Muntinlupa celebrates 17th cityhood anniversary

From tempo.com.ph:

Manila, Philippines – On this day in 1995, Muntinlupa became the 65th City of the Philippines by virtue of Republic Act (RA) No. 7926. It is a special non-working holiday for the City. Ushered in by the Dinagsa Sto. Nino Festival held on February 18-19, 2012, the 17th Anniversary of the Cityhood of Muntinlupa will be marked by various activities, including street dancing, job fairs, medical missions, flea market, and the traditional Parade of Festivals.

Muntinlupa is bounded on the north by Taguig City, on the northwest by Paranaque City, on the west by Las Pinas City, on the southwest by the province of Laguna, and on the east by Laguna de Bay. It is not clear where the city derived its name. One account associates it with the characteristic thin topsoil of the area. Another claims that during the 16th century, residents who were then playing a card game, purportedly replied “Monte sa Lupa” when asked by a group of Spaniards what the name of the place was, mistaking the question to refer to the card game they were then playing. Still, another account points to the topographical nature of the area, where the term Monte to mean mountain was derived, which was later expanded to become Muntinlupa.

Muntinlupa has grown to become one of today’s most progressive cities in the country. It is home to the finest commercial establishments in the metropolis and is the location of one of the country’s biggest residential communities.

The City was the first prime urban center in the country to ban the use of plastic bags and Styrofoam/styropor with the passing of City Ordnance 10-109 that took effect on January 18, 2011. It has received various local and international awards and recognition for three best practices: Business One-Stop Shop (BOSS), which put all agencies and offices concerned with the issuance of permits and licenses under one roof; Real Property Tax Assessment (RPTA), developed in 1991, which expedited tax administration; and Migration Information Center (MIC), set up in 1998, which enabled the local government to effectively monitor and evaluate the influx of migrants to the city.

We congratulate City of Muntinlupa, led by Mayor Aldrin L. San Pedro, Vice Mayor Artemio A. Simundac, City Administrator Atty. Byron G. San Pedro, City Treasurer Romeo M. Pucyutan, and Chief Executive Officer Alabang Public Market Recto B. Coronado, other Officials and Residents, on the occasion of their 17th Cityhood Day. We wish them all the best and success in all their endeavors. MABUHAY!