Information
of the City:
Las Piñas City
Lungsod ng Las
Piñas
Highly-Urbanized
City
City of Las
Piñas
Nickname(s):
Home of the Bamboo Organ, City of Love and Progress, Salt Center of Metro
Manila, Lantern Capital of Metro Manila
Motto: Las Piñas,
Our Home
Location in the
Philippines:
Coordinates:
14°26.6728′N 120°59.6324′E
Country : Philippines
Region: National Capital Region
Districts: Lone
District of Las Piñas
Barangays: 20
Incorporated
(Town): 1762 or 1797
Incorporated
(Separated from Parañaque) : March
27, 1907
Incorporated
(City): March 26, 1997
Government
• Mayor: Vergel A. Aguilar (Nacionalista)
• Vice Mayor: Luis I. Bustamante
(Nacionalista)
Area
• Total: 41.54 km2 (16.04 sq mi)
Population
(2010)
• Total: 552,573
• Density: 13,302/km2 (34,450/sq mi)
Demonym: Las
Piñero
Time zone: Philippine
Standard Time (UTC+8)
Area code(s): 2
Website: www.laspinascity.gov.ph
About:
is
a city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines with a population of
population was 552,573 as of the 2010 Census. It is bounded on the north and
northeast by the Parañaque; on the east and southeast by Muntinlupa; on the
south by the Imus; on the southwest and west by Bacoor; and on the northwest by
the scenic 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 Guadalupe Plateau.
Background:
From
its days as the salt center of Manila to its bright present as a rapidly
urbanizing residential-commercial center, Las Piñas has indeed come a long way.
Known nationwide for its bamboo organ, salt beds, and jeepney factories, Las
Piñas is distinguished as one of Metro Manila’s fastest-growing communities.
Continued economic growth, coupled with effective local governance, have earned
Las Piñas the distinction of being Metro Manila’s cleanest and most peaceful
city for three years straight.
Although
it became a city only in 1997, Las Piñas was one of the first settlements on
the outskirts of Manila. In 1797, during Spain’s four-hundred-year rule, a
Spanish missionary by the name of Fr. Diego Cera was brought to a barrio in
Parañaque with a mere 1,200 inhabitants—what was to later become Las Piñas.
This holy man’s hard work, persistence, and vision put the sleepy fishing
village on the road to progress and development, leading to the establishment
of the Las Piñas Church in 1819, the six-year construction of the bamboo organ,
as well as the building of roads and bridges that spawned the industries of dye
making, salt production, and handicrafts.
The
years that followed were trying times for the barrio as it fell prey to roaming
bandits, and then in 1880, they lost hundreds of residents from outbreaks of
cholera and smallpox. More residents were lost sixteen years later when, during
the Philippine revolution against Spain, Las Piñas became the battlefield of
several bloody encounters between the forces of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo and the
Spanish troops. Some years after the Philippine-American war, on March 27,
1907, Las Piñas was spun off from Parañaque and was proclaimed an independent
municipality.
With
the construction of the South Super Highways in the 1960s, Las Piñas became a
first-class municipality. For urbanites wanting to escape the congestion of
Greater Manila’s inner cities, it became a welcome alternative, whether for
residence or business. The once quiet and rustic coastal town was transforming
into a bustling urban center for residential subdivisions and large industries,
its proximity to Manila and transportation and communication advantages drawing
in real estate developers and other business investors. This economic growth
was further boosted with the construction of the Coastal Road in the mid-80s
which directly linked Metro Manila to Cavite. From the early ’90s to today, Las
Piñas has served as the gateway to the CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas,
Rizal, and Quezon), an industrial-growth corridor whose rapid expansion is led
by the demands of a sophisticated suburban populace and high-technology
industries.
History:
Las
Piñas was one of the earliest fishing settlements on the shores of Manila Bay
and was proclaimed a town either in 1762 or 1797. Its exact date of creation
cannot be ascertained because historical records vary. Cavada, a Spanish
historian and Fr. Juan Medina placed it at 1762, while Buzeta recorded the date
at 1797.
Besides
being famous for its Bamboo Organ, which was built by Fr. Diego Cera and completed
in 1824, the town of Las Piñas was also a major war theater during the 1896
Philippine Revolution, as it was occupied by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo's forces.
Las Piñas was also, occupied by the Japanese during Second World War, to be
followed by the liberation period, when the combined Filipino and American
forces fought the Japanese Imperial armed forces until the end of war.
In
1901, the Municipality of Las Piñas was incorporated from Cavite to the newly
created province of Rizal pursuant to Philippine Commission Act No. 137. Two
years later, it was combined with Parañaque, the latter being the seat of a new
municipal government.
It
became a separate municipality from Parañaque on March 27, 1907 by virtue of
Philippine Commission Act No. 1625. Then, with the founding of the Metropolitan
Manila Area (Metro Manila in short) in 1976, Las Piñas became one of the
municipalities making up the region.
On
February 12, 1997, President Fidel V. Ramos signed the bill declaring Las Piñas
a new city. A plebiscite held a month after found the residents in approval of
cityhood and Las Piñas became the 10th city of Metro Manila on March 26, 1997.
Map:
(Map
of Las Piñas City in Metro Manila)` (Map of Las Pinas)
The
City:
Since
its establishment as a small fishing port and a major salt-making center during
the Spanish Era, Las Piñas has grown into an important residential, commercial
and industrial suburb of Metro Manila.
Las
Piñas is famous for its Bamboo Organ, located inside the St. Joseph Church of
the Parish of Las Piñas, formerly known as San Jose Parish Church in the
Spanish Period, as the only organ of its kind in the world. Built in 1824 by
Catholic priest, Fr. Diego Cera, created out of bamboo, wood, and metal, this
famous organ is praised for its unique, rare, and melodious sound.
The
Sarao Motors factory is also located in Las Piñas, the place where Jeepneys are
assembled piece by piece in painstaking individual production. The factory
remains open to buyers and curious visitors all year round.
Las
Piñas has a large shopping mall named SM Southmall, which has an area of
205,120 square meters and is located along Alabang–Zapote Road. The newest
shopping mall development in the city is SM Center Las Piñas, located few
meters away from the City Hall. The first high rise building in the city is 16
story residential building Almanza Metropolis.
Las
Piñas, also known as one of the cleanest cities in Metro Manila, is in the list
of the "Clean and Green Hall of Fame" awarded by the Philippine
Government. It is also the first local government unit in the Philippines that
has been honored with the prestigious Global 500 Roll of Honour of the United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). These honors were in recognition of the
city's outstanding achievements in the protection and improvement of the
environment.
Las
Piñas has recently acquired the status "Most Competitive City" in the
Philippines, together with Davao City, Makati, Muntinlupa and Marikina.
Etymology:
The
story about the true origin of the city's name, "Las Piñas", varies.
Some said that traders from the province of Cavite and Batangas shipped first
their piña (pineapples) for sale to this town before they are distributed in
nearby markets. Others related that it was "Las Peñas" (not Las Piñas)
evident by the quarrying of stones and adobe which were used to construct
buildings and bridges. The name could have also originated from two political
groups that ruled the place at that time.
But
an inscription in an old church bell that has been preserved inside the museum
of the Las Piñas Parochial Church, stated "Siendo Cura-del Pueblo de las
Peñas el M.R.P. Padre Diego Cera se Fundio este equilon ano de 1820". It
shows that even during the time of Fr. Diego Cera, the town's first parish
priest, the town has been called "Las Peñas" until after sometime
that the spelling of the town's name was changed into "Las Piñas".
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.
Districts
and Barangays:
District 1 Barangays
CAA-B.F.
International
Daniel
Fajardo (Poblacion)
Elias
Aldana
Ilaya
Manuyo
Uno
Manuyo
Dos
Pamplona
Uno
Pamplona
Tres
Pulanglupa
Uno
Pulanglupa
Dos
Zapote
District 2 Barangays
Almanza
Uno
Almanza
Dos
Pamplona
Dos
Pilar
Village
Talon
Uno
Talon
Dos
Talon
Tres
Talon
Cuatro
Talon
Singko
Culture:
Las
Piñas City is home to unique festivals like the "Bamboo Organ
Festival", "Waterlily Festival", "Bamboo Festival" and
"Parol (Lantern) Festival".
Transportation:
Rail Transportation
Las
Piñas City will soon be served by the LRT-1 (via Manuyo Uno Station and Las
Piñas Station).
Road
Network:
Las
Piñas City is accessible through these major roads:
Aguinaldo
Highway
Alabang-Zapote
Road
Carlos
P. Garcia Avenue (C-5 Road Extension)
Daang
Hari (Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Bacoor, San Pedro Link Road)
J.
Aguilar Avenue
Manila-Cavite
Expressway
Marcos
Alvarez Avenue
Padre
Diego Cera Avenue (Quirino Avenue)
There
are several bus lines linking Las Piñas and Metro Manila. Bus services that
operates in Las Piñas including Tas Trans Corp./Bensan Trans, Reinalyn Bus
Lines, WLH Trans/WLLH Liner, Erjohn And Almark Transit Corp., MJ Sunville
Transport, Arabia Boy Express & ALTRANSCO and various jeepney routes also ply
the roads between the city and neighboring cities and towns in Parañaque,
Muntinlupa & Cavite .
Sister
Cities:
Parañaque,
Metro Manila, Philippines
Ufa,
Russia
Sochi,
Russia
Markham,
Ontario, Canada
Bacoor,
Cavite, Philippines
Bibliography/
Reference/ Source:
