Muntinlupa City @ 31: A reflection on systems, service, and people
Published Mar 16, 2026 12:05 am
|
Updated Mar 15, 2026 02:50 pm
If you had been at the newly refurbished Muntinlupa Sports Center during Muntinlupa’s 31st cityhood anniversary, you would have felt it right away — this wasn’t just another program with speeches and plaques. It felt more like a reunion of an entire ecosystem.
City officials, councilors, barangay leaders, DepEd and court representatives, uniformed services, business owners, community groups, homeowners associations — all in one room, all looking back at how far we’ve come and quietly asking, “What’s next for us?”
A mayor’s message: Systems before slogans
Mayor Ruffy Biazon opened the celebration with a State of the City Address (SOCA) anchored on a simple but powerful compass: “Muntinlupeño First.”
No frills. No theatrics. Just a steady reminder that governance must rest on systems, evidence, and the careful stewardship of public funds. Progress, he said, is impossible without trust — and trust is earned through discipline.
A congressman’s view: Local dreams, national levers
Then came Congressman Jaime R. Fresnedi’s Ulat sa Bayan.
If Biazon spoke of systems, Fresnedi spoke of scale — how national policy can reinforce local priorities. After nearly two decades as mayor, Fresnedi now works from Congress to secure what cities like ours need: stronger education, better healthcare, sturdier infrastructure, and real disaster preparedness. His message was clear: local momentum becomes national strength when both levels move in the same direction.
Honoring the partners who keep the engine running
The celebration also paused to recognize the people and institutions that quietly keep Muntinlupa’s fiscal heart beating.
• Ten top taxpayers were honored — the ones who help ensure the city remains financially strong.
• Three companies were cited for meeting the 70–30 hiring rule, making sure
Muntinlupeños fill at least 70 percent of their workforce. Cityhood, after all, must translate into livelihood.
A park that teaches discipline the fun way
Earlier that morning, Muntinlupeños opened the Muntinlupa Road Safety Park in Tunasan
— a 3,140-square-meter learning space built with the Department of Transportation. It’s a miniature city: bike lanes, road networks, traffic lights, pedestrian crossings. A place where children can learn road discipline and safety long before they face real traffic. It’s playful, yes — but it’s also a quiet investment in shaping responsible citizens.
A coherent story of shared work
When you put all these pieces together, a narrative emerges:
• Biazon is building systems.
• Fresnedi is securing national reinforcement.
• The private sector is stepping up as a true partner.
Continuity and renewal — that’s the story of Muntinlupa City at 31. Evidence-based governance, legislative support, and shared responsibility remain Muntinlupa City’s pillars.
The challenge ahead is simple but demanding: Keep “Muntinlupeño First” alive — in every decision, every law, every budget.
Footnote from an old hand
As I listened to both reports, I couldn’t help but drift back to the day we first pushed for cityhood — when Muntinlupa was still a 5th class municipality with big dreams and limited means. That journey, which began decades ago, has brought us to the highly urbanized, business-friendly city we see today. And seeing the next generation carry the torch — with discipline, vision, and heart — is a reward in itself. ([email protected])