Suburbs Metro Manila (San Juan, Quezon, Marikina & Las Piñas City)

The town of San Juan, just next to Manila, boasts of its large mansions and modern houses. It is home to some of the richest Filipinos. Quezon City is the site of many government installations, leading universities, and television stations. Marikina City, on the other hand, is considered as the shoe capital of the Philippines. It takes pride in having maintained a clean river, planked by greens.

Makati City - Suburbs Metro Manila
Whenever Manila is mentioned, the speaker actually refers--sometimes unknowingly--to a vast conglomeration of 12 cities and 5 municipalities. Each is an autonomous political entity, but together functioning as one city called Metro Manila (The National Capital Region of The Philippines).

Most of the cities and towns in the first district are rich, urbanized, and productive because they are near to Manila and they are now in Metropolitan Manila Area. Las Piñas City in the southern part of Metro Manila has retained much of its provincial appeal. Its main attraction, however, is the world-famous bamboo organ, found in the town’s picturesque Catholic church. The centuries-old musical instrument was constructed between 1792 and 1819. It has 174 bamboo pipes, 122 horizontal reeds of soft metal, a five-octave keyboard, and 22 stops arranged in vertical rows. The church is open daily except Sunday morning.

San Juan City, Marikina City and Quezon City

Makati City is the richest city in the province and even in Philippines because most of the prominent or well-known businessmen such as Ayala, Soriano, Gallardo, Concepcion, Araneta, etc. are residing in the exclusive subdivisions like Forbes Park, Dasmariñas Village, Salcedo Village, Legaspi Village, Urdaneta Village, and Bel-Air Village.

San Juan is bounded on the north of Quezon City with Ermitano Creek, Santolan road and EDSA as its natural boundery lines; on the west, by the City of Manila with San Juan River as the natural boundary line; and on the east and south, by Mandaluyong City with Connecticut Street on the east side; Wack-Wack Road, Araullo Street and the Maytunas Creek; on the south side as its natural boundary lines at coordinates 12'36º latitude north and 121'02º longitude due east.

"Mariquina,” its pre-US-Philippine Commission name, officially became a town in 1787. Bounded by mountain ranges and a river, the 2,150-hectare city has transformed from a murky low-profile town into a multi-awarded local government unit. The key was a common vision owned by the people.

Marikina, also known for its shoe industry, now has a population of 427,037 and contributes about P8 billion a year in revenue to the national government, making it one of the most progressive cities in Metro Manila.

San Juan is officially named, Municipality of San Juan del Monte before it was converted into a highly urbanized City of San Juan on June 17, 2007. It is located nearly in the center of Metro Manila; bordered by Quezon City to the north and east, Mandaluyong City to the south, and Manila to the west. It is the second smallest among the cities and municipalities in the metropolis.

Metro Manila residents, local and foreign tourists can observe unique St. John's Day traditions only in the town of San Juan, now popularly known as the home town of the next President of the Republic of the Philippines.

Quezon City boasts of a landscape that has burgeoning urban centers,places and facilities that cater to the interest of the sophisticated western.

Quezon City is home to the Philippines' top State University, venerable government and health institutions, and well-maintained museums, parks and carnivals. The peacefulness of Quezon City has also made it a choice residential area, with shopping and entertainment centers conveniently located just a few minutes away.

The city has a rich cultural heritage and a glorious past marked at one time by its becoming the capital of the Philippine government.

Marikina also used to be a fulcrum of regional sports events when it was still a part of the province of Rizal. Marikina, a lush valley bounded by mountain ranges and sliced by a river, is one of the twelve cities and five municipalities comprising the Metro Manila area. The city is composed of 14 Barangays under one Congressional District. Marikina has also livened up its streets with festivals and other celebrations to showcase the diversity of its people, the richness of the city’s culture and the interesting sights it has to offer. Marikina River Park was transformed from a neglected natural resource to a sports and recreational park with landmarks such as the Animal Trail, Chinese Pagoda, Roman Garden, River Carabao, Skating Rink and Youth Camp.

Marikina is a well-known place for making the shoes for 60 years. THESE days, there is more to look forward to than just shoe markets in Marikina City. And the best time to catch all of the footwear capital’s new attractions is here and now, as the city government holds the “Marikina Christmas Festival.” Featured for the duration of the holiday celebration are cultural shows, the River Night Market, a circus, animal shows, live entertainment and the fascinating Christmas displays built by the locals of the city’s different barangay, dotting the stretch of the Marikina River bank.

Planning for the Christmas season is a must for Marikina’s residents since everyone is called on to participate in the major events of December, which are centered on the Marikina River. To start with, SMEs (small-medium enterprises) are encouraged to sell their goods at the Tiangge sa Ilog. Barangay are tasked to construct the Christmas displays, which have become a major attraction in Marikina for the last five years. Schools, NGOs, cultural groups and entertainers are likewise invited to hold free performances for the public.

And indeed Marikina is a picture of warmth at Christmastime, teeming with lights, a bustling commercial center and spectacular shows at night. This year’s Barangay Christmas Display is yet another crowd drawer as their creators cull inspiration from various epic and Disney films.

Las Piñas City

Las Piñas is Surrounded by the city of Parañaque on the north and northeast; Muntinlupa on the east and southeast; Imus, Cavite on the south; Bacoor, Cavite on the west and southwest; and wide range of Manila Bay on the northwest. Las Piñas is rich in both cultural and historical heritage. The City of Las Pinas in the Philippines has grown from a sleepy agricultural and fishing community into one of the most highly urbanized cities in Metro Manila.

Las Piñas City is one of the cities and municipalities that comprise Metro Manila in the Philippines. It is bordered on the northeast by Parañaque City, by the municipality of Bacoor in the province of Cavite to the southwest, by Muntinlupa City to the southeast, and by Manila Bay to the northwest.

Las Piñas is famous throughout the world for its Bamboo Organ. This is a fully wooden organ that uses bamboo for its pipes. Las Piñas was also adjudged as the "MOST PEACEFUL " community in Metro Manila in recognition of its very low crime rate and high rate of crime solution achieved by the local police force.

Las Piñas City has emerged among the top five metropolitan cities in the Philippine Cities Competitiveness Ranking Project 2002 conducted by the Policy Center of the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

The Philippine coastal city of Las Piñas is one of 14 individuals and organizations awarded for highly-urbanized cities in the Philippines after it was named the cleanest and greenest City in Metro Manila for three consecutive years (1997-1999) and became nited Nations Environment Program (UNEP) awarded in 2000, among other awards it received, both from local and international agencies.

Las Piñas was one of the earliest fishing settlements on the shores of Manila Bay. It became a separate municipality from Parañaque on March 27, 1907 by virtue of Philippine Commission Act No. 1625. Then, with the founding of the Metropolitan Manila Area (now Metro Manila) in 1976, Las Piñas became one of the municipalities and cities comprising the region.

On February 12, 1997, President Fidel V. Ramos signed the bill declaring Las Piñas a new city. A plebiscite held a month after found the residents in approval of cityhood and Las Piñas became the tenth city of Metro Manila on March 26, 1997.

Major attractions include the Bamboo Organ at St. Joseph's Parish, Nature Church (Immaculate Conception Parish) in Moonwalk Village , SM Southmall, one of the biggest shopping malls in Metro Manila and the Las Piñas Historical Corridor.

Useful Links: