A History of the Northwest Barangay Cluster of Makati City (1901-Present)

Abstract

This study aims to account for a social history of the Northwest Barangay Cluster of Makati City – a history from below that extends beyond government affairs. Virtual grouping or clustering of barangays was part of Makati City’s urban development planning, sorting them by common geo-physical and socio-economic features (City of Makati, 2012). Examining archived documents and records from barangay units, city government, libraries, and museums within Makati rationalizes such clustering of barangays by virtue of a shared social history. Using the longue durée perspective and an area studies lens, this study sheds light on the chronological events of the Northwest Cluster of Makati from 1901 up to the present and identified shared characteristics in socio-cultural, political, and economic dynamics. Findings reveal that there was enough economic activity and a growing population, compounded by an increasing demand for social services, that brought about the secession of a few sitios into independent barrios, which later became barangays. This formation of new barangays has opened doors of opportunity for business enterprises and residential houses to expand, serving as a catalyst of change within the Northwest Cluster of Makati City. However, the need to group the barangays into one cluster has been recognized in the contemporary period in order to cope with the demands of the population and address the issues that have risen through the years.