Muntinlupa, National Capital Region, Philippines

🇵🇭 Muntinlupa, officially the City of Muntinlupa is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. Classified as a highly urbanized city, it is bordered on the north by Taguig; to the north-west by Parañaque; by Las Piñas to the west; to the south-west by Dasmariñas; by San Pedro and Laguna de Bay to the east, the largest lake in the country. It is given the nickname "Emerald City" by the tourism establishment and also known as the "Gateway to Calabarzon" as it is the southernmost city of the National Capital Region.

Muntinlupa is known as the location of the national insular penitentiary, the New Bilibid Prison, where the country's most dangerous criminals are incarcerated, as well as the location of Ayala Alabang Village, one of the country's biggest and most expensive residential communities, where many of the wealthy and famous live.

History In 1601, some 88 years after the arrival of Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan in the Visayas islands, the original lands constituting Muntinlupa could be deduced to have been friar lands administered by the Augustinians, then sold and assigned to the Sanctuary of Guadalupe.

In 1869, the lands were transferred to the state and large individual landholders. In an effort by the Spanish Government to bring under closer administrative control the people living in the contiguous sitios, as well as those in Alabang, Tunasan, Sucat, and Cupang, the municipality was created upon the recommendation of Don Eduardo de Canizares.

On August 6, 1898, the town supported the Philippine Revolution against the Spaniards and formally joined the revolutionary government headed by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo.

American occupation era The Philippine Commission promulgated Rizal Province on June 11, 1901, through Act No. 137. Muntinlupa became part of the new province after being a part of the defunct province of Manila.

On October 12, 1903, Muntinlupa, alongside Taguig, was merged with Pateros by virtue of Act No. 942. On November 25, 1903, Muntinlupa was incorporated under Act No. 1008 and included within the boundary of the province of La Laguna under the municipality of Biñan. Muntinlupa residents protested this Executive Act, and through their town head, Marcelo Fresnedi, filed a formal petition to the Governor for the return of the municipality to the province of Rizal. On March 22, 1905, Act No. 1308 paved the way for Muntinlupa's return to the province of Rizal to then become a part of Taguig, along with Pateros.

On December 19, 1917, Governor-General Francis Burton Harrison signed Executive Order 108, which made Muntinlupa an independent municipality, separating it from Taguig. The law took effect on January 1, 1918. Vidal Joaquin, a native of Alabang, served as the first appointed mayor from 1918 to 1919, followed by Primo Ticman, native of Poblacion, from 1919 to 1922. Melencio Espeleta became the first elected mayor of Muntinlupa in 1922, serving until 1924.

Japanese occupation era On January 22, 1941, the historic New Bilibid Prison, the national penitentiary, was established in the hills of Muntinlupa.

Philippine independence On November 7, 1975, Muntinlupa was transferred from the Province of Rizal to the newly formed Metropolitan Manila by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 824 issued by then President Ferdinand E. Marcos.

June 13, 1986, following the EDSA Revolution in February of that year, President Corazón C. Aquino appoints Ignacio R. Bunye, Officer-In-Charge of Muntinlupa as part of a nationwide revamp of local government units. In the ratification of the 1987 Constitution, Muntinlupa together with Las Piñas formed one political district.

On December 6, 1988, President Corazon C. Aquino by Proclamation 351 declares December 19 as "Municipality of Muntinlupa Day".

Cityhood On February 16, 1995, House Bill No. 14401, which seeks to convert the municipality of Muntinlupa into a highly urbanized city, was approved by the House of Representatives.

On March 1, 1995, Muntinlupa became the 65th city in the Philippines as signed into law by President Fidel V. Ramos, its conversion into a highly urbanized city by virtue of Republic Act No. 7926. Per Section 62 of R.A. 7926, Muntinlupa and Las Piñas were to constitute separate congressional districts, with each district electing its separate representative in the 1998 elections. This separation was additionally confirmed in the city charter of Las Piñas (R.A. 8251) which was approved by plebiscite on March 26, 1997. On June 30, 1998, Ignacio Bunye, who previously served as the first city mayor, assumed office as the first congressman representing Muntinlupa.

On March 1, 2001, Republic Act No. 9191 was enacted, declaring the 1st day of March of every year as a Special Non-working Holiday in the City of Muntinlupa to be known as "The Muntinlupa City Charter Day" by virtue of Senate Bill No. 2165.

Contemporary On August 3, 2007, the city hall of Muntinlupa was completely damaged and later abandoned due to a fire. The fire started from a slum area behind the city hall. Almost all files, important documents and other references of Muntinlupa were burned.

Geography It is bordered on the north by Taguig, to the north-west by Parañaque, to the west by Las Piñas, to the south-west by the cities of Bacoor and Dasmariñas in Cavite, to the south by the city of San Pedro in Laguna, and to the east by Laguna de Bay, the largest lake in the country.

Muntinlupa's terrain is relatively flat to sloping towards the east along the lake. Gentle rolling hills occupy the western part of the city, with elevation increasing up to 60 meters (200 ft) and above towards its south-west portion.

While a majority of the land area in the city is highly urbanized, the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) Reservation in barangay Poblacion is relatively free of urbanization, although there are ongoing discussions to move the national penitentiary to Nueva Ecija and Occidental Mindoro, respectively.

Cityscape Alabang is the business district of the city where the tallest structures in the city are located. It used to be the location of Alabang Stock Farm. Land reclamation is also done along the Laguna Lake for further developments in the city. During the dry season, the water level in the lake subsides, exposing the soil that is then used for farming.

Economy Barangay Alabang, part of the second district of Muntinlupa, has undergone tremendous growth mainly due to a development boom in the late 1990s. The development of two large-scale commercial real estate projects namely; the Filinvest Corporate City and Ayala Land's Madrigal Business Park, changed the landscape of Muntinlupa from what was once vast fields of cow pasture in the late 1980s, into a supercity that houses new residential, business, industrial and commercial establishments.

The Muntinlupa "Business One-Stop-Shop" is recognised in the 2014 World Cities Summit in Singapore in its effectiveness in reducing the number of steps in acquiring a Business Permit.

Economy: Industry Northgate Cyberzone is the information technology park within Filinvest Corporate City in Alabang. The 18.7-hectare (46-acre), PEZA registered IT zone is designed, mastered-planned and built around the needs of technology-based companies engaged in Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO), education, learning and firm, software design and multimedia, call centres, e-commerce, banking and financial services, as well as other IT support businesses and the like. It is home to Capital One Philippines Support Services Corp., Convergys Philippines Corp, HSBC Electronic Data Processing (Philippines), Inc., Genpact, Verizon Business and many more.

Kawasaki Motors Philippines Corporation is in charge of production and distribution of Kawasaki Motors in the Philippines. KMPC, having been in the country for over 40 years, is hailed today as one of the top manufacturers in the Philippine motorcycle industry. Amkor Technology is a semiconductor product packaging and test services provider that established its first Philippine plant in Cupang. Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines has a plant located in Tunasan. Zuellig Pharma is also within the city.

Commerce Shopping centres in Muntinlupa include Alabang Town Center and Ayala Malls South Park (also known as South Park Center), both owned by Ayala Malls, Festival Alabang owned and operated by Filinvest Development Corporation, Starmall Alabang (formerly known as Metropolis Star Alabang), SM Center Muntinlupa owned by SM Prime Holdings, Commercenter Alabang, and W.Mall Muntinlupa.

There are multiple car dealerships located in Muntinlupa and most of them are along the Alabang–Zapote Road in Alabang. Ford Motors Alabang has a five-floor facility covering a floor area of nearly 13,000 square meters (140,000 sq ft) including a 2-floor, 23-vehicle showroom and a 4-floor, and an 80-bay service center. Toyota Alabang also constructed a facility with a showroom, parts warehouse, office & service facilities in a 5,000-square-meter (54,000 sq ft) lot. Audi Alabang, Chevrolet Alabang, Chrysler Alabang, Mitsubishi Motors Alabang, Nissan and Suzuki Alabang are also located within the area, most of which are along the Alabang–Zapote Road. Still in Alabang–Zapote Road but located in barangay Ayala Alabang are Hyundai Alabang, Isuzu Alabang and Honda Alabang.

Museum Museo ng Muntinlupa is a five-story structure which is set to contain items of historical value to the city. The exterior is designed to look like a traditional fishtrap.

Libraries Muntinlupa City Public Library is located at the recently constructed Plaza Central Building at Muntinlupa Poblacion. Plaza Central was inaugurated on October 6, 2017. It is located at the previous site of the Contessa Building (Old City Hall).

Sports and recreation Muntinlupa is home to two professional sports teams, the Muntinlupa Cagers of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League, and the Muntinlupa Basketball Team of the National Basketball League.

Muntinlupa has 10 swimming pools, 14 billiard halls, 11 tennis courts, 8 resorts, 7 country clubs, 9 Dance/Fitness/Slimming Centers, 41 open basketball courts, 59 covered basketball courts and 11 parks & playgrounds. The Muntinlupa Sports Complex is used for a variety of activities such as concerts, conferences, reunions and graduations, the sports complex has 3,500 seating capacity and has two separate multipurpose rooms.

The Muntinlupa Aquatic Center also hosts an Olympic-sized swimming pool, the first of its kind in the Philippines. Both the Sports Complex and Aquatic Center are located on a reclaimed area in Barangay Tunasan; it also has an open area which local residents enjoy their morning exercise and leisure time.

Culture: Music Since 2017, the site of Karpos' Wanderland Music and Arts Festival has been hosted annually in Muntinlupa. The location of this venue is in the Filinvest City Events Grounds, situated in the heart of the Alabang district. The event hosts various bands, that range from international to homegrown artists, and live art performances.

Muntinlupa is also home to 19 East, a premier live music venue that features the country's top artists. Gigs usually occur on a daily basis, suggesting that any given day would guarantee customers a lively experience.

Electricity The sole distributor of electricity in Metro Manila is the Manila Electric Company, also known as Meralco.

The de-commissioned Sucat Thermal Power Plant is located at Sucat.

Water and sewage Water in Muntinlupa is provided by Maynilad Water Services (also known as Maynilad), which also serves western Metro Manila and some parts of Cavite. It is one of the two concessionaires that provide water to Metro Manila in the Philippines; the other one is Manila Water which serves the eastern Metro Manila.

Telecommunication Majority of the land-line connection is provided by phone carrier Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company. Mobile telecommunication services are mostly provided by Globe Telecom, Smart Communications, and Dito Telecommunity.

Transport Muntinlupa can be accessed through private vehicles, buses, jeepneys, taxis, tricycles, and UV Express. Electric vehicles by both private and public sectors operate within the borders of the city.

Public utility vehicles City buses with routes to Makati and Manila serve the two terminals at Alabang: the Alabang Integrated Bus Terminal at Starmall Alabang and South Station at Filinvest City. Point-to-point buses to Bonifacio Global City, Makati, Manila, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Ortigas Center and San Juan depart from Alabang Town Center and South Park Center in Alabang, respectively. Provincial buses to Batangas City, Lucena, Quezon, and Bicol Region also depart from Alabang.

Jeepneys routes to General Mariano Alvarez, Calamba, and Pasay, including express services, also use the terminals at Alabang. UV Express routes also ply the city.

Tricycles and pedicabs serve the interior of barangays and residential areas.

"360 Eco-loop" is Filinvest City's fully integrated electric-powered public transport system operated by Filinvest as the main mode of transportation around Filinvest City. "electric-Jeepney Ride for Free", launched by the City Government of Muntinlupa on March 30, 2015, is composed of an initial fleet of 10 e-jeepneys produced in the Philippines.

Transport: Rail Philippine National Railways has 3 stations in the city: Sucat, Alabang, and Muntinlupa (Barangay Poblacion) stations. There used to be a 4th and 5th stations in Barangay Tunasan and Barangay Buli; however, both were discontinued and demolished in 2009. Alabang station is the terminus of the Metro Commuter services; so, only the Provincial Commuter services that goes to Calamba stops in the Muntinlupa station which is currently two northbound trips in the morning and two southbound trips in the evening. Service southward to Alabang has resumed, but limited to Mamatid station in Cabuyao, Laguna.

Transport: Road Muntinlupa is served by expressways, national highways, and arterial roads, usually crowded.

National highways serving the city include Maharlika Highway, which parallels the South Luzon Expressway and functions as the city's main artery and Alabang-Zapote Road, formerly known as "Real Street". Daang Hari Road, opened in 2003, lies on the boundary with Las Piñas near Ayala Alabang, Katarungan Village, and New Bilibid Prisons.

Expressways passing through Muntinlupa include South Luzon Expressway, a part of the Pan-Philippine Highway (AH26) Luzon route, the elevated Skyway, and the Muntinlupa–Cavite Expressway. A proposed expressway, Laguna Lakeshore Expressway Dike, is being planned to run along Laguna de Bay from Taguig in Metro Manila to Calamba and Los Baños in Laguna.

Arterial roads serve as the main route from the national roads to the barangays and its residential and commercial areas. Few examples of those roads include Commerce Avenue between Alabang and Ayala Alabang, Corporate Avenue in Filinvest City, Alabang, E. Rodriguez Sr. Avenue in Poblacion, E. Rodriguez Jr. Avenue in Tunasan, San Guillermo Street in Putatan, Montillano Street in Alabang, and Manuel L. Quezon Avenue from Alabang to Sucat and to the Taguig city boundary. The arterial roads are usually narrow, crowded with tricycles, pedestrians, and parked vehicles, and has few or no sidewalks, while a few, like Commerce Avenue, which has wide divided roads with traffic lights and sidewalks.

Healthcare Muntinlupa has 18 health centres, 1 public hospital, and 8 private hospitals. The sole public hospital of the city is the Ospital ng Muntinlupa while the Asian Hospital and Medical Center and the Medical Center Muntinlupa are among the city's private hospital. The Food and Drug Administration, tasked to ensure the health and safety of food and drugs, has its headquarters located at Alabang, Muntinlupa. The Research Institute for Tropical Medicine a research facility dedicated to infectious and tropical diseases in the Philippines is also based in Muntinlupa.

Education Schools providing public education in Muntinlupa is administered by Division of City Schools – Muntinlupa, a local division of the Department of Education.

Muntinlupa has 89 child development centres (including day care centres, nursery schools and kindergarten schools), 20 public elementary schools, 8 public high schools, 1 public tertiary school, 1 public vocational/technical school, 88 private schools, 10 private tertiary schools and 9 private vocational/technical schools. The "Iskolar ng Bayan" program has been able to give financial assistance to 3,567 students with an allocated budget of ₱13 million. The city search for the Ten Muntinlupa Outstanding Students (MOST) is conducted annually to give recognition and honor to talented and academically excellent students in all public and private high schools of Muntinlupa.

Public secondary schools • Muntinlupa National High School is a public high school located at Poblacion, Muntinlupa. MNHS also has a special curriculum, the Science Technology and Engineering or STE (formerly ESEP), that prepares students for careers in Science and Technology, Math, and Communication Arts. • Muntinlupa Science High School or MunSci is a special public high school in the City of Muntinlupa, Philippines that provides a technical and science curriculum that aims to prepare students for careers in Science and Technology, Math, and Communication Arts. Nihongo and French classes are also offered to students. Classes are taught by teachers from the Japanese and French embassies. • Pedro E. Diaz High School, formerly Annex of Fort Bonifacio College (FBC), is a public high school located at UP Side Subdivision, Alabang, Muntinlupa. • Muntinlupa Business High School, formerly known as Pedro E. Diaz High School Annex, is located at Espeleta Street, Buli, Muntinlupa. The school makes education more accessible to students residing at barangays Buli, Cupang and Sucat. MBHS offers a curriculum focused on preparing its graduates into vocational and collegiate degree. • Tunasan National High School, also known as Muntinlupa National High School-Tunasan Annex, is the newest public high school, established in 2012 which caters Technical Vocational Courses, TVL Maritime and Humanities and Social Sciences under Academic Track and Grades 7-10 of K–12 curriculum.

Public tertiary school • Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa is a local university in the city that started as a dream of former Mayor Ignacio Bunye who viewed education as potent tool for transforming society for the better. Upon his assumption of office in 1986, he included the objective of organizing and establishing an institution of higher learning in the Ten Point Agenda of his administration. Former Dean Enrico Vivar led the movement to convert the Muntinlupa Polytechnic College into a local university. Atty. Raul R. Corro, then Councilor and Chairman of the Committee on Education, sponsored City Ordinance No. 03-089 converting the Muntinlupa Polytechnic College to a Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa (PLMun) in March 2003 during the 67th session. The Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa is now ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED by the BRS Rim of the World Operations in California, USA. PLMun was awarded its Certification on April 27, 2015, at the City Hall Quadrangle of the City Government of Muntinlupa. • Colegio De Muntinlupa is a local government school and CHED-recognized free higher education institution, Colegio de Muntinlupa (CDM) was established to help fill the gap in the science and technology sector of the Philippines. It is Situated in Posadas Avenue in Barangay Sucat and was founded in 2018 with Mayor Jaime Fresnedi overseeing its founding. With its complete and brand-new facilities that meet international standards and high-caliber professors, CDM aims to produce competent nation builders who will be the drivers of sustainable development in the country. Currently, CDM offers five (5) Engineering programs, namely Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering. It is also set to offer 5 new programs namely Architecture, Construction Engineering and Management, Environmental Engineering, Industrial Engineering, and Robotics Engineering this coming Academic year 2022-2023. The college is also expecting their first batch of Graduates this 2022.

Technical and vocational training • Muntinlupa City Technical Institute (MCTI) offers technical vocational-training of TESDA Accredited Courses. Courses offered in MCTI are Automotive Servicing NC II, Building Wiring Installation NC II, Dressmaking NC II, Food & Beverage Services NC II and Massage Therapy NC II.

Alternative learning system • ALS Center Bayanan, formerly Bayanan Elementary School Unit I, conducts Alternative Learning System classes during Saturdays and uses modules that students can answer at home. This program will help them finish secondary education to make them eligible to take courses offered by TESDA or be a college graduate. They will be given certificates by the Department of Education (DepEd) once they finish the program in five months. The project is being implemented by the local DepEd office in coordination with the city government. • NBP Alternative Learning System is 10-month course offered by the Department of Education (DepEd). Convicts are given a chance to overcome illiteracy or acquire livelihood skills behind bars. This program is made possible by the coordination of Bureau of Corrections with the Department of Education.