Muntinlupa Mayor Ruffy Biazon and Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director-General Gregorio Catapang have acted swiftly to address the sudden closure of a crucial access road in South Greenheights Village that disrupted school commutes for students of Muntinlupa National High School and Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa.

The abrupt decision by the South Greenheights Homeowners Association (HOA) to shut down the access gate led to significant concerns among parents, teachers, and students, many of whom rely on the route for their daily travel to school. In response, Biazon immediately mobilized city resources to provide a temporary fix.

“I know that many students, parents, and teachers were affected by the closure of the access road,” Biazon said in a social media post. “That’s why we quickly deployed free transport services for the affected students of MNHS and PLMun.”

Various departments of the city government pitched in, sending vehicles to offer Libreng Hatid Serbisyo (Free Ride Service) as an immediate measure. But beyond this short-term solution, Biazon stressed that his administration is engaging in long-term talks with both the HOA and BuCor to address the broader implications of the road closure.

“We understand the concerns of the HOA — on cleanliness, safety, and order in their village,” Biazon said. “But we also believe that public access must be properly addressed, especially for our youth who are trying to go to school.”

To push for a more sustainable arrangement, Biazon paid a personal visit to BuCor Director-General Catapang to seek support in easing the transport burden caused by the subdivision’s decision.

“It just happened today — I visited DG Greg Catapang to request that vehicles be allowed to transport students to and from PLMun and MNHS,” he said. “I thank DG Catapang for being open to the proposal and agreeing in principle.”

Details of the transport solution will be ironed out between the Muntinlupa Traffic Management Bureau (MTMB) and BuCor’s Operations Director.

The situation began after the South Greenheights HOA closed a gate commonly used as a shortcut to school by hundreds of students. The move triggered complaints from commuters and families who now face longer travel times and higher transportation costs.

In the meantime, negotiations continue between the city government, BuCor, and the homeowners group. Biazon emphasized that their goal is to reach a solution that is “fair for all.”

“We’re continuing the dialogue. Our goal is a just solution that works for everyone,” he said.