Las Piñas, National Capital Region, Philippines

🇵🇭 Las Piñas, officially the City of Las Piñas, is a 1st class highly urbanised city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines.

Las Piñas was sixth in MoneySense Philippines "Best Places To Live" report. Attractions include Evia Lifestyle Center, SM Southmall, Robinsons Place Las Piñas and Las Piñas - Parañaque Wetland Park.

History Las Piñas was one of the earliest fishing settlements on the shores of Manila Bay. It was proclaimed as a province of Manila either in 1762 or 1797. Agustin, a Spanish historian, and Fr. Juan de Medina placed it at 1762. Las Piñas was formerly called "Las Pilas" due to its separation from Parañaque due to tribal conflicts. On the other hand, Manuel Buzeta recorded the date at 1797. Felix Timbang was the first gobernadorcillo in 1762, while Mariano Ortiz was the first municipal president of the town of Las Piñas.

Las Piňas is famous for its Bamboo Organ, which was built by Fr. Diego Cera and completed in 1824. In 1880, the city experienced an outbreak of cholera and smallpox leading to the loss of many lives. Years later, Las Piňas also became a central battleground between Spanish and Philippine forces during the Philippine Revolution.

The town of Las Piñas was also a major war theater during the 1896 Philippine Revolution, as it was occupied by forces of General Emilio Aguinaldo.

American invasion era In 1901, the municipality of Las Piñas, previously a part of the province of Manila, was incorporated to the newly created province of Rizal pursuant to the Philippine Commission Act No. 137. On October 12, 1903, in accordance with Act No. 942, it was combined with the town of Parañaque, with the latter as the seat of a new municipal government.

It was separated from Parañaque to become an independent municipality again on March 27, 1907, by virtue of Philippine Commission Act No. 1625.

Japanese occupation era The town was occupied by the Japanese during World War II and liberated by the combined American and Filipino forces.

Philippine independence On November 7, 1975, through Presidential Decree No. 824, Las Piñas was excised from the province of Rizal to form Metro Manila. Las Piñas became one of the municipalities making up the region.

In the 1980s, economic growth erupted due to the advent of the construction of Coastal Road. Las Piñas currently serves as the proper gateway to Calabarzon.

In the 1990s, Las Piñas was known for its rampant illegal drug trade. In an October 1989 privileged speech, Senator Ernesto F. Herrera shared the National Bureau of Investigation's findings that an estimated 40% of Las Piñas' police force was connected with a drug cartel. In 1995, then-Councilor Yoyoy Villame criticized the town's image as the "Drug Capital of the Philippines", while NCR Command Director Job Mayo alleged upon his appointment in early 1996 that the town's police force had the most drug-dependent police officers in the metropolis.

Cityhood On February 12, 1997, President Fidel V. Ramos signed the bill which elevated Las Piñas from municipality into a city. A plebiscite held a month after approved the city status by its residents, and Las Piñas became the 10th city of Metro Manila on March 26, 1997.

Geography Las Piñas is bounded to the north-east by Parañaque; to the south-east by Muntinlupa; to the west by Bacoor; to the south-west by Dasmariñas; and to the north-west by Manila Bay. Half of its land area is residential and the remaining half is used for commercial, industrial and institutional purposes. The present physiography of Las Piñas consists of three zones: Manila Bay, coastal margin and the Guadalupe Plateau.

Districts and barangays Las Piñas is politically subdivided into 20 barangays. These barangays are grouped into two legislative districts, each with its own set of representatives in the city council. District 1 comprises the north-western half of the city while District 2, the remaining half.

Language The native language of Las Piñas is Tagalog, but the majority of the residents understand and speak English.

Religion People in Las Piñas are mainly Roman Catholic. Catholic churches in Las Piñas fall under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Parañaque

Other religions in Las Piñas includes various Protestant denominations, Jehovah's Witnesses, Iglesia ni Cristo, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam.

Local government Las Piñas, like other cities of the Philippines, is a local government unit whose powers and functions are specified by the Local Government Code of the Philippines. In general, as a city, Las Piñas is headed by a mayor who heads the city's executive function and the vice mayor who heads the city's legislative function, which is composed of twelve councilors, six each from the city's two city council districts. For representation, the city is considered as one district, and therefore one representative, in the country's House of Representatives.

Additionally, like other cities and municipalities, Las Piñas is subdivided into barangays.

Education There are a total of 14 colleges, 21 private high schools, 18 public high schools, and 22 elementary schools that were built to accommodate the growing number of the enrollees every year. To date, there are 77 day care centres with feeding programs in 20 barangays within Las Piñas.

Colleges • ABE – Las Piñas Campus • Bernardo College • Centro Escolar Las Piñas • Don Carlo Cavina School • Dr. Filemon C. Aguilar Memorial College of Las Piñas-Talon Tres Campus, a local college that offers Bachelor's degree in Accountancy and Business Administration (with majors in Marketing Management, Financial Management, and Human Resource Development Management). • Dr. Filemon C. Aguilar Memorial College of Las Piñas-Pamplona Tres Campus (formerly Dr. Filemon C. Aguilar Information Technology Training Institute or DFCAITTI), a local college that offers diploma courses like Computer Programming, Visual Graphics Design, and Animations. It also offers Bachelor's degrees in Information System and Computer Engineering. • Philippine Merchant Marine School – Las Piñas Campus (Main) • AMA Computer College, Las Piñas • STI College, Las Piñas • Saint Francis of Assisi College • Southville International School and Colleges • University of Perpetual Help System DALTA • APEC Schools Las Piñas • International Electronics and Technical Institute (IETI) - Las Piñas; Public high schools • Las Piñas City National Science High School • Las Piñas National High School - Almanza Uno • Las Piñas East National High School - Verdant • Equitable Village National High School (formerly Las Piñas East National High School - Equitable Village Annex II) • Talon Village National High School (formerly Las Piñas East National High School - Talon Village Annex II) • Las Piñas North National High School- Vergonville Subd., PulanLupa Dos • Las Piñas National High School – Gatchalian Annex • Las Piñas City Technical-Vocational High School (formerly Rizal Experimental Station and Pilot School of Cottage Industries – Las Piñas) • Las Piñas City National Senior High School – Doña Josefa Campus • Las Piñas City National Senior High School – Talon Dos Campus • Las Piñas City National Senior High School – CAA Campus • Las Piñas City National Senior High School – Manuyo Campus • Las Piñas National High School – Senior High School • CAA National High School - Main • CAA National High School – Annex • Golden Acres National High School • Las Piñas North National High School • Lydia Aguilar National High School (T.S. Cruz High School); Private high schools • Academy of Jesus • Almanza Baptist Christian Academy • Augustinian Abbey School • Blessed Trinity School of Las Piñas • Bloomfield Academy Center for Science and Technology • Bethany School of Las Piñas • Camella Homes Montessori Child Development Center • Camella School INC • Centro Escolar Las Piñas • Don Carlo Cavina School • Divine Light Academy • Holy Rosary Academy of Las Piñas City • Saint Joseph's Academy • St. Rose of Lima (Las Piñas) School Inc. • St. Michael's School, Inc. • Sto. Niño De Eucharistia Academy • St. Therese School • Schola de Vita, Inc. • Southville International School and Colleges • Elizabeth Seton School • Young Achievers International School • Westfield Science-Oriented School and Colleges • APEC Schools (Affordable Private Education Center) • Father Angelico Lipani School- Annex • Merry Treasure School • Mary Immaculate Parish Special School • Operation Brotherhood Montessori Center • Our Lady of the Pilar Montessori Center • Montessori De Manila; Grades K to 12 • Bloomfield Academy Center for Science and Technology • Sto. Niño De Eucharistia Academy • Blessed Trinity School of Las Piñas • Holy Rosary Academy of Las Piñas City; Public Elementary Schools • Almanza Elementary School • CAA Elementary School - Main • CAA Elementary School - Annex • Daniel Fajardo Elementary School • Doña Manuela Elementary School • Gatchalian Elementary School • Ilaya Elementary School • Las Piñas Elementary School Central • Manuyo Elementary School • Moonwalk Elementary School • Moonwalk Elementary School - Golden Acres Annex • Moonwalk Elementary School - Mikesell Annex • Pamplona Elementary School Central • Pamplona Elementary School - Unit I • Pilar Village Elementary School • Pulanlgupa Elementary School • Pulanglupa Elementary School - Camella Annex • Talon Elementary School • Talon Tres Elementary School • T.S. Cruz Elementary School • Vergonville Elementary School • Zapote Elementary School.

Transport: Rail Las Piñas is part of the route of the extension of the LRT Line 1, the South Extension Project. The actual construction officially started on Tuesday, May 7, 2019 because the Right-of-way is "free and clear" from obstructions. Once it is fully operational, Las Piñas will be served by the LRT Line 1 through the Las Piñas station and Zapote station. The extension is slated for partial operations by late 2024 or early 2025 and full operations by second quarter of 2027.

Transport: Road The road network of Las Piñas are radial in nature, and primarily relies on the Alabang–Zapote Road (N411), which serves as the city's road network backbone. The Manila-Cavite Expressway (formerly Coastal Road, and numbered E3), a toll expressway serves as the major traffic route towards Manila. Daang Hari, which hugs near the boundary with Muntinlupa, and the Aguinaldo Highway (N62) are the major traffic routes toward Cavite. The Muntinlupa-Cavite Expressway (MCX), that leads to South Luzon Expressway, supplements Daang Hari as an alternate to the congested Alabang-Zapote Road over Alabang and Ayala Alabang in Muntinlupa.

The road network in Las Piñas suffers from traffic jams, especially on the primary artery, Alabang-Zapote Road, which carried more than 70,000 vehicles daily as of 2016. Public transport, like buses and jeepneys, fill up Alabang-Zapote Road, therefore causing further congestion. The city government petitioned the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to suspend issuing of franchises on bus and jeepneys routes that uses Alabang-Zapote Road.

The Las Piñas Friendship Route network serves as the alternate routes on the congested routes, but motorists have to obtain and display a sticker on their vehicle to use these routes, as most roads of the network are located in privately owned subdivisions (gated communities), like BF Homes, Pilar Village, and BF Resort.

Transport: Public Jeepneys and buses form the major public transport system, and most of their routes follow the Alabang-Zapote Road. Most jeepneys through Las Piñas travel between Alabang and Zapote, within the city, or Baclaran, in Parañaque. Buses usually form routes between Alabang or SM Southmall and destinations in Manila. Buses and jeepneys are blamed for the worsening congestion on Alabang-Zapote Road.

Culture On February 22, 1995, then President Fidel V. Ramos signed Republic Act 8003 into a law – declaring Las Piñas Church and Bamboo Organ, Las Piñas Bridge, Asinan Area, Father Diego Cera Bridge, and Old District Hospital as tourist spots of Las Piñas.

Las Piñas is famous for its Bamboo Organ located inside the St. Joseph Parish Church in the old district of the city. Built in 1824 by a Catholic priest, Fr. Diego Cera, it is the only organ of its kind in the world with organ pipes mostly made out of bamboo.

Las Piñas Historical Corridor Project The Las Piñas Historical Corridor Project was a program laid to restore the Old Town of Las Piñas. It was launched at the Malacañan Heroes' Hall on November 13, 1997. The project aims to educate the people of Las Piñas along the tourist corridor. 19 structures were included along the historical corridor: • Boundary Arc • Bulwagang Ezekiel Moreno • Santuario de San Ezekiel Moreno • Police and Fire Station • Public Library • Plaza Quezon – designated as the Freedom Park in the City of Las Piñas by City Ordinance No. 700-06, Series of 2006. This was in accordance with Section 15 of Batas Pambansa Blg. 880, otherwise known as the "Public Assembly Act of 1985". • Central Elementary School • E. Aldana Police Station • Fr. Diego Cera Bridge • Historical and Cultural Museum • Las Piñas Fish Port • Irasan Center • Las Piñas Manpower Youth Council – TESDA Building • Zapote Police Station • Las Piñas General Hospital and Satellite Trauma Center • Zapote Bridge • Barangay Hall of Zapote • Centennial Flyover • Molino Dam.

Las Piñas Town Fiesta The town fiesta of Las Piñas is celebrated every first Sunday of May each year to honor its patron saint, Saint Joseph. Saint Joseph's Day celebration is centered in St. Joseph Parish Church in the old poblacion of Las Piñas in Barangay Daniel Fajardo on Padre Diego Cera Ave. (Quirino Ave.). Las Piñas was also the home of Mary Immaculate Parish Church, popularly known as the Nature Church, designed by Architect Francisco "Bobby" Mañosa.

Events Las Piñas is also home to unique festivals such as: • International Bamboo Organ Festival – a music festival held in February celebrating the music of the unique Bamboo Organ with performances by local and foreign classical artists • Waterlily Festival – every July 27 • "Parol" or Lantern Festival – celebrated during Christmas season • Las Piñas Historical Festival – celebrated every March to commemorate significant historical events that happened in the city