Editing Las Piñas (section)

===Philippine independence===
On November 7, 1975, through Presidential Decree No. 824, Las Piñas was excised from the province of [[Rizal (province)|Rizal]] to form [[Metro Manila]]. Las Piñas became one of the municipalities making up the region.<ref>{{cite PH act|chamber=PD|number=824|url=https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1975/11/07/presidential-decree-no-824-s-1975/|date=November 7, 1975|title=Creating The Metropolitan Manila And The Metropolitan Manila Commission And For Other Purposes |access-date=June 5, 2022}}</ref>

In the 1980s, economic growth erupted due to the advent of the construction of [[Manila–Cavite Expressway|Coastal Road]]. Las Piñas currently serves as the proper gateway to [[Calabarzon]].<ref name="alabangbulletin.com"/>

In the 1990s, Las Piñas was known for its rampant illegal drug trade.<ref>{{cite news|last=Evangelista|first=R. A.|title=Narcs arrest six drug dealers|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rq4mAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KAsEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4143%2C3628606|access-date=December 6, 2022|work=[[Manila Standard]]|publisher=Kamahalan Publishing Corp.|date=September 25, 1994|page=7|quote=Las Piñas town became known as the drug trade center in Metro Manila...}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Burdeos|first=B.|title=Navarro relieves 2 officers|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Df4tAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YwsEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6512%2C2913250|access-date=July 5, 2022|work=[[Manila Standard]]|publisher=Kamahalan Publishing Corp.|date=January 20, 1996|page=14|quote=Bocalvos' relief, according to Navarro, was due to the DEU's failure to arrest any suspected drug pusher for the past several months despite persistent reports that drug-related activities are rampant in Las Piñas.}}</ref> In an October 1989 privileged speech, Senator [[Ernesto Herrera (politician)|Ernesto F. Herrera]] shared the [[National Bureau of Investigation (Philippines)|National Bureau of Investigation]]'s findings that an estimated 40% of Las Piñas' police force was connected with a drug cartel.<ref>{{cite news|last=Herrera|first=Ernesto F.|author-link=Ernesto Herrera (politician)|title=Extent of the drug problem in Metro Manila|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qZUVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hAsEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3549%2C31453|access-date=November 7, 2022|work=[[Manila Standard]]|publisher=Kagitingan Publications, Inc.|date=July 1, 1990|page=6}}</ref> In 1995, then-Councilor [[Yoyoy Villame]] criticized the town's image as the "Drug Capital of the Philippines",<ref>{{cite news|title=Yoyoy vows to lead anti-drug campaign|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gKojAAAAIBAJ&sjid=fgsEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2690%2C3696953|access-date=December 29, 2021|work=[[Manila Standard]]|publisher=Kamahalan Publishing Corp.|date=April 29, 1995|page=16}}</ref> while NCR Command Director Job Mayo alleged upon his appointment in early 1996 that the town's police force had the most drug-dependent police officers in the metropolis.<ref>{{cite news|last=Calalo|first=Arlie|title=Las Piñas has biggest number of drug-using cops, says Mayo|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=D_4tAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YwsEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6645%2C3530124|access-date=July 5, 2022|work=[[Manila Standard]]|publisher=Kamahalan Publishing Corp.|date=January 24, 1996|page=14}}</ref>