LAS PIñAS

This city in the south of Manila is slowly attracting young urbanites because of its emerging F&B industry. Like the nearby areas of Muntinlupa and Paranaque, Las Piñas is slowly carving out a reputation for being a fun and entertaining hotspot where restaurants are homey, and the crowd is relaxed. Though there are no gigantic entertainment centers in Las Piñas, the numerous malls and lush parks in the area are enough to keep families busy on lazy weekends. The Sarao Motor factory in Brgy. Pulang Lupa attracts tourists who are interested in watching how the iconic Filipino jeepney is produced and assembled. You can even have your own jeepney customized here, if that’s your kind of thing. The famous bamboo organ in St. Joseph Church, which was built by a Spanish priest in 1824, also draws in crowds every so often. It is often included in the itinerary of school children on a field trip. Here’s something interesting: One of the villages in tha area has streets named after Filipino beauty queens like Malanie Marquez, Evangeline Pascual and Gloria Diaz. It’s so wonderfully middle class! Las Piñas perfectly balances residential areas with industrial and commercial ventures. Those who live in the area can feel far away from the frenzy of Makati or Taguig without totally feeling disconnected from its energy. Its unintimidating streets are less dizzying than the streets in busy business districts. Don’t be fooled, however, Las Piñas, is notorious for traffic, thanks to tricycles, jeepneys, and buses in the area.