MUNTINLUPA
The origin of the name �Muntinlupa� came from at least
three versions. First, its association with the thin topsoil in the
area�thus the term Muntinlupa. Second, residents, purportedly replying
to a question by Spaniards in the 16th century what the name of their
place was, said �Monte sa Lupa��apparently mistaking the question for
what card game they were playing. Third, the topographical nature of the
area, where the term Monte or mountain was expanded to Muntinlupa or
mountain land.
Some documents suggest that the first and third versions of Muntinlupa
and Monte sa Lupa respectively eventually became Muntinlupa either
through misspelling or mispronunciation. But no record to date can
firmly establish which of the three versions is historically correct.
Muntinlupa is an old term, which refers to a village now known as the
Poblaci�n. As early as 1800, the Catholic priest Father Joaqu�n de Z��iga chronicled it as
la poblaci�n que sigue se llama Muntinlupa.
As early as 1601, Muntinlupa was under the religious supervision of the
Augustinians. The religious education of the residents was under the
convent of the Guadalupe Sanctuary until one Quijano Bustamante bought
from the residente the land of Muntinlupa. In 1869, the project of
forming a town out of the barrios of Muntinlupa was approved by the
Civil Government.
In 1901, Muntinlupa was one of the districts of Morong. On November 25,
1903, by Act 1008 of the Philippine Commission, the Municipality of
Muntinlupa was included within the boundary of Laguna Province and
placed under Bi�an along with San Pedro. Muntinlupa protested against
this Act, through Marcelo Fresnedi, the head of the Municipality.
A petition to the Governor General for the return of Muntinlupa to Rizal
Province, was heard and granted through Act 1308 and duly approved on
March 22, 1905. Muntinlupa was returned to Rizal and became, with
Pateros, a part of Taguig from which it was eventually separated because
of its physical distance.
The residents later
petitioned the government for an independent status of the Municipality
which granted under Executive Order 108 dated December 19, 1917 with the
approval of Governor General Francis Burton Harrison which took effect
on January 1, 1918.
Vidal Joaquin, a native of Alabang, served as the first appointed mayor
in 1918 while the first elected mayor was Melencio Espeleta.
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