MUNTINLUPA, voted Most Business Friendly LGU two years in a row by PCCI, turned 101 years old last week.
Mayor Jaime R. Fresnedi led residents in simple but meaningful day-long activities which started with a Thanksgiving Mass, followed by the inauguration of Muntinlupa’s newest modern health center and culminated in the recognition of Muntinlupa’s outstanding individuals and organizations.
The day marked the separation, in Dec. 19, 1917, of Muntinlupa from Taguig to become an independent town.
Formerly ranked as a fifth-class municipality in the late ‘80s, Muntinlupa eventually metamorphosed into a highly urbanized city in 1995.
Muntinlupa, which I once headed as municipal and later as its first city mayor, now has a population of 504,509.
It is considered as one of the leading cities and investment hubs in the National Capital Region. It is made up nine equally progressive barangays.
Awardees for this year’s celebration included: National Artist for Architecture Francisco Mañosa, former Senator and Congressman Rodolfo “Pong” Biazon, Victory Alabang, Inter Continental Development Corporation and Madrigal Properties.
Earlier in the day, Fresnedi inaugurated a two-storey health center in Laguerta, Barangay Tunasan, which will house the city’s HIV Testing Center. The health center is the latest development on what used to be the town’s dumping ground.
The new community is now home to a housing village, a child center, a secondary school facility, government offices and commercial establishments.
Over the years, Muntinlupa has garnered several awards and citations from various governing bodies, including (among many others) Most Business-Friendly City Award (2001, 2002, 2017, 2018), Most Child-Friendly City in NCR, Green Banner Award, Outstanding LGU in Nutrition Program, Meralco Luminaries Award, various ISO certifications, and Seal of Good Local Governance.
Grade 7 “Science Guru” receives double awards in Malaysia
During a recent reunion with my former staff at the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS), former OPS USEC Robert T. Rivera and his wife Elyza could not contain their jubilation at the latest triumph of their son, Robert Jeremiah Rivera.
And rightly so.
Robert Jeremiah , 13, a Grade 7 student at Southville International School and Colleges, was one of few students who made it to the International Science Competition in Malaysia last Nov. 24-27.
Robert Jeremiah participated in two categories: 1: The Junior Team Competition – where he earned a Bronze, together with his two Vietnamese teammates and 2: The Junior Individual Competition, where he bagged Silver.
Notably, Robert Jeremiah competed against much older students and only two points separated him from the Gold.
Recently, he was also awarded as the top Grade 7 student, joining Fifteen Filipino Science Wizards at International Competition and Assessment for Schools in Science held at the University of South Wales, Australia last May 25, 2018.
Rivera is currently preparing for his upcoming local and international competitions. He hopes to join other premier academic competitions abroad like the World Scholar’s Cup, which was earlier successfully participated in by his elder brother, Stan Rivera.
Just last week, Jeremiah was declared Spelling Bee and Quiz Bee Champion during the inter-branch competition of Southville International School and College.
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