According to an October 2020 infographic by Marvin Lopez, shared by the Parañaque City Public Library, Vitalez was named after the Vitalez Compound, which the barangay encompasses.[3] In the case Office of the City Mayor of Parañaque City, et al. v. Mario D. Ebio, et al. (G.R. No. 178411), it was claimed that a 406-square-meter (0.0406 ha) parcel of land in the compound was originally owned by Jose Vitalez.[3][4]
History
The land where Vitalez is situated today was once part of Nichols Field, a United States military airfield located south of Manila. In 1957, the then-barrio of Tambo in Parañaque acquired that land, while majority of the airfield was transferred to Pasay.[5] Vitalez was created as an independent barangay on April 3, 1978, after then-PresidentFerdinand Marcos signed Presidential Decree No. 1327, detaching the Airlane Village, Baltao, Gat Mendoza, Jetlane Village, and Vitalez subdivisions from Tambo.[6]
Geography
Vitalez is the smallest barangay in Parañaque,[7] with its land area totaling 21.52 hectares (215,200 m2).[8]: 23 The barangay is bordered to the west, north, and east by Barangays 196, 197, and 198 in Pasay, separated by Cut-Cut Creek, and to the south by Barangay Santo Niño in Parañaque.[5]
Demographics
Historical population
Year
Population
±%
1980
3,293
—
1985*
—
—
1990
3,543
—
1995
3,424
−3.4%
2000
3,166
−7.5%
2007**
3,886
+22.7%
2010
4,518
+16.3%
2015
5,634
+24.7%
2020
5,100
−9.5%
* No census was held in 1985 due to a political and economic crisis ** Census was delayed from the original 2005 due to the reenacted budget that lasted until 2006 Source: National Census and Statistics Office (1980[9] and 1990[10] census), National Statistics Office (1995,[11] 2000,[12] 2007,[13] and 2010[14] census), and Philippine Statistics Authority (2015 and 2020 census)[2]
One public elementary school can be found in Vitalez: Rogelio G. Gatchalian Elementary School. The school began operations in June 2002 as Vitalez Elementary School and was renamed in August 2003 in honor of the late namesake barangay captain.[16] As of 2017[update], the barangay has one day care center with one day care worker serving 92 children.[8]: 218
Landmarks
The Manila Airport Hotel is situated at Airlane Village in Vitalez, within the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 complex.[17] Cargohaus, a service provider of bonded warehouse and logistics, has a building inside the barangay.[18] It houses offices for businesses such as the logistics companies Air21 and U-Freight.[19]
Transportation
As of 2018[update], Vitalez has a total road network of 3.3 kilometers.[8]: 214–215 Pedicabs are the most prevalent transportation used to ply around the barangay.[20]
^"UPCOMING | 10 Barangays of Parañaque celebrates 48th founding anniversary" (in Filipino). Parañaque City Tourism Office. April 2, 2024. Retrieved May 16, 2024 – via Facebook. VITALEZ — Inihiwalay sa Territorial Jurisdiction ng Tambo. Itinaas bilang barangay sa bisa ng Presidential Decree № 1327. Kinikilala bilang pinakamaliit na Barangay sa lungsod ng Parañaque. (transl. VITALEZ — Separated from the Territorial Jurisdiction of Tambo. Elevated as a barangay by Presidential Decree № 1327. Known as the smallest Barangay in Parañaque City.)