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Las Piñas
Highly urbanized city
City of Las Piñas
Left to right from top: Las Piñas City Hall, Alabang–Zapote Road, Bamboo Organ, Plaza Rizal Las Piñas
Seal
Nickname:  Home of the Bamboo Organ
Motto(s):  Las Piñas, Our Home
Map of Metro Manila with Las Piñas highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Las Piñas Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 14°27′N 120°59′E / 14.45°N 120.98°E / 14.45; 120.98
Country	Philippines
Region	National Capital Region
Province	none
District	Lone district
Founded	1762 or 1797
Annexation to Parañaque	October 12, 1903
Chartered	March 27, 1907
Cityhood and HUC	March 26, 1997
Barangays	20 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Panlungsod
• Mayor	Imelda Aguilar (NP)
• Vice Mayor	April T. Aguilar-Nery (NP)
• Representative	Camille Lydia A. Villar (NP)
• Councilors	List 1st District Filemon C. Aguilar III Oscar C. Peña Rex H. Riguera Alfredo L. Miranda Florante S. Dela Cruz Julio L. Balanag 2nd District Manola Ayala Luis I. Bustamante Ruben C. Ramos Danilo V. Hernandez Ignacio B. Sangga Bonifacio C. Riguera ABC President Restituto L. Martinez SK Federation President Jez G. Dela Cruz
• Electorate	291,074 voters (2022)
Area [2]
• Total	32.69 km2 (12.62 sq mi)
Elevation	25 m (82 ft)
Highest elevation	119 m (390 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population  (2020 census)[3]
• Total	606,293
• Density	19,000/km2 (48,000/sq mi)
• Households	156,899
Demonym	Las Piñero
Economy
• Income class	1st city income class
• Poverty incidence	1.69 % (2018)[4]
• Revenue	₱ 3,532 million (2020)
• Assets	₱ 10,511 million (2020)
• Expenditure	₱ 2,519 million (2020)
• Liabilities	₱ 3,603 million (2020)
Service provider
• Electricity	Manila Electric Company (Meralco)
• Water	Maynilad Water Services
Time zone	UTC+08:00 (PST)
ZIP code	1740–1752
PSGC	137601000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)02
Native languages	Tagalog
Website	laspinascity.gov.ph

Las Piñas, officially the City of Las Piñas (Filipino: Lungsod ng Las Piñas), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 606,293 people.^[3]

Las Piñas was sixth in MoneySense Philippines "Best Places To Live" report in 2008.^[5] Attractions include Evia Lifestyle Center, SM Southmall, Robinsons Place Las Piñas and Las Piñas - Parañaque Wetland Park.

Etymology

The story about the true origin of the city's name, "Las Piñas", varies. One version mentioned, that traders from the province of Cavite and Batangas shipped their first piñas (Spanish for pineapples) for sale to this town before they were distributed to nearby markets. Another version related that it was "Las Peñas" (the rocks), evident by the quarrying of stones and adobe which were used to construct buildings and bridges. The old church bell from St. Joseph Parish Church founded by Diego Cera has been preserved inside the church museum. An inscription on the bell states, "Siendo cura del pueblo de Laspeñas el M.R.P. Padre Diego Cera se fundió este equilón año de 1820," showing that even during the time of Diego Cera, the town's first parish priest, the town was called "Las Peñas", for some time and eventually was renamed "Las Piñas".^[6]

History

Spanish colonial era

Las Piñas was one of the earliest fishing settlements on the shores of Manila Bay. It was proclaimed as a province of Manila either in 1762 or 1797. Agustin,^[7] a Spanish historian, and Fr. Juan de Medina^[8] placed it at 1762. Las Piñas was formerly called "Las Pilas" due to its separation from Parañaque due to tribal conflicts. On the other hand, Manuel Buzeta recorded the date at 1797.^[9] Felix Timbang was the first gobernadorcillo in 1762, while Mariano Ortiz was the first municipal president of the town of Las Piñas.^[10]

Las Piňas is famous for its Bamboo Organ, which was built by Fr. Diego Cera and completed in 1824. In 1880, the city experienced an outbreak of cholera and smallpox leading to the loss of many lives. Years later, Las Piňas also became a central battleground between Spanish and Philippine forces during the Philippine Revolution.^[11]

The town of Las Piñas was also a major war theater during the 1896 Philippine Revolution, as it was occupied by forces of General Emilio Aguinaldo.

American invasion era

In 1901, the municipality of Las Piñas, previously a part of the province of Manila, was incorporated to the newly created province of Rizal pursuant to the Philippine Commission Act No. 137. On October 12, 1903, in accordance with Act No. 942, it was combined with the town of Parañaque, with the latter as the seat of a new municipal government.^[12]

It was separated from Parañaque to become an independent municipality again on March 27, 1907, by virtue of Philippine Commission Act No. 1625.^[13]

Japanese occupation era

The town was occupied by the Japanese during World War II and liberated by the combined American and Filipino forces.

Philippine independence

On November 7, 1975, through Presidential Decree No. 824, Las Piñas was excised from the province of Rizal to form Metro Manila. Las Piñas became one of the municipalities making up the region.^[14]

In the 1980s, economic growth erupted due to the advent of the construction of Coastal Road. Las Piñas currently serves as the proper gateway to Calabarzon.^[11]

In the 1990s, Las Piñas was known for its rampant illegal drug trade.^[15][16] In an October 1989 privileged speech, Senator Ernesto F. Herrera shared the National Bureau of Investigation's findings that an estimated 40% of Las Piñas' police force was connected with a drug cartel.^[17] In 1995, then-Councilor Yoyoy Villame criticized the town's image as the "Drug Capital of the Philippines",^[18] while NCR Command Director Job Mayo alleged upon his appointment in early 1996 that the town's police force had the most drug-dependent police officers in the metropolis.^[19]

Cityhood

On February 12, 1997, President Fidel V. Ramos signed the bill which elevated Las Piñas from municipality into a city. A plebiscite held a month after approved the city status by its residents, and Las Piñas became the 10th city of Metro Manila on March 26, 1997.^[20]

Geography

Las Piñas is bounded to the northeast by Parañaque; to the southeast by Muntinlupa; to the west by Bacoor; to the southwest by Dasmariñas; and to the northwest by 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 the Guadalupe Plateau.

Climate

Districts and barangays

Las Piñas is politically subdivided into 20 barangays. These barangays are grouped into two legislative districts, each with its own set of representatives in the city council. District 1 comprises the northwestern half of the city while District 2, the remaining half.

Demographics