Muntinlupa

Nicknamed “The Emerald City of the Philippines,” Muntinlupa is the southernmost city in the National Capital Region. The city was notorious for being the location of the New Bilibid Prison, where most of the country’s dangerous criminals are imprisoned. The mere mention of the name Munti automatically recalls the image of the national insular penitentiary. Muntinlupa has long since shaken off the negative image and is now known as one of the most progressive cities in the Philippines.

Muntinlupa City is bordered by the following:

Taguig City – north

Paranaque City – northwest

Las Pinas City – west

Bacoor, Cavite – southwest

San Pedro, Laguna and Laguna de Bay – east

Brief History

There are three versions of the origin of the name “Muntinlupa”. The first one refers to the thin quality of soil in the area. The second came from a reply given by the residents when the Spaniards asked them the name of the place they were in. The residents mistakenly answered “Monte sa Lupa,” thinking that the foreigners were asking them the name of the card game that they were playing.  The third origin refers to the area’s topographical nature. The term Monte, which means mountain, was expanded to mountain land or Muntinlupa.

The city was supervised by the Augustinians starting from the early 1600s. The territory went through several division changes.  In 1869, the barrios of Muntinlupa became a single town under the approval of the Civil Government. In 1901, it became one of the districts of Morong. Two years after, Muntinlupa was placed under Binan upon its inclusion within the boundary of the province of Laguna. The residents protested against this and filed a petition to return the town to Rizal province. The Governor General granted the petition and handed Muntinlupa back to Rizal, where it became a part of Taguig along with Pateros. Later on, the government would separate Muntinlupa from Taguig because of the physical distance. In December 1917, Muntinlupa was made into an independent municipality, which took effect on January 1, 1918.

When the 1986 Constitution was ratified, Muntinlupa and Las Pinas was merged into one political district. In February 1995, Muntinlupa was considered as a highly urbanized city, and was later granted cityhood status by President Fidel V. Ramos.

Schools in Muntinlupa City

Here are some of the education institutions in the area:

• Sucat Elementary School
• Muntinlupa Elementary School (Poblacion)
• Bagong Silang Elementary School
• Alabang Elementary School
• Bayanan Elementary School (Main)
• Bayanan Elementary School Unit I
• Buli Elementary School
• Tunasan Elementary School

• Christ Baptist Academy
• Christ the King School of Muntinlupa
• Christian Love School
• Christ Life Academy – Bagong Silang
• CLEM Learning Center
• Colegio de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (CNSG)
• Cupang Elementary School
• De La Salle Santiago Zobel School
• Holy Infant Academy
• Holy Queen of La Salette School
• Infant Jesus Montessori Center
• Itaas Elementary School
• La Czarina School
• Liceo de Piccolo Santo
• Living Light Academy
• Lombosco Academy Foundation Incorporated
• Maria Ferrari School
• Maria Montessori Foundation
• Mary Cause of our Joy Catholic School
• Mary, Mother of God Parochial School
• Miraculous Medal School
• MBC Sinai School
• Muntinlupa Business High School
• Muntinlupa Cosmopolitan School
• Muntinlupa Christian Academy
• Muntinlupa National High School
• Muntinlupa School for Child Development
• Muntinlupa Science High School
• Our Lady of the Abandoned Catholic School – Poblacion
• Our Lady Of the Lake School- Cupang
• PAREF Southridge School
• PAREF Woodrose School

• Pedro E. Diaz High School
• San Beda College, Alabang
• San Roque Catholic School
• Sacred Heart Institute

• Sacred Heart of Jesus Day Care Center
• Saint Peter School of Alabang
• Servite School
• Spring Christian School
• Soldiers Hills Elementary School
• Sto. Nino School of Muntinlupa
• Sunshine Christian School
• South Crest School
• Southernside Montessori School
• Theresiana De Montealegre Dame School
• The Learning Child School
• U.P. Side Day Care Center
• Victoria Homes Elementary School
• Victoria Homes Learning Center – Victoria Homes
• Wisekids School
• AMA Computer Learning Center
• Asian College of Science and Technology
• Christ Baptist Bible College
• Christ The King Technical School
• Criminal Justice College
• Every Nation Leadership Institute
• Imus Computer College (ICC) – Alabang
• International Electronics and Technology Institute (IETI) College
• Informatics International College – Northgate Campus (Northgate Cyberzone Filinvest Corporate City Alabang)
• Informatics Computer Institute- Festival (Festival Mall)
• Muntinlupa Institute of Technology
• Lyceum of Alabang (Formerly National College of Science & Technology – Alabang)
• Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa
• Philippine Science and Technology Center
• Phoenix One – Alabang (Formerly NIIT Philippines)
• San Beda College Alabang
• St. Bernadette College of Alabang
• St. Dominic College
• St. Francis of Assisi College – Alabang
• South Mansfield College
• STI College – Alabang
• West Bay College

Districts and Barangays

Muntinlupa is divided into two legislative districts and nine barangays.

District 1

• Bayanan Chairman: Cezar Pagkalinawan
• Poblacion Chairman: Alex Diaz
• Putatan Chairman: Jan Joseph B. Diaz
• Tunasan Chairman: Manny Solomon

District 2

• Sucat
• Buli
• Cupang
• Alabang
• Ayala Alabang

Business and Tourism

What was once made of vast tracks of land for cow pasture is now one of the booming areas in real estate development. Large scale commercial and residential projects have risen in Muntinlupa, which resulted to the building of the Filinvest Corporate City and the Madrigal Business Park. Residents in Muntinlupa and their neighboring towns and cities in the south need not go to Manila for their shopping and business. Shopping malls, restaurants and bars has dotted the suburban part of the city. The development is mostly done due to the fact that Ayala Alabang is home to many of the country’s rich and affluent families.

City Government

Mayor: Aldrin L. San Pedro

Vice Mayor: Artemio A. Simundac