings, jewelry, and precious stones and pearls can be found and the rows of restaurants where in and near Greenhills along Ortigas Avenue, and in Wilson Street can be found a variety of restaurants that cater to people of all walks of life and tastes. Other places of interest and are popular destinations in and around the city are the Agora Complex, the famous and elegant Club Filipino, the Music Museum, the Tanghalan ng Masa, The Arena and other exciting places which would surely fascinate everyone and entice your appetites.

Club Filipino

San Juan City is also dubbed as “Town of Philippine Presidents”, although not officially. Among the last nine presidents since the Philippines became a Republic in 1946, four of them were official residents of San Juan when they took their office. These four Presidents are/were the Diosdado Macapagal, Sr., the incumbent, his daughter Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Ferdinand Marcos (although from Ilocos Norte have frequented San Juan because of Dona Josefa Edralin and brother Pio who are long time residents), and Joseph Estrada. Also, the second President of the 3rd Republic, Elpidio Quirino (1948-1953) retired to this town after leaving his service at Malacañang Palace.
Want to visit this place ? Buses and jeepneys are the most common mode of transportation in San Juan. Major roads Aurora Boulevard and Araneta Avenue pass through San Juan. 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.

San Juan Water Throwing Festival

We use to live at F. Roman in San Juan and since its boundary is near the Quezon City at R. Magsaysay Blvd. I was born at the UERM Hospital which is nearby the used to be Queens Supermarket and Sta. Mesa market and have participated in countless Water Throwing Festival. Nice to reminisce sometimes.