Present-day Singkamas was once part of
Manila's Singalong area and were initially not included in the Hacienda San Pedro de Macati when it was purchased by the
Zobel de Ayala family from the
Jesuits in 1851. Singkamas later became a
sitio part of Barrio Tejeros. It had about 200 houses of light materials and 150 houses of stronger built. The first move towards this independent status was taken in the early 1950s when the residents felt it would be more beneficial for them to have their own set of leaders and the
autonomy to manage their own affairs especially its Barrio Fiesta. In 1960, after the passage of Republic Act No. 2370 (Barrio Charter), Barangay Singkamas was officially recognized as a separate
barrio from Barrio Tejeros. Inspired by their independent status, the inhabitants built their own house of worship — the Holy Cross Chapel — which became the rallying point of neighborhood rehabilitation. This landmark also became the center of public forum and festivities, like
Christmas and Barrio Fiesta Celebrations. Being the second smallest
barangay of
Makati, Barangay Singkamas struggled to sustain its existence by depending on its sparse income or revenue derived from
tax collections,
individual retirement accounts (IRA) and
real property tax (RPT) entitlements. ==References==