High-density plan upsets Alabang communities

It was bound to happen with Metro Manila already bursting at the seams and residents still wanting to stay within the already overcrowded metropolis, but moving further to the south in Muntinlupa — particularly the Alabang Hills and Hillsborough area, which are mostly single-family-owned residential units.

- MARIANNE GO

The area is easily accessible through the South Luzon Expressway or SLEX, exiting through Sucat to the access road and turning right to Don Jesus Boulevard in Cupang, Muntinlupa.

Alabang Hills, which was initially developed by former Manila Mayor Ramon Bagatsing in the 1970s and was initially offered to members of the Manila Police Force and to the Benedictine brothers, has over the years quietly appreciated, with some properties now valued as high a P50 million.

Among its well-known residents are Butch Campos, eldest son of Unilab founder Jose Yao Campos and Rep. Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr.

The original Benedictine Abbey School, or BAS, is now known as San Beda College Alabang and has had its own expansion plans curtailed by opposition from its residential neighbors in Alabang Hills, who have also complained and pushed back on the free access into the community of vehicles bringing and picking up students from the school, creating unwanted traffic congestion and disturbance in the village at certain hours.

Alabang Hills is fortunate to have early on secured alternative access to exits to the Alabang Zapote Road and through BF Homes.

The Alabang Hills Village Association and San Beda College are still locked in a legal dispute over the right being claimed by the Benedictine brothers to issue their own car pass access to the village.

AHVA has imposed a P2,500 fee for nonresident car stickers.