Villar-led group gains extended TRO in legal conflict with BF Resort Village HOA

In the City of Las Piñas, there is this ongoing legal battle between the BF Resort Village Homeowners Association, Inc. (BFRVHAI) and a group of residents led by Senator Cynthia Villar with regards to a certain bridge and access into the village in relation to the Las Piñas City Friendship Route (note: for the background of the conflict, click here). More recently, the Villar-led group gained temporary advantage in at the Las Piñas Regional Trial Court (Las Piñas RTC), according to a Manila Standard news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Standard report. Some parts in boldface…

Officials of the BF Resort Village Homeowners Association, Inc. (BFRVHAI) lost another round in their legal fight with a group of like-minded Las Piñas residents led by Sen. Cynthia Villar over the opening of a particular street to the general public.

This developed after the Las Pinas Regional Trial Court (RTC) extended to 20 days ending on Oct. 9, 2022 its initial 72-hour temporary restraining order (TRO) issued on September 19 granted to Villar’s camp.

Meanwhile, the court set arguments for the issuance of a preliminary writ of injunction on Sept. 27-30.

The TRO as petitioned by Villar’s group prohibits the implementation of the new village traffic scheme whereby Onelia Jose St. inside the BF Resort Village (BFRV) would be open to the public as classified under the so-called Las Pinas Friendship Route.

Villar, a resident of BFRV since 1976, along with Rommel Dela Cruz and Virgilio Hernandez filed last Sept. 19 the petition for prohibition and mandamus with application for TRO and/or Preliminary Injunction against the BFRVHAI and its officers specifically Euan Rex Toralballa, Michael Roxas, and Angelo Ted Diesmos, among others.

The Petition seeks to enjoin the respondents from enforcing the new BFRVHAI administration’s traffic scheme and instead comply with the local ordinances on Las Piñas Friendship Route,” said Villar.

“This include allowing Las Piñas City resident-holders of Friendship Route stickers to freely access and pass through the street, roads, avenues and thoroughfares declared to be part of the ‘Friendship Route’ in BFRV under the local ordinances,” she added.

The court found urgency issue a 72-hour TRO to prevent further damage, such as travel costs, productivity, wasted fuel and economic activity slow down to the city residents.

As early as 1995, the city government issued an ordinance directing developers and homeowners associations in Las Piñas to open and allow the public to freely use their streets as alternative routes (so called “Friendship Route”) to ease or decongest traffic along Alabang-Zapote Road and other main streets in Las Piñas, and imposing penalty for any violation.

The ordinance and the subsequent ordinances that followed, particularly City Ordinance No. 715 series of 2006, enumerated the specific streets and roads in every subdivision, village or compound that are covered by the “Friendship Route”.

The BFRV has ten such streets, including Onelia Jose that are part of the “Friendship Route”.

The controversy arose last July 24 after the newly-installed village administration posted security guards at the Onelia Jose St. who prevented Las Piñas resident-holders of the “Friendship” stickers to freely use the Onelia Jose St. that connects to the Zapote River Drive leading to CAVITEX and the bridge that leads to Bacoor, Cavite at a shorter distance.

Under the new traffic scheme implemented, non-BFRV residents, even if they are Las Piñas residents and holders of friendship stickers, will only be allowed entry and exit via Onelia Jose St. by BFRVHAI if they will buy BFRV sticker worth P2,500 per vehicle.

The move by the BFRVHAI’s new administration allegedly created confusion and protests from many Las Piñas residents of other subdivisions and villages since they have been enjoying their right of free access to the friendship route since 1995.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a Las Piñas City resident, what is your reaction to this recent development? Do you constantly travel into or through BF Resort Village? If your vehicle has a valid Friendship Route sticker and you need to go to Cavite, is BF Resort Village your primary path for passing through? If you are BF Resort Village resident, what is your opinion about the ongoing legal battle between the HOA and the group of Senator Villar?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. If you want to support my website, please consider making a donation. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/.

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

Motorists who use friendship route stickers of Las Piñas City are not exempted from the number coding scheme in the city

In the city of Las Piñas, Mayor Imelda Aguilar went on the record stating that motorists who use vehicles that have the city government-issued friendship route stickers are not exempted at all from the number coding scheme that is implemented locally, the Manila Bulletin reported.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…

The city government of Las Piñas has clarified that vehicles with friendship route stickers are not exempted from the expanded number coding scheme being implemented by the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

Mayor Imelda Aguilar said vehicles with friendship route stickers are only for use inside subdivisions during the number coding scheme and not along the Alabang-Zapote Road.

Aguilar advised all motorists that the city prohibits vehicles with license plates ending in numbers in 1 and 2 on Mondays, 3 and 4 on Tuesdays, 5 and 6 on Wednesdays, 7 and 8 on Thursdays, and 9 and 0 on Fridays from 7-10 a.m. and 5-8 p.m.

She also said vehicles exempted from the ban are public utility vehicles (including tricycles), transport network vehicle services, motorcycles, garbage trucks, fuel trucks, marked government vehicles, fire trucks, ambulances, marked media vehicles, and motor vehicles carrying essential and/or perishable goods.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a Las Piñas City resident, how do you feel about this recent development? Do you think that it is only fair that the city’s friendship route stickers do not really provide motorists exemption from the number coding traffic scheme?  

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

Las Piñas City Government issues advisory about fake Friendship Route stickers and the scammers selling them

For those of you who heard about the recent developments about the Friendship Route stickers of the City of Las Piñas, be aware that the City Government declared that such stickers are absolutely NOT FOR SALE, as reported by the Manila Bulletin.

That being said, there are scammers who are selling illegal versions of the Friendship Route stickers to motorists who are eager to acquire them so that they can move better around the city. Those who engage in the selling fake Friendship Route stickers can get themselves into trouble according to city regulations. Clearly the only way for motorists to acquire legitimate Friendship Route stickers is through the City Government by means of applying online.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…

The Las Pinas City government advised motorists, who are using public or private roads as alternative routes to ease or decongest traffic along the main thoroughfares in the city, not to deal with unscrupulous persons selling fake friendship route stickers.

The city government issued the advisory after a fake Las Pinas City government account was created, selling fake friendship stickers for P600 to P,1000.

The city government reiterated its call to motorists who wish to avail of a free friendship route sticker to visit the link bit.ly/LPCFriendshipStickerApp.

Persons caught selling fake friendship route stickers will be slapped with a fine of P3,000 to P5,000, according to city officials.

The city government issued on March 17 guidelines on how to apply for the friendship route stickers.

It said the vehicle’s official receipt (OR) and Certificate of Registration (CR) of the owner should be registered with Las Piñas address.

Las Pinas residents can still avail of the stickers even as their vehicle is not registered in the city by just showing driver’s license or any other documents that will prove that the applicant is a city resident.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City who still has yet to acquire a legitimate Friendship Route sticker from the City Government, have you applied already online? If you did, how was the experience of the online application? If you ever spot someone selling fake Friendship Route stickers, would you report them to the local authorities?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

Las Piñas Traffic Enforcers Retrained, Friendship Route Hours Set for Extension

The City Government of Las Piñas announced that all traffic enforcers recently completed a two-day retraining seminar on discipline and proper conduct and behavior in the performance of their duties. The retraining was meant to help them effectively perform the strict implementation of traffic rules and regulations.

The retraining sessions conducted focused on lectures and there was also a workshop aimed to enhance competence and professionalism among the city traffic enforcers, particularly on decorum in the apprehension, issuance of citation tickets, and proper hand signal in manning the road.

The refresher course for the city’s one hundred and eighty traffic enforcers was ordered by Mayor Imelda T. Aguilar which was issued to the City Traffic Management Office (CTMO), in coordination with the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

Mayor Aguilar expressed hope that the retraining would enlighten the city traffic enforcers of their duties and responsibilities in properly dealing with motorists and the commuters. She warned, however, that they would face the full force of the law if they fail to perform their responsibilities.

“Traffic enforcer officials must abide with the traffic laws as mandated, and conduct proper behavior in dealing with the motorists to ensure the safety of commuters, car owners and the riding public,” Mayor Aguilar stated.

The mayor, who added law enforcement agencies, believes that traffic enforcement, in addition to reducing fatalities associated with automobile collisions, might also reduce the incidence of public order crimes.

“There are some proof that the presence of traffic enforcement officers may reduce certain types of crime, assure road safety thereby improving the quality of life for residents,” Aguilar added.

New Friendship Route Hours Starting December 1

With the Christmas season approaching, Mayor Aguilar announced the extension of the number of hours the Friendship Route may be used with the intention of decongesting the major roads of the city.

Effective December 1, 2019, the Friendship Route will be open to motorists from 4AM up to 12 midnight. The planned adjustment will last until January 6, 2020.

For the newcomers reading this, the Friendship Route of Las Piñas City is composed of alternate roadways to ease congestion in the major and secondary roads. The Friendship Route City Ordinance contains a complete list of the roads. Photocopies of the said ordinance can be made at City Hall.