LAS PIÑAS CITY — A local resident has appealed to the city government to review and amend the two-decade-old ordinance governing the Las Piñas Friendship Route, citing widespread counterfeiting of stickers and loopholes that allow motorists from neighboring cities to bypass local traffic.
The Friendship Route was established in 1995 to ease severe congestion along the Alabang-Zapote Road by connecting private subdivision roads through agreements between the local government and homeowners’ associations.
However, in an open letter shared on social media and highlighted by automotive portal Visor PH, resident Lovin Charles Lascano argued that the legal framework—last revised in 2006—is severely outdated.
Lascano pointed out that fake friendship stickers have flooded online marketplaces and subdivision checkpoints. These stickers, which are officially distributed for free by the local government unit (LGU) at City Hall, are enabling non-residents to illicitly access private roads meant exclusively for bona fide Las Piñas constituents.
The resident also raised concerns regarding verification protocols at BF Resort Village Talon Homeowners Association Inc. (BFRVTHAI), noting that Section 9 of City Ordinance 715-06 lacks clear provisions on whether motorists with vehicle registrations outside Las Piñas should be disqualified.
He further criticized the local homeowners’ association for offering separate non-resident stickers to motorists from other cities, which he says undermines the route’s primary residency requirement.
“The City Ordinance is two decades old; it is time for an update,” Lascano said, directing his appeal to Mayor April Aguilar-Nery, Vice Mayor Mel Aguilar, and members of the City Council.
To address the security and traffic gaps, Lascano proposed several reforms, including redesigning the Friendship Route stickers with advanced anti-forgery features, clarifying the geographical coverage of the route, and streamlining the application and distribution process for qualified local residents.