By Charissa Luci-Atienza

The House of Representatives has approved on second reading a bill transferring the capital and seat of government of the province of Rizal from Pasig City to Antipolo City.

House Bill 2998, principally authored by Deputy Speaker and Antipolo City Rep. Roberto “Robbie” Puno, was approved by the Lower Chamber before Congress adjourned sessions on October 4 for a month-long break.

“It has already been 44 years since the City of Pasig ceased being part of the province of Rizal, and yet it continues to be its capital and holds its seat of government,” Puno said.

“While Pasig City was one of the 29 municipalities included in Rizal when it was officially declared a province in 1901, the said city has been under the territorial and political jurisdiction of Metro Manila since 1975,” he pointed out.

He said his measure proposed to declare Antipolo City, due to its accessibility and location, as the rightful capital and seat of government of the Rizal province.

House Bill 2998 provides that the capital and seat of government of the province of Rizal shall be transferred from the City of Pasig to Antipolo City.

Under the measure, the present Provincial Capitol located in the City of Antipolo shall be deemed as the official Provincial Government Center where all provincial offices shall be established.

The proposed Act shall take effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

It was House Committee on Local. Government, chaired by Tarlac Rep. Noel Villanueva that endorsed the plenary approval of the bill.

The Villanueva panel passed HB 2998 on September 24, 2019.