Dr. Santos Avenue
Dr. Arcadio Santos Avenue or Dr. Santos Avenue, formerly and still referred to as Sucat Road or Parañaque–Sucat Road, is the primary east–west thoroughfare in Parañaque, southern Metro Manila, Philippines. The avenue's western end is in Barangay San Dionisio as the continuation of Ninoy Aquino Avenue, which leads to Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Its eastern end is at the East Service Road, which runs parallel to the South Luzon Expressway, in Barangay Sucat, Muntinlupa, where it becomes Meralco Road to service the rest of the route to Sucat railway station.
The road's entire main section is designated as National Route 63, while its short, narrow spur section beneath Skyway's Sucat Exit is a component of National Route 144 ; both routes are part of the Philippine highway network. It also has an eastbound spur towards the West Service Road at Sucat Interchange, classified as an unnumbered national tertiary road.
Etymology
The avenue's present name is taken from Dr. Arcadio Santos, a native of Parañaque who was the sitting governor of Rizal when the road was opened in 1921, while the then-municipality was part of the province. It is formerly and alternatively known as Sucat Road and was named for the barrio (now barangay) of the same name in Muntinlupa and its railway station to which it led. It is also alternatively known as Parañaque–Sucat Road, indicating its purpose of connecting the old Parañaque town proper, located by Manila Bay, with Sucat in Muntinlupa.Route description
Considered as the longest avenue in Parañaque, Dr. Santos Avenue runs through barangays San Dionisio, San Isidro, San Antonio, and BF Homes in Parañaque and Sucat in Muntinlupa. It begins in San Dionisio, continuing from Ninoy Aquino Avenue south of Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1, where the road narrows to three lanes from four. The road continues east to cross C-5 Road Extension, N. Lopez Avenue, President's Avenue, and the South Luzon Expressway. Two namesake spurs branching from the avenue near Sucat Interchange carry southbound traffic to and from West Service Road, respectively. It terminates at the East Service Road, which runs parallel to the expressway next to the interchange, in Muntinlupa. It then continues east towards the Sucat railway station as Meralco Road.The eastern section of the avenue is known as the location of two of Metro Manila's biggest cemeteries, Manila Memorial Park and Loyola Memorial Park. Notable places located along the road also include SM City Sucat, SM City BF Parañaque, Amvel Business Park, which houses the El Shaddai church, and the Santana Grove strip mall.
The avenue is served by the Manila Light Rail Transit Line 1 through Dr. Santos station, which is located near the C-5 Extension.
History
The avenue originated as a carabao trail that opened in 1921, overlooking salt farms, fish ponds, and grass plains. It was later paved with asphalt and initially featured two lanes. Later, it apparently integrated most of the short road branching from Pasig–Pateros–Taguig–Alabang Road in Sucat, Muntinlupa. Originally named Sucat Road and Parañaque–Sucat Road, it was later renamed Dr. Arcadio Santos Avenue. The road was later widened, and its old section connecting to Quirino Avenue was repurposed as part of A. Bonifacio Street and as a private driveway in San Dionisio, Parañaque; its historical segment, also in San Dionisio, became a short street known as Old Sucat Road, now discontinued by the CAVITEX–C-5 Link.In September 2013, a bill was filed in the Philippine House of Representatives to rename Dr. Santos Avenue to President Cory Aquino Avenue. This bill, authored by Representative Eric Olivarez, remained pending in the House Committee on Public Works and Highways as of October 2013.