P

O
B
The Magazine for Poblacion Makati

MUSEO NG
et
MAKATI a l Stre
Riz
J.P.

Est
rel
la
ROCKWELL

Str
eet
CENTER
Makat
i Aven

POBLACION
ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT
ue

Kalayaan Avenue

Vol. 1 No.1 Dec 2022

www.pob1210.com
 P Editor’s Note
O
B

Our Poblacion
Vo l .1   N o. 1   D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 2

PUBLISHER

W
Antonio Verzosa
EDITOR IN CHIEF elcome to the maiden issue of POB1210 — the
Joseph Araneta Gamboa first and only magazine about Poblacion
ART DIRECTOR
Makati.
Elias B. Guerrero Jr. This print and online publication is envi-
sioned to be a partnership between the public
ADVERTISING HEAD

Maria Melizza S. Gonzalez and private sectors of the Philippines’ premier

city. It is being published by long-time deni-
DIGITAL MEDIA CONSULTANT
zens of Makati’s oldest barangay to highlight the cultural heritage of the district
Lloyd Gerald Ramos Tronco
as well the business opportunities that abound in Metro Manila’s epicenter of
POB 12010 is published by Poblacion Consulting Inc. dining and entertainment.
with offices at 1210 Kalayaan Avenue, Barangay Poblacion, “POB” has become a term of endearment among those who frequent the
Makati City 1210, Philippines. Email: info@pob1210.com.
Website: www.pob1210.com hip restaurants and bars of Poblacion Makati. And if you’re wondering what the
“1210” in our magazine’s name stands for, it’s the postal or ZIP code of Barangay
Poblacion that is used in quickly locating the addresses where letters and pack-
Advertising Rates ages are sent to.
Every issue of POB1210 will feature the streets and humans of Poblacion,
with landmark locations and coordinates as the centerpiece. There shall also be
regular updates from the Barangay Council to apprise residents and visitors of
current developments in Makati’s seat of government.
Full Page Half Page Quarter Page
PHP 10,000 PHP 6,000 PHP 3,500 Having lived over the past 30 years in Poblacion, I have witnessed its evolu-
tion from a laid-back community to one of the “Coolest Neighborhoods in the
For inquiries, please email advertising@pob1210.com
World” — according to the October 2021 issue of global travel and hospitality
magazine Time Out. [scan QR code for the link]
Contibutions Welcome! The transformation began in 2013, when a Mexican bar called El Chupaca-
Got a cool story about your Poblacion experience? Hit us up at contri- bra opened along Felipe Street near the (now defunct) red-light district. It was
butions@pob1210.com and share it with our growing community! formerly the site of a commissary for a Tex-Mex chain of restos, whose owner
decided to come up with a food concept having the vibe of street taco joints in
MAKATI CITY HALL
SAINTS PETER
AND PAUL CHURCH P
San Francisco’s Mission District.
O
B
The Magazine for Poblacion Makati
Since then, more holes-in-the-wall have sprouted on the roads surrounding
MUSEO NG
MAKATI
J.P .
Ri za
l St
re et Kalayaan Avenue, where old apartments were converted into hostels and other
Es tr

related businesses. By word-of-mouth, Poblacion became the hangout for diners

el la

ROCKWELL
St re
et

CENTER

craving for varied international cuisines and the enclave for creatives putting
up art spaces — peaking in 2019 as the preferred entertainment destination on
re et
l St
Ri za
J. P.

CENTURY
everyone’s bucket list.
Mak ati

CITY POBLACION
Ave nue

SAN MIGUEL ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT

Most of the pubs and watering holes closed when the pandemic hit in early
VILLAGE PARK Kalayaan Avenue
Ni ca
nor
Ga rc

Vol. 1 No.1 Dec 2022

ia St
ree

2020. But as soon as restrictions were eased in late 2021, many establishments
ue
t

Av en
ya an
Ka la
www.pob1210.com

reopened and new ones replaced those that did not survive the lockdowns.

About the Cover Today, Poblacion is back as the vibrant go-to place for fun-loving tourists
and Metro Manilans alike. Come to our Poblacion, where Makati never sleeps!
Map of Poblacion by Hannah Dreyfus Dormido
Illustrations by Jennifer Padilla

The map shows the eight zones of Poblacion based on the official
map provided by the Barangay Council. It uses the “Dormidots” style
of cartography invented by Filipino journalist Hannah Dormido, who
works in the Washington Post as graphics reporter and cartographer.
Prior to joining The Post, Dormido was a data visualization journalist Joseph Araneta Gamboa
at Bloomberg News in Hong Kong and she led the Asia graphics team Editor in Chief
at the Financial Times of London.

2  POB1210 ISSUE 1 / SEPTEMBER 2022

Streets of Poblacion

Durban St.
*named after a city in South Africa
Scan QR code to
watch the video:
A’TODA MADRE
Sunette Tower, Durban, Makati
Phone: (+63919) 095 7017

The Viva Mexico vibe

I
t isn’t Cinco de Mayo, but it sure feels
and tastes like it here! The colors of
Mexico show in the decor and murals
all over the place.
This Mexican bar along Durban
Street called A’Toda Madre is defi-
nitely a must-try for anyone craving
Mexican food — tacos, burritos, enchiladas,
etc. They have a short menu, but they offer all
authentic and made-on-the-spot food, so be
patient, it’s worth it!
And did we not mention tequila? Yes, the
Tequila Collection, the pure agave choices
here are just insane. And Taco Tuesday does
exist here, too!
Note: Parking is very limited.

HOTEL DURBAN
4875 Durban, Poblacion, Makati
Phone: (+632) 8897 1866

E
stablished in 1985, Hotel
Durban offers a mini-
malist modernity in an
art gallery-like setting,
underscored by cleanli-
ness and attention to
detail. We are a value-
focused brand with two other properties,
also in the Poblacion neighborhood—Go-
mez House and Cayco House. Our prime
location places us at only a 15 minute walk
from the Makati Central Business District
and Rockwell. Complementing our guest-
centered service are three in-house and
house-run dining options: Farfalla—Bar
& Ristorante, offers a fresh, hand, Italian
menu, including fresh, handmade pasta
and pizza; Empire Bakery and Diner bakes
traditional New York-style bread and
pastries daily along with robust breakfasts
and sandwiches; and Local – Pinoy Vegan,
our newest addition, which crafts vegan
versions of beloved Filipino dishes.

ISSUE 1 / SEPTEMBER 2022 POB1210  3

Locations & Coordinates

Poblacion
Rising
Onwards
B
arangay Poblacion is the cultural and
heritage district of Makati as well as
its seat of government. It serves as
the premier city’s secondary busi-
ness district next to the Philippines’
financial capital, the Ayala central
business district (CBD). Poblacion is
also home to two mixed-used developments (Rockwell
Center and Century City), two residential subdivisions
(San Miguel Village and Rizal Village), several edu-
cational institutions, hotel establishments, specialty
restaurants, and the Makati City Hall complex.
While remaining devoted to its heritage, Pobla-
cion has also been a productive location for business
and commercial investments. Modern high-rise resi-
dential and office buildings have been built around
Poblacion, including the country’s tallest condo- 14.5661101, 121.0314340
miniums (Gramercy Residences and Trump Tower
Manila). In the 21st century, it has been transformed
into a significant augmentation to the Makati CBD HISTORICAL SITES. Saints Peter
and Paul Church (above) origi-
straddling the neighboring barangays of Bel-Air,
nally called the San Pedro Church
Urdaneta, and San Lorenzo.
and built by the Society of Jesus
in 1620 using a baroque architec-
BRIEF HISTORY tural design typical of colonial
As the first settlement in Makati, Poblacion was the churches. The Museo ng Makati
original community of the town known as San Pedro (right), formerly the Presidencia,
de Macati during the Spanish and American colonial Makati’s seat of municipal govern-
periods. It thus became the center of the local gov- ment between 1918 and 1961 but
ernment since the town was founded in 1670, carved is now the repository of the city’s
out from the southern barrios of the pueblo of Santa cultural and heritage treasures.
Ana. Plaza Cristo Rey (below right) in
front of the Sts. Peter and Paul
Half a century prior to this, the San Pedro 14.5674831, 121.0328140
Church was the former site of the
Church was built by the Jesuits in 1620 as the center
San Pedro de Macati Cemetery
of the Roman Catholic faith in that portion of Ma-
nila. The residents corrupted the settlement’s name
to Sampiro, using this moniker to refer to both the into the Province of Rizal in 1901 by the American
church and the town in later years. colonial government. The town’s name was short-
When the Jesuits were expelled from Spain’s ter- ened to its present name of Makati by virtue of
ritories in the late 1700s, the Spanish colonial gov- Philippine Legislature Act No. 2390 on February 28,
ernment confiscated their properties that included 1914.
the estate of Hacienda San Pedro de Macati, which Makati’s first municipal building called the Presi-
was purchased in 1851 by Don Jose Bonifacio Roxas, dencia was built in 1918 in the middle of Poblacion
an ancestor of the Zobel de Ayala-Roxas family. at Plaza Trece de Agosto along J.P. Rizal Street. The
San Pedro de Macati was proclaimed as a town of two-story structure is now occupied by the Museo ng
the Province of Manila in 1890. It was incorporated Makati. Official records show that the first Municipal

4  POB1210 ISSUE 1 / SEPTEMBER 2022 14.5663506, 121.0314431


14.5677445, 121.0329481
Poblacion Park (above)
the former site of Casa
Hacienda, which was the
head office of Ayala y Com-
pañia (now known as Ayala
Corporation). Old Municipio
(left) was the Municipal Hall
of Makati from 1962 to 1999
along J.P. Rizal Street which
was superseded by the new
City Hall starting 2000.
Fast
Facts
Barangay Poblacion is the
premier barangay in the
Philippines – a drug free,
disaster-resilient, and vulner-
able sector-friendly community,
with God-fearing and produc-
tive citizens contributing to a
progressive and sustainable
economy. Anchored on tourism
and heritage conservation, it
is reinforced by modern infra-
structure, a balanced ecology,
and technologically-advanced
capacity and resources led by
the collaborative governance
of its accountable leaders and
diverse constituency.
It is the mission of the Baran-
gay Government of Poblacion
to foster unity and forge strong
partnerships in providing
timely, relevant, and quality
public service to all stakehold-
ers and implement more
engaging programs, projects,
and activities while maintain-
ing a disaster-resilient, unique
economic and cultural identity
of the community.

Land Area
1,034,200 square meters
(or 103.42 hecatares)

Population
25,345
as of 2015 Philippine Census

Households
3,433

14.5692298, 121.0266542
President or Mayor of Makati, Marcelino Magsaysay,
came from Poblacion. Most of his successors were
also constituents of Poblacion, namely: Eusebio Ar-
pilleda, Hermogenes Santos, Jose Magsaysay, Pedro
Domingo, Ricardo Arpilleda, Nicanor Garcia, Jose
Villena, and Maximo Estrella.
In 1961, Mayor Estrella ordered the construction
of a new municipal building in front of newly estab-
lished San Miguel Village along J.P. Rizal Street. The
site of the so-called Municipio was donated by Ayala
Corporation, then known as Ayala y Compañia.
Makati’s real estate boom started in the 1960s
when Ayala Avenue became the Wall Street of the
Philippines. In 1975, Makati was transferred from
Rizal Province to a new region called Metro Manila.
It attained cityhood status in 1995, which necessi-
Average
Household
tated more spaces for its growing bureaucracy that Size
6 members in a family
the old municipal building could no longer accom-
modate.
Mayor Jejomar Binay, who rose to power after
the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution, instituted
the construction of the 22-story Makati City Hall
at the back of the Municipio in Poblacion. The new
City Hall was completed in 2000 as the country’s
first intelligent public building with a computerized
automation and management system.
Although Poblacion has kept its old-world charm,
it has embraced modernity and economic devel-
opment in the 21st century with the presence of
contemporary-designed commercial establishments
along its main thoroughfares of Makati Avenue, J.P.
Rizal Street, and Kalayaan Avenue.

ISSUE 1 / SEPTEMBER 2022 POB1210  5

Barangay Matters

Q&A with
Kagawad
Miko Villena
J
ose Mikhail R. Villena was
elected Kagawad of Barangay Po-
blacion in 2018 and concurrently
serves as Chair of the Barangay’s
Education Committee. He is a
2013 high school graduate of
the Colegio San Agustin-Makati
who obtained his college degree from the
University of Santo Tomas in 2017. His
post-graduate course at the Asian Institute
of Management was on “Designing and
Developing Smart and Urban Tourism for
the City of Makati.”
For this issue of POB1210, Miko shares
his four-year experience in the Barangay
Council with our readers.

When you started serving as Kagawad

before the pandemic, what was the state
of the barangay? Did you have any flag-
ship project then?
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Baran-
gay Poblacion was considered the trendset-
ter especially in setting the standards for
fiesta celebrations. Officials and residents
of other Makati barangays as well as those
from other Philippine cities would visit
Poblacion to observe how we celebrate
our fiesta every June and experience the
vibrant cultural and culinary scene in our
barangay. During the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021, were upgraded, including the computer
At that time, the Barangay’s Education how did the Barangay’s Education Com- and air-conditioning unit. The Barangay
Committee had a flagship project, which mittee carry out its assigned tasks? Library has also been equipped with tab-
was the search for the Ten Outstanding We focused on the distribution of learning lets, e-books, and paper supplies. Six learn-
Youth of Poblacion (TOYP). The TOYP kits to the students who were attending ing modules using the webinar setup were
project was actually started by my brother classes virtually from their homes. I always developed along with computer learning
Pocholo who was a former Chair of the like to set something new such as being the games. These decisions were inspired by
Sanggunian Kabataan in Poblacion. In first to purchase an Apple computer prod- my own childhood when I frequented the
2019, we expanded the TOYP to award 10 uct for the Barangay, which was a MacPro indoor playground of McDonald’s.
winners from each of the Barangay’s public laptop. Nowadays, the kids are very visual For its part, the Barangay Council went
elementary and secondary schools under and they thrive in interactive learning. paperless and its sessions were conducted
Project RISE: Recognition of Intelligence, The facilities of the multipurpose Edu- via Zoom, while the session reports were
Skills, and Excellence. cation Center building along Mabini Street prepared electronically.

6  POB1210 ISSUE 1 / SEPTEMBER 2022

What are your plans and programs
for the new normal in the post- Only in Poblacion
POB1210 *products and services that can only
pandemic era? be found in Makati’s Heritage District
Whether during a pandemic or not, the
Education Committee plans to convert
some of the allocated funds into “ayuda”
for the adversely affected students and
their families within the Barangay. In fact,
we recently purchased 400 learning kits
for three sets of students (grade school,
junior high school, and senior high school)
in anticipation of the return to face-to-face
classes. We are also planning to revive the
suspended projects one at a time, begin-
ning with the expanded TOYP and the
extension of assistance to schools.
As for the Barangay Council under
Chair Benhur Cruz, preparations for the
post-pandemic times are underway with
the goal of going back to 100% normal
operations. I’m happy to note that we won
four awards for Poblacion in 2022: Best
in Peace and Order (DILG Makati), Most
Child-Friendly Barangay (City of Makati
LGU), Best Performing Barangay (Makati Malaya Lumber & Construction Supply
Anti-Drug Abuse Council), and Seal of 917 J.P. Rizal Street corner Makati Avenue, Poblacion, Makati City
Good Local Governance (DILG Makati).
Year Established: 1965
Any takeaways from the AIM urban Specialties: Hardware, Lumber, Gravel & Sand, Home Building Supplies
development course you took in 2019? Contact Person: Cecilio Keng (02) 88997492 to 95
Several Barangay Department Heads and Business Philosophy: Building a Community
Kagawads, including myself, attended the
AIM course in preparation for the planned
Makati Subway project, which will have two
stations in Poblacion at the following sites:
Old Makati City Hall and Rockwell Center.
One key takeaway for me is adapting to
change. We need to have a massive public
information campaign regarding the up-
coming subway system. Perhaps we can re-
vive the so-called POB Crawl or Poblacion
Heritage Walk which used to be handled
by the city government pre-pandemic with
the assistance of tour guides provided by
the Barangay Council.
Another takeaway is that if a project is
beneficial to the majority, I will still take
the risk of doing it even when it’s not quite
the best project for some. Although Pobla-
cion is a traditional barangay, we have to
combine it with something modern.
On a personal note as a disc jockey
performing in nightspots outside Makati, Winzone Aluminum & Glass Supply
I appreciate the evolution of the Poblacion 884 J.P. Rizal Street corner Santiago Street, Poblacion, Makati City
night scene in recent years which to me
has become somewhat similar to the vibe Year Established: 1994
in New Orleans where they hold the annual Specialties: Fixed and Sliding Shower Partitions; Face Mirrors and Glass
Mardi Gras festival. Storefronts; Aluminum Screens and Doors
I believe Poblacion has nowhere to Contact Person: Dexter Ngo (02) 88166353 / 88997405
go but up and it is now rising onward as a Business Philosophy: Striving to always offer quality products and excellent
popular tourist destination and a must-see services wit honest feedback at competitive prices
district for Filipinos from all walks of life.

ISSUE 1 / SEPTEMBER 2022 POB1210  7

MAKATI CITY HALL
SAINTS PETER
AND PAUL CHURCH

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