Muntinlupa

Muntinlupa is generally a suburban city within Metro Manila, with the majority of its population being daily commuters. The city is once a agricultural municipality along the western shores of Laguna de Bay, but after the construction of the South Luzon Expressway, it suddenly grew as industries moved here and many residential subdivisions are constructed on agricultural land. The development of Filinvest City and Ayala Alabang made it another central business district of Metro Manila. Muntinlupa today forms the large urban sprawl of greater Manila, and also full of contrasts, having its mix of affluent developments and ordinary Filipino barangays.

While Filinvest City and Ayala Alabang, two central business districts, provides a sense of modernity and prosperity for the city, the rest of Muntinlupa is very ordinarily Filipino in character, with its problems. National Road and Alabang–Zapote Road, the city's main thoroughfares, are perennially congested surface roads, compounded by uncontrolled growth that left Muntinlupa without a planned arterial road and public transport network. Outside of Filinvest City and Ayala Alabang, which are planned from the start, Muntinlupa is largely a sprawling concrete jungle, like its neighboring cities within the metro, save for areas around the New Bilibid Prison and the southwest edge of the city. Gentrification has made inroads on Muntinlupa's low to middle-class barangays, but much of the city chaotic conditions from the beginning will hardly change drastically.

History

What is now Muntinlupa is once a municipality of the province of Rizal. The etymology of the name Muntinlupa is obscure, but there are numerous folk theories for the name, the most known being the Spanish transcription of Tagalog munti sa lupa.
The lands where Muntinlupa is founded are from friar lands back to the days the Spanish arrived and explored the shores of Laguna de Bay. Spanish authorities took ownership in 1869, when the barrios of Alabang, Tunasan, Cupang and Sucat are grouped together. The current city is incorporated as a municipality in 1903, and became part of Laguna, but the local government protested, and in 1905, Muntinlupa is returned to Rizal. In 1941, the national penitentiary, the New Bilibid Prison opened in the hilly area of the municipality. Under the Marcos administration, Muntinlupa is included on Metro Manila. Since the opening of the South Luzon Expressway in 1969, the municipality begins to shift from agriculture to business and industry, and the population doubles as migrants from other parts of the Philippines moves there. In 1995, Muntinlupa gained city status.

By bus

Provincial bus

Many provincial buses from southern Luzon terminate at Alabang, while some go past into Pasay or Cubao. Because of rush hour congestion on the Alabang Viaduct, some buses not terminating at Alabang stop over to drop off passengers.
There are two major provincial bus terminals in Alabang, both having connections with city buses and jeepneys. The terminal the bus goes to either of the two depending on the route operator.

• Alabang Bus Terminal

  address: National Road, Alabang
  Bus terminal operated by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA). Buses by ALPS, AB Liner, P&O, and TAWTRANSCO and others terminate here.

• South Station Bus Terminal

  address: Alabang—Zapote Road, Alabang
  Newer bus terminal behind South Station, with covered sheds, and transfers to city buses, jeepneys, and UV Express vans. Buses by Ceres Transport/Gold Star, Dela Rosa, Saint Rose, and Worthy Transport terminate here.

City buses

You can also take city buses if coming within Metro Manila. Many city bus routes terminate at Alabang. Some buses to San Pedro stop at Alabang when shown or signage or passengers list it as their drop-off point.

Bus routes serving Muntinlupa
Route	Termini	Operator	Service area	Notes
Alabang—Lawton via Coastal Road	Festival Alabang (Reinalyn Transport only, during mall hours), South Station (all times); Park N' Ride	Reinalyn Transport, Igan Transport, Alabang Transport Service Cooperative	Muntinlupa, Las Piñas, Parañaque, Manila
Alabang—Malanday via EDSA	Starmall Alabang; Puregold Malanday	CEM Transport; Roval Transport	Muntinlupa, Parañaque, Makati, Mandaluyong, Quezon City, Caloocan, Valenzuela
Pacita—Letre via EDSA	Pacita Complex, Pacita 1, San Pedro, Laguna; Letre Road, Malabon	Worthy Transport, Phil. Tourister Inc.	Muntinlupa, Parañaque, Makati, Mandaluyong, Quezon City, Caloocan, Malabon	Some buses (for Pacita only).
Pacita—Navotas via EDSA	Pacita Complex, Pacita 1, San Pedro, Laguna; Navotas Bus Terminal, C-4 Road, Navotas	Cher Transport, Commuters Transport, Stargreen Transport	Muntinlupa, Parañaque, Makati, Mandaluyong, Quezon City, Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas	Some buses (for Pacita only).
Pacita—Novaliches via EDSA, Paso de Blas (Malinta)	Pacita Complex, Pacita 1, San Pedro, Laguna; Novaliches Proper, Novaliches, Quezon City	Dela Rosa Transit, GPS Transport (Saint Rose)	Muntinlupa, Parañaque, Makati, Mandaluyong, Quezon City	Some buses (for Pacita only).
Pacita—SM Fairview	Pacita Complex, Pacita 1, San Pedro, Laguna; SM City Fairview, Quirino Highway, Greater Lagro, Fairview, Quezon City	Worthy Transport	Muntinlupa, Parañaque, Makati, Mandaluyong, Quezon City	Some buses (for Pacita only).

Airport bus

There are also Airport Loop service reaching Alabang from Ninoy Aquino International Airport; all terminate at the HM Transport terminal south of the government-owned bus terminal beside Starmall Alabang. The one-way fare is around ; Beep cards are accepted as payment, in addition to the usual cash fare.

Point-to-point (P2P) buses

Point-to-point (P2P) express buses also serve Muntinlupa. Fares are twice as the jeepney or city bus, but worth the comfort, with newer, wheelchair-accessible, low-floor buses. Beep cards are also accepted in addition to the usual cash fare.

• RRCG Transport operates P2P services to

  Ayala Malls South Park

  or

  Alabang Town Center

  from Greenbelt. one-way ( for seniors and people with disabilities).
• MetroExpress Connect has services to

  Starmall Alabang

  from Bacoor (Vista Mall Daang Hari) and Dasmariñas (Savemore Salawag) in Cavite, via Daang Hari. one-way ( for seniors and people with disabilities).

By car

The South Luzon Expressway passes through Alabang, with three exits, Sucat, Alabang, Filinvest and Susana Heights/MCX. You may also take the Skyway, which terminates at Alabang. From Cavite, you may take the Daang Hari and/or Muntinlupa—Cavite Expressway (MCX)

By jeepney

Express services

There are a handful of express jeepney services to Muntinlupa, arriving at Alabang. These make less stops than services using surface roads and service frequency is 30 minutes.

• Alabang-Balibago via SLEX - Express service from Target Mall in Santa Rosa to South Station. .
• Alabang-GMA via SLEX – Express service via Carmona or Susana Heights Exit.
• Alabang-Pasay Rotonda – Service from Pasay via South Luzon Expressway (South Superhighway or SSH).

By train

Philippine National Railways (PNR) operates regular commuter rail service to Alabang station, but the ride tend to become stuffy during midday and rush hours. The station is just behind Starmall Alabang, and you may walk through the mall into Filinvest City via the pedestrian overpasses under and across the Alabang Viaduct.

By jeepney

You may also take a jeepney to reach Muntinlupa, but are rather slower than buses, as they have more flexible stops (when passengers request). All jeepney routes in Muntinlupa originate from the transport hub of Alabang, where jeepneys come and go.

Key destinations, usually referred by landmarks (see Philippines#By jeepney), are as follows. Boldface indicates those visible on the front signage:

• Bayanan (at National Road cor. Bautista Street)
• Summitville
• Muntinlupa City Hall, or Munisipyo (in front of Medical Center Muntinlupa)
• Poblacion, or Bayan
• Susana Heights
• SM Center Muntinlupa, or simply SM (some jeepneys terminate here)
• Tunasan (near the Tunasan People's Market at KM 30 National Road)
• RMT (just past St. Peregrine Laziosi Parish and Lyceum of Alabang)

If you board express service jeepneys using SLEX, they will exit at Filinvest City, and you will either get down at Festival Alabang (south wing) or South Station. Jeepney fares are at to any destination in the city due to its sheer size. Routes can be seen on the front and sides of the vehicle.
Filinvest City operates electric jeepneys around key destinations on Alabang.

By car

Muntinlupa's major thoroughfares are limited the National Road (Route 1, though and Alabang—Zapote Road, national roads, but are considered surface streets over the controlled-access and tolled SLEx. SLEX's East and West service roads (both unnumbered) and M.L. Quezon Avenue (Route 142) serves areas north of Alabang, but are narrow and congested, making SLEX the better way around. The city's overall road network is rather poor, due to the radial growth and a lot of side streets and blind corners just worsens the plight of those four roads.
Perhaps, except in Filinvest City or Ayala Alabang, which are relatively car-dependent due to many well-to-do locals there, driving in Muntinlupa is nerve-racking, just like the rest of Metro Manila. As with the rest of Metro Manila, prepare to deal with the many aggressive driving behaviors you may find in the rest of the Philippines, such as motorcycles cutting through you. The numerous shopping malls in the city make it encouranging to drive, but expect costly parking fees (the exception is in SM Center Muntinlupa, where parking has been always free). Elsewhere, parking is scarce, and use public transport instead. Also be aware of the United Vehicle Volume Reduction Program or the "color coding" scheme when driving in Alabang.

By taxi or ride sharing

Taxis or ride-sharing are also available as another option when you want the comfort of car travel. Just find the lines or the booths outside the major malls.

By tricycle

Tricycles are generally used to access areas not served by jeepneys. Pedicabs, a foot-driven version, are used in some barangays, like in Alabang. Tricycle (or pedicab) terminals can be found in major street corners, outside subdivisions, and also at South Station (just next to the jeepneys). Tricycles, however, rarely serve the affluent areas, and they are banned from using the major highways legally, though they still use them due to a lack of alternative routes owing to the city's rather radial growth. Beware also of scams while in the terminal.

As most Muntinlupa is residential suburb, most of the sights are concentrated in Alabang.

Alabang

• Insular Life Corporate Center

  address: Corporate Avenue
  Office complex with glass-covered twin towers. Has a viewing area on the 34th floor.

Outside Alabang

• Jamboree Lake

  address: Insular Prison Road, Poblacion
  Philippines' smallest lake, with a small viewing point.

• Diocesan Shrine of St. Peregrine Laziosi

  address: KM 30 National Road, Tunasan
  1980s era church devoted to St. Peregrine Laziosi.

• Bayanan Baywalk

  address: Bautista Street, Bayanan
  Part of city lakeside development with an elementary school, park and boulevard. Provides a view of Laguna de Bay, but is blocked by kangkong (water spinach) plantations.

Alabang

• Ayala Malls South Park

  address: National Road
  Redeveloped from former Nestle warehouses, it is part of South Park District development, housing condominium towers and a call center building. Opened in 2016, it has fast-food restaurants, a food court, and various shops. Has a Robinsons supermarket and department store.

• Festival Alabang

  address: Filinvest City, Alabang
  Mall constructed as part of the Filinvest City redevelopment. Festival Alabang houses department stores, two supermarkets, two indoor amusement parks, and a variety of restaurants and shops. An expansion area includes a park along the Alabang River.

• New Muntinlupa Public Market

  address: Montillano Street
  Alabang's farmers' and flea market, with tiangges selling dry goods such as clothes and houseware.

• Starmall Alabang

  address: National Road, Alabang
  Has a Robinsons department store and supermarket, a Wellcome supermarket, tiangges, a resort, and numerous fast-food restaurants. The mall includes also a public terminal for various city and provincial buses, jeepneys, and UV Express vans. The mall is also shrouded by ghost mysteries because it lies above a former cemetery.

• Westgate Alabang

  phone: +63 2 846-0278
  address: Commerce Avenue, Alabang
  Features mid to high-end shops and restaurants.

Ayala Alabang

• Alabang Town Center

  address: Alabang-Zapote Road, Ayala Alabang
  Built over where the Boom na Boom amusement park once stood, it is the core of the Ayala Alabang development, with more high-end retailers and restaurants. This mall a Spanish-inspired central park, mostly lined with fine dining restaurants and some shops.

Outside Alabang

• SM Center Muntinlupa

  address: KM 30 National Road, Tunasan
  Small community mall with fast-food restaurants, cinemas, and a few shops. Has a SM Hypermarket and Ace Hardware. Parking is free, and expect the parking lots to be full, especially on weekend sales.

Alabang

• Molito Lifestyle Center

  phone: +63 2 808-6405
  address: Madrigal Ave, Ayala Alabang
  Molito is a luxury lifestyle center that features 5-star restaurants. They have a park-like center area with a small fountain for customers to sit and walk around.

Ayala Alabang

Outside Alabang and Ayala Alabang

• Amber Golden Spoon

  address: National Road, Putatan

• Ho Chai Lai

  address: National Road, Tunasan
  Authentic Chinese cuisine, including dim sum, noodles, and congee.

• PRLAN Cafe

  address: 686 National Road, Poblacion
  Despite its name, it features various Filipino recipes, with an offer for a meal two dishes and one rice. Also has a general store, and three kiosks. Meal starting at .

• Taiyaki

  address: National Road, Poblacion
  Japanese fish-shaped cakes, with a choice of mung bean or custard filling

• Wing Bites

  address: Edna Duran Building, 163-A National Road, Tunasan
  Offers unlimited chicken wings. There are no spoons or forks available, so you can enjoy either eating by hand using plastic gloves or with your bare hands.

Alabang

Alabang has many classy night bars and restaurants.

Outside Alabang

• Picked

  address: KM 30 National Road, Tunasan

Alabang

• The Bellevue Manila

  phone: +63 2-771-8181
  address: North Bridgeway, Northgate Cyberzone, Filinvest Corporate City
  The Bellevue is the only deluxe hotel in the south of Manila, as classified by the Philippine Department of Tourism.

• Parque Espana Residence Hotel

  phone: +63 2-850-5847
  address: 5309 East Asia Drive, Filinvest Corporate City
  Designed for residential living.

• Acacia Hotel Manila

  phone: +63 2 720 2000
  address: 5400 East Asia Drive corner Commerce Avenue
  A/C guestrooms and suites equipped with 40-inch LCD TV, wi-fi access, shower and bathtub. Some of its facilities and services are swimming pool, poolside bar, gym, Wi-Fi in public areas & LAN, restaurant and car park.

• Azumi Botique HotelLuxury hotel not far from the business district, popular among business travelers.

• B Hotel Alabang

  phone: +63 2 828 8181
  address: 2107 Prime St, Madrigal Business Park, Ayala Alabang

• Vivere Hotel

  phone: +63 2 771 7777
  address: 5102 Bridgeway Avenue, Filinvest City, Alabang
  In the middle of Alabang, it is accessible to nearby malls like Festival Mall and Alabang Town Center. It has 200 rooms and suites. The hotel also provides business facilities. One of its main attractions is The Nest, a luxury dining area located at the 31st floor of the hotel.

Outside Alabang

• Hotel Sogo Alabang

  address: National Road, Alabang
  Part of two-star motel chain, often having a reputation as haven for extramarital sex, but can be a cheap option in town. Has air-conditioned rooms with cable TV.

• El Rancho Inn

  phone: +63 2 861 3123
  address: 678 National Road, Tunasan
  Rooms only have air-conditioning and cable TV. There is no hot shower or WiFi available. Slightly as twice the price of Hotel Sogo in Alabang.

With the rest of Metro Manila, crime is a concern. Of major concern is the busy area of Alabang, where pickpockets and bag snatchers are not only the problem, but there are also various criminals, including hold-up robbers, who will rob you at gunpoint, and budol-budol members, who use hypnosis to abet their victims. Beware also of touts in taxis and tricycles, where they may not only rip you off, but in some cases, they may bring you elsewhere. The business districts of Filinvest City and Ayala Alabang may not look as safe as it may seem, so use common sense when bringing valuables, like cell phones, money, and cameras, as they can attract opportunistic thieves.
While not very obvious, most populated areas in Muntinlupa straddle the West Valley Fault, a major fault that can potentially cause a destructive 7.2 earthquake. Earthquake drills, in addition to fire drills, are regularly held in the city.

Muntinlupa is the first city in the Philippines to pass a local law banning single-use plastics since 2011, and that means you must bring at least a reusable bag when shopping in the city. In restaurants, food packaging must be made of recyclable material, but utensils, like spoons, forks, knives and straws are still permitted to be made of plastic. Businesses however are encouraged to use utensils made of reusable and recyclable material. The plastic ban does not cover plastic bags used to handle wet goods, and plastics are still permitted as packaging for wet products.