Muntinlupa City partners with DOST, UP-IPB to train communities on hydroponics, provides free seeds and seedlings to promote urban farming

The City Government of Muntinlupa, through the Extension Services Office (formerly Department of Agriculture – Muntinlupa), launched its “Gulayan sa Lungsod ng Muntinlupa” program and has partnered with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and University of the Philippines Institute of Plant Breeding (UP-IPB) for the training of communities on innovative farming technologies and to promote urban agriculture.

ESO acting chief Malou Lobo said the city aims to revive urban agriculture and urban farming as a response to augment food security amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Lobo said the City Government has partnered with DOST and UP-IPB for the conduct of SNAP Hydroponics Training, an innovative farming technology, to two pilot communities in Brgy. Sucat.

She noted that the urban site in Doña Rosario Heights serves as the city’s Urban Model Farm while the farming site in Paradise Garden community is the city’s Communal Model Farm which is being managed by the 4P’s (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program) beneficiaries. Recently, the DOST donated 200 S.N.A.P (Simple Nutrient Addition Program) Kit Solutions for Hydroponics to the City Government and were distributed to pilot communities.

This project brought Muntinlupa back to its agricultural roots. (source – Muntinlupa PIO)

DA-ESO is working with 12 Home Owners Associations, three (3) Cooperatives, and six (6) Youth Organizations for the urban agriculture initiative. The agriculture department conducts regular urban farming site visitations, online trainings and monitoring of communities to ensure the sustainability of the program.

As of October 2020, at least 2,224 packs of vegetable seeds, 5,302 vegetable seedlings, and 118 liters of organic fertilizers were distributed to the different communities through the Sustainable Nutrition Augmentation Program.

Further, DA-ESO provides free seeds and seedlings to the public to further promote backyard farming. Residents and urban farmer may need to register via DA-ESO Facebook Page fb.com/daeso.muntinlupa.

Recipients will be asked to coordinate and send documentation of their progress to DA-ESO for monitoring. The department commits to provide recommendations and trainings to the recipients to help them grow their crops.

DA-ESO also launched Balitang Agri, a series of educational shows demonstrating proper ways of planting vegetable crops, as part of the department’s information campaign. Balitang Agri covers topics which include plant culture, soil groups, composting, and agricultural marketing, among others. For more information, visit DA-ESO Facebook Page or reach them at 5th Floor, Annex Building, City Government of Muntinlupa with tel. nos. 8861-6498 / 8861-3042.

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Latest City Government of Muntinlupa details sourced from their official media release. Some parts were edited for this website.

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POPCOM-NCR, Muntinlupa City sign MOU on enhancement of local development planning

The City Government of Muntinlupa formally entered into a partnership with the Commission on Population and Development-NCR to enhance the city’s planning process through the integration of population and development (PopDev) interrelationships and dynamics. 

Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi signed a Memorandum of Understanding with POPCOM-NCR Director Lydio M. Español, Jr. and other local execs at Muntinlupa City Hall on October 14.

Also joining the ceremony were POPCOM-NCR ARD Joyce Hilvano and Accountant Samuel Bicaldo, City Administrator Engr. Allan A. Cachuella, City Planning and Development Officer Alvin Veron, and City Health Officer Dra. Tet Tuliao.

The Commission on Population and Development-NCR partners with the local government of Muntinlupa to enhance the local planning process last October 14. (L-R) POPCOM-NCR Accountant Samuel Bicaldo, City Administrator Engr. Allan A. Cachuella, City Planning and Development Officer Alvin Veron, Mayor Jaime Fresnedi, City Health Officer Dra. Tet Tuliao, POPCOM-NCR Director Lydio M. Español, Jr., and POPCOM-NCR ARD Joyce Hilvano. (source – Muntinlupa PIO)

The partnership aims to enhance the city’s Ecological Profile (EP) to ensure evidence-based development planning and integration of people’s actual needs and aspirations in the local development plan.

Under the MOU, POPCOM-NCR shall provide technical assistance to the City Government for the identification of population and development indicators that can be integrated in the EP to ensure comprehensiveness of local demographic and critical socio-economic indicators to be used as bases for development planning.

The Commission shall also mentor LGU personnel to develop a model of good practices for PopDev mentoring approaches at the local level.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi extended his gratitude to POPCOM-NCR for their commitment in assisting the city towards achieving sustainable and data-informed development.

Following the MOU signing ceremony, POPCOM-NCR execs turned over the commission’s donation composed of sets of personal protective equipment for local medical frontliners.

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Latest City Government of Muntinlupa details sourced from their official media release. Some parts were edited for this website.

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COVID-19 Crisis: New 144-bed ‘We Heal As One’ quarantine facility opens in Muntinlupa City

A new “We Heal As One” quarantine facility for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients and suspect cases in Muntinlupa City was formally opened in Barangay Tunasan yesterday. The 144-bed quarantine facility has been constructed by the Department of Public Works and Highways in partnership with the local government of Muntinlupa.

DPWH Secetary Mark Villar, Department of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, and Mayor Jaime Fresnedi led the blessing ceremony of the emergency quarantine facility amounting to P45-million in Pacwood Site, Brgy. Tunasan.

(L-R) DPWH Secretary Mark Villar, Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi, and DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade inspected the newly constructed “We Heal As One” isolation facility in Pacwood Site, Brgy. Tunasan last October 13. DPWH and Muntinlupa LGU have converted 36 units of shipping containers as isolation rooms for positive COVID-19 patients, suspect and probable cases, and quarters of medical frontliners who will serve in the facility. Each room has a comfort room, air-conditioning unit, and bed supplies. Residents who will occupy the isolation rooms will receive a COVID-19 essentials bag consisting of a hygiene kit, vitamins, medicine, thermometer, bedsheet, pillow blanket, and towels, among others. (source – Muntinlupa PIO)

Fresnedi extended his gratitude to DPWH’s assistance for the construction of the additional isolation facility in the city which he notes as an augmentation in the local COVID-19 response efforts.

Also attending the ceremony were Office of Civil Defense Asec Hernando Caraig Jr., City Administrator Allan Cachuela, City Health Officer Dra. Teresa Tuliao, and CHO Isolation Facility Administrator Dr. Juancho Bunyi.

DPWH and Muntinlupa LGU have converted 36 units of shipping containers as isolation pods for positive COVID-19 patients, suspect and probable cases, and quarters of medical frontliners who will serve in the facility.

Each room has a comfort room, air-conditioning unit, and bed supplies. A wi-fi connection will also be installed in the facility. Residents who will occupy the isolation rooms will receive a COVID-19 essentials bag consisting of a hygiene kit, vitamins, medicine, thermometer, bedsheet, pillow blanket, and towels, among others.

The units.
Inside a unit.
A toiled and sink.

The City Government of Muntinlupa is implementing a mandatory self-isolation policy, or admission to city isolation facilities if requirements for home quarantine are not met as certified by the City Health Office (CHO), for anyone who have undergone COVID-19 swab testing.

The stringent measure aims to restrict movement of suspect cases and prevent possible carriers of the virus to travel and infect other individuals.

During the program, Public Works Sec. Villar reported that an additional quarantine facility with 200-bed capacity will be constructed in the Filinvest Tent Parking Area.

Transportation Sec. Tugade lauded the City Government’s hard work in executing surveillance, isolation, and treatment protocols, and its efforts towards the fight against COVID-19.

Further, he said that the city’s request for the opening of Susana Heights – MCX Access Road has been approved by the DPWH and DOTr and is expected to be accessible by December.

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Latest City Government of Muntinlupa details sourced from their official media release. Some parts were edited for this website.

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Rotary Club Taiwan and Muntinlupa City Government Donate Two Hemodialysis Units to Ospital ng Muntinlupa


(From left to right) Mayor Jaime Fresnedi and Ospital ng Muntinlupa director Dr. Edwin Dimatatac received the donation from Rotary Club of Muntinlupa North IPP Avelet Bautista and Perfect Vision President (PVP) Catherine S. Lopez. (source – Muntinlupa City PIO)

Yesterday, the Rotary Club of Taoyuan North District 3502-Taiwan and Rotary Club of Muntinlupa North District 3830 have donated two hemodialysis units to Ospital ng Muntinlupa. City Mayor Jaime Fresnedi expressed his gratitude to Rotary for the donation and noted it will augment the city’s health services amid the pandemic. Present during the ceremony were Rotary Club of Muntinlupa North IPP Avelet Bautista, Perfect Vision President (PVP) Catherine S. Lopez, Rotary Club of Muntinlupa North PVP Chito Ruiz, KC Costiniano, Ms. Rose Morada and PE Meo Quintana.

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Latest City Government of Muntinlupa details sourced from their official media release. Some parts were edited for this website.

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COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City Government turns over 2,557 laptops, 28 photocopiers to public school teachers

The City Government of Muntinlupa provided laptops and photocopiers for public school teachers in a bid to help them adapt to distance learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi led a ceremonial turn-over ceremony of the first batch of 2,557 laptops and 28 photocopiers to Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Dominico Idanan and other school principals yesterday.

All Muntinlupa public school teachers in elementary, junior and senior high schools, including school heads, will each receive a brandnew laptop with specifications prescribed by the Department of Education.

Public schools are also set to receive photocopiers to aid in the printing of modules for the distance learning modality being implemented in the “new normal” of education in the country.


Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi (4th from left) leads a ceremonial turn-over ceremony of 2,557 laptops and 28 photocopiers for public school teachers to Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Dominico Idanan (3rd from left) and other school principals last October 8. The local government of Muntinlupa will also provide tablets to public school students in the coming weeks in a bid to help them adapt to distance learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (source – Muntinlupa PIO)

“The City Government of Muntinlupa will continue to support our teachers and students to adapt to the changes of the education system, no one will be left behind. We will ensure that everyone can access all kinds of learning modalities whether online or offline,” Fresnedi said.

Further, students who are in need will also receive tablets to help them access online learning resources. The City Government awaits the delivery of the devices to be distributed to the students. Fresnedi added that the city’s scholarship program will continue to be a priority of the City Government.

Muntinlupa Scholarship Program (MSP) acting chief Alvin Veron assured the public of the continuity of the local government’s scholarship program despite academic calendar shift and changes in teaching modalities.

The scholarship program chief said MSP will synchronize its services with the new academic calendar and noted that there will be adjustments with the distribution of allowance. MSP also plans to implement a cashless disbursement of scholarship allowance starting with Senior High School students.

Muntinlupa City offers a comprehensive educational assistance program with over 71,000 scholars in elementary to college, including technical-vocational, graduate, law and medicine schools.

Elementary and alternative learning system students in Muntinlupa receive an allowance of up to P4,000 per year. For junior high school students, the local government provides up to P5,000, while senior high school students receive up to P6,000 per year.

Further, State Universities and Colleges students, including beneficiaries of Continuing Assistance for Reintegrating Students Program, receive a maximum incentive of up to P10,000 per semester depending on their academic performance. Other cash assistance are given to different scholarship categories.

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Latest City Government of Muntinlupa details sourced from their official media release. Some parts were edited for this website.

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COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City releases zero-interest loan to micro entrepreneurs

The official photo release. (source – Muntinlupa PIO)

Muntinlupa City Mayor Jaime Fresnedi turned over the P1.3 million zero-interest loan assistance to Tulong Negosyo Batch 117 representatives, dubbed as “Muntipreneurs,” last October 6 in a bid to help local businesses recover from the economic disruption brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

70 micro entrepreneurs were provided with the loan assistance this month. Tulong Negosyo caters to MSMEs and provides micro finance assistance which ranges from P2,000 up to P150,000 depending on the business capital ceiling and payment record of beneficiaries. Muntinlupa City is the first LGU to introduce the micro-financing program. Fresnedi vows to continue the program and assist Muntipreneurs especially in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Latest City Government of Muntinlupa details sourced from their official media release. Some parts were edited for this website.

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Virtual Job Fair in Muntinlupa Accomplished

The City Government of Muntinlupa, through the Public Employment Service Office, organized a virtual job fair this past October 2 with over 63 job vacancies offered from Southbend Express Services Inc.

Job application and other processes done via computer.

PESO Muntinlupa chief Glenda Zamora-Aniñon said at least 32 job seekers participated in the virtual job fair. Aniñon noted that the city government will continue to launch digital innovations in local employment services to adapt in the “new normal.” Recently, PESO Muntinlupa introduced an online registration system for applicants and virtual learning sessions for job-seekers in the city.

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Latest City Government of Muntinlupa details sourced from their official media release. Some parts were edited for this website.

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COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa records slowing down of COVID-19 transmission, residents urged to continually observe minimum health protocols

A downward trend is gradually seen in Muntinlupa City as the local health office records significant reduction of active cases and slowing down of “doubling time” or the rate of transmission in the communities. Despite the improvement, the City Government urges the public not to be complacent but to continue observing minimum health protocols.

Muntinlupa City Health Officer Dra. Teresa Tuliao noted that as of September 30, there are only 213 active cases in the city from 768 cases in the beginning of the month. She said the doubling time is currently at 16.50 days and the recovery rate has further improved to 91.67%, an all-time high since the start of the pandemic.

Doubling time refers to the number of days for COVID-19 cases to double in number. The standard rate of transmission should be at 7-30 days to be considered decelerating. Tuliao said the improvement can be accounted to the city’s holistic approach in curbing COVID-19 which include surveillance-isolation-treatment strategies, intensified targeted mass testing, and contact tracing, among others.

Muntinlupa City Health Office has conducted swab tests to at least 16,777 residents as of September 30 which is equivalent to 3.10% of the city’s population. The city surpassed the national target of testing two percent of the population.

Recently, the local City Council also passed City Ordinance 2020-126 ordering the mandatory self-isolation, or admission to city isolation facilities if requirements for home quarantine are not met as certified by the City Health Office (CHO), for anyone who have undergone COVID-19 swab testing.

Hospitals, healthcare facilities, and similar establishments providing laboratory and diagnostic services were also mandated to submit daily COVID-19 related data to the local public health authority for disease surveillance and response.

Further, Muntinlupa City’s molecular diagnostics laboratory and a new mega quarantine facility are set to open next week.

Ospital ng Muntinlupa (OsMun) director Dr. Edwin Dimatatac announced the development during the Better New Normal in Munti” second virtual town hall meeting via Zoom app held on September 30 that was organized by the Muntinlupa Public Information Office headed by Tez Navarro.

Dimatatac said the construction of the OsMun’s Molecular Laboratory and delivery of medical equipment are expected to be finished by next week. The laboratory is located at the Saklolo at Gabay ng Ina at Pamilya (SAGIP) building at the back of the hospital in Alabang.

Muntinlupa City aims to operate two polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machines at the laboratory which can process 500 to 900 samples a day. COVID-19 test results may be released as early as within 24 hours.

Deputy Chief Implementer against COVID-19 Sec. Vince Dizon earlier committed to donate one RT-PCR machine to Muntinlupa’s Molecular Laboratory once the accreditation is approved by the Department of Health.

Meanwhile, the COVID-19 mega quarantine facility called We Heal as One Center being constructed in Pacwood Site, Brgy. Tunasan is also expected to be launched next week. The isolation center is a 144-bed quarantine facility constructed by the Department of Public Works and Highways and the City Government of Muntinlupa.

Each room will have a comfort room, air-conditioning unit, and supplies. Residents who will occupy the isolation rooms will be given COVID-19 essentials bag consisting of a hygiene kit, vitamins, medicine, thermometer, bedsheet, pillow blanket, and towels, among others.

Last month, the Coordinated Operations to Defeat Epidemic (CODE) Team, headed by the National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 and the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), organized a meeting with the local government officials to discuss the strategies, intervention methods and good practices against COVID-19.

Department of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade lauded Muntinlupa’s existing processes, policies, facilities, and equipped personnel working towards the fight against COVID-19.

“After working with the local government officials for two weeks, I can say that Muntinlupa is doing well in terms of its response efforts and there is only little work that we need to add,” Tugade said.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi says the improvement of COVID-19 situation in the city is a welcome development but warns residents not to be complacent. Fresnedi noted that while the city receives positive results in the fight against COVID-19, the public must continue to follow minimum health protocols and safety measures such as wearing of face masks, observing physical distancing and washing of hands.

As of October 1, Muntinlupa City has 4,301 confirmed cases with 3,955 recoveries, 144 reported deaths, 215 suspect cases, and 625 probable cases.

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Latest City Government of Muntinlupa details sourced from their official media release. Some parts were edited for this website.

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COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa launches anti-flu, pneumococcal vaccination drive for elderly to help curb COVID-19

As part of the local COVID-19 response efforts in Muntinlupa, the City Government officially launched a vaccination program for residents aged 60-years-old and above to help boost their immune system against the virus and other various diseases.

As of September 29, at least 566 senior citizens in four barangays were given anti-flu and anti-pneumonia shots in the vaccination program facilitated by the Office of Senior Citizen Affairs and the City Health Office.

Recipients were given schedules by their Barangay Senior Presidents to strictly observe physical distancing and other minimum health standards in venues where vaccines were administered. Mayor Jaime Fresnedi said the vaccination program piloted with limited beneficiaries per community but will eventually expand to cover all barangays.

“We want to give our residents added protection against COVID-19, especially the most vulnerable sectors including senior citizens, by giving them flu and pneumonia vaccines. We hope that the immunization program will help reduce COVID-19 cases in the city,” Fresnedi said.

As of September 30, Muntinlupa City has 4,272 confirmed cases with 3,916 recoveries, 213 active cases, 143 reported deaths, 225 suspect cases, and 575 probable cases.

Recently, the mayor also turned over P100,000 cash incentive to centenarian Lola Edilberta Cosio from Brgy. Putatan last September 29. Cosio and her family extended their thanks to the City Government for the recognition and cash assistance. The City Government of Muntinlupa grants cash incentives to city residents reaching the age of 100 years through the Office of Senior Citizen Affairs (OSCA).

For more information, you may coordinate with OSCA with tel. nos. 8861-2166 and 8511-0127 located at Bautista St., Bayanan Baywalk (Main Office) and G/F People’s Center, ECED Office, Muntinlupa City Hall (Satellite Office).

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Latest City Government of Muntinlupa details sourced from their official media release. Some parts were edited for this website.

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Muntinlupa Centenarian receives P100,000 from City Government

Official photo from the City Government of Muntinlupa.

Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi (left) turns over P100,000 cash incentive to Brgy. Putatan resident Lola Edilberta Cosio as she celebrates her 100th birthday this past September 29, 2020.

The City Government of Muntinlupa continues to grant cash incentives to city residents reaching 100 years old through the Office of Senior Citizen Affairs (OSCA). Recently, OSCA also led an anti-flu / anti-pneumonia vaccination program for the elderly together with the City Health Office as part of the local response to curb COVID-19.

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Latest City Government of Muntinlupa details sourced from their official media release. Some parts were edited for this website.

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