Muntinlupa City Charter Day in the Philippines Date in the current year: March 1, 2024

Muntinlupa is a highly urbanized city situated in the National Capital Region of the Philippines (Metro Manila). It is the southernmost city of Metro Manila, which has earned it the nickname “the gateway to Calabarzon”. Muntinlupa is also known as “Emerald City” due to its abundance of large green patches, which is unusual for Metropolitan Manila.

There are several versions of the origin of the city’s name. One claims that it derives from the Tagalog expression munting lupa (“little soil”), which is a reference to the thin topsoil in the area. According to another version, Spaniards once encountered a group of locals playing a game of cards and asked them what the name of the place was. The locals said “Monte sa Lupa”, thinking that they were asked about the name of the game they were playing. The third version claims that the name derives from the Spanish word monte (“mountain”), which was expanded to muntinlupa (“mountain land”).

The history of Muntinlupa can be traced back to the Spanish colonial era. In early the 17th century, the lands where the city is now situated were administered by the Augustinians; the original settlement was founded there in 1601. In 1869, these lands were transferred to the state and large individual landowners, and Muntinlupa officially became a municipality in Manila Province.

During the Philippine-American War, the First Philippine Commission reorganized the provincial division of the country. Manila Province, including Muntinlupa, was incorporated into the newly created Province of Rizal.

In October 1902, the municipalities of Muntinlupa and Taguig were merged into the municipality of Pateros. However, Muntinlupa was separated from Pateros and merged into the municipality of Biñan in the province of Laguna in November 1903. Its residents protested the decision and formally petitioned the governor to reverse it and return Muntinlupa to Rizal. In March 1905, Muntinlupa was once again merged with Pateros and Taguig, this time with Taguig as the seat of municipal government.

On January 1, 1918, Muntinlupa finally became an independent municipality. In the early years of World War II, it became the site of the New Bilidip Prison, where the Philippine government interned Japanese nationals living in Manila. During the Japanese occupation, the occupation authorities used it to lock up Filipino political prisoners.

Once the Philippines gained independence, Muntinlupa continued to develop. In 1973, the municipality was transferred from Rizal Province to the newly established Metropolitan Manila. In 1995, the municipality of Muntinlupa was converted into a highly urbanized city. It officially became the 65th city in the Philippines on March 1, 1995.

March 1 was officially designated as Muntinlupa City Charter Day by Republic Act No. 9191, submitted to the Congress on July 22, 2002 and signed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on February 21, 2003. Muntinlupa City Charter Day is a special non-working holiday in the City of Muntinlupa; it is not celebrated in the rest of the country.