RECEIVES

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

REGISTRATION UNIT

| BILLS AND INDEX SERVICE
ee

House BILLNo,___ 83”

Introduced by: HON. ALFREDO “ALBEE” B. BENITEZ

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Overpopulation, traffic congestion and high vulnerability to natural disasters have made
Metropolitan Manila or the National Capital Region a pariah among world cities.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, Metro Manila is home to 11.9 million people
in 2010, making it one of the world’s most densely populated cities. Traffic congestion
costed 2.4 billion pesos daily in lost productivity in 2012, according to the Japan
International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The amount could balloon to as much as 6 billion
pesos daily if the situation is not addressed by 2030.

Metro Manila also sits above a fault line which could trigger massive and destructive
earthquake. A 2014 poll by Swiss Re, an international reinsurance company found Metro
Manila to be the world’s second riskiest ‘city’ in terms of natural disasters waiting to happen.
Meanwhile, according to the 5" Natural Hazards Risk Atlas (2015) by Verisk Maplecroft,
Manila is 4" most vulnerable city to disasters like earthquakes and typhoons.

Another major concern is the increasing number of informal settler families (ISFs) in Metro
Manila. Out of the 1.5 Million ISFs in the country, nearly 600,000 are found in NCR. The off-
city relocation programs of the government for the ISFs have only led to failure because
many of the relocatees return to NCR because the relocation areas are far from their source
of income.

There is therefore a need to rethink and develop a masterplan that will decongest Metro
Manila.

Relocation of capitals have already been done by several countries. Malaysia, for instance,
abuilt a new administrative capital to ease decongestion in Kuala Lumpur. Putrajaya is
envisioned to be a “green” and “intelligent” city, with wide parks and open spaces, and
strong ICT infrastructure. Its aesthetical design also shows distinct Islamic character to
reflect Malaysian identity and heritage as a predominantly-Muslim country.

Brazil relocated its capital to a more central location, closer to other regions and carved a
new city out of wilderness in the Brazilian Highlands. Inaugurated in 1960, Brasilia stands as
a prime example of modern urban planning and the only city in the world built in the 20"
century to be named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

HOUSE F REPRESEWTATIES



South Korea is also in the process of transferring most of its government offices to a new
administrative capital called Sejong City.

This measure proposes the creation of an Administrative Capital City Planning Commission
to lead the development of a comprehensive plan to relocate the government agencies and
establish an adminsitrative capital city outside Metro Manila,

In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this Act is earnestly sought.

REP. ALFREDO “ALBEE” B. BENITEZ

Third District, Negros Occidental


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

83

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by: HON. ALFREDO “ALBEE” B. BENITEZ
Third District, Negros Occidental

AN ACT CONSTITUTING AN ADMINISTRATIVE CAPITAL CITY PLANNING
COMMISSION FOR THE PURPOSE OF STUDYING THE FEASIBILITY OF
RELOCATING THE CAPITAL AND SEAT OF GOVERNMENT OF THE PHILIPPINES
AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short ti
Planning Act of 2016.”

This Act shall be known as the “Administrative Capital City

SEC. 2. Organization. The Adminsitrative Capital City Planning Commission,
hereinafter referred to as the “Commission” is hereby constituted, under the Office of the
President, to study and thenceforth recommend the transfer of the capital and permanent
seat of government of the Philippines.

SEC. 3. Powers and Duties. The Commission shall have the following powers and
duties:

(a) To conduct a feasibility study of relocating the most of the government agencies
outside Metro Manila;

(b) The authority to call upon any department, bureau, office, agency, or instrumentality
of the government, including Government-Owned or -Controlled Corporations
(GOCCs), government financial institutions (GFIs), LGUs, and request non-
government organizations (NGOs), the private sector, and other entities for
assistance as the circumstances and exigencies may require in carrying out his
mandate;

(©) The authority over all relevant government agencies with respect to the timely
submission of information or data necessary for the completion of the feasibility
study and masterplan;


(d) To submit to the President the mechanisms and oversee the initial phase of the
transfer of the government agencies;

(e) To identify the suitable site for the admnistrative city and provide a masterplan for
the development of the site thereof; Provided, That the Masterplan incorporates geo
and hydro-meteorological hazards mapping and disaster risk analysis, lays down the
phases of physical development of the new capital, the cost analysis thereof, and the
strategies to mobilize financial resources through public-private partnership to fund
the physical development of the new capital, identifies the necessary districts or
zones for such purposes as industry, trade, transportation, residence, public or semi-
public, civic activities, and recreation, and maximizes available green technologies,
renewable energy resources and information and communication technologies, with
the end in view of building a “green”, “intelligent”, sustainable and resilient;
Provided, further, That the Masterplan shows the Commission's recommendations for
physical development including, among other things, the general location, character,
and extent of streets, viaducts, bridges, waterways, waterfronts, boulevards,
parkways, playgrounds, squares, parks, and other public ways, ground and open
spaces; the general location and extent of areas suitable for housing for government
employees, socialized housing for the underprivileged and private residential
development; the general location and extent of public buildings and other
properties; and the general location and extent of public utilities, terminals, and
markets, for water supply, power, sanitation, transportation, communication,
distribution, and other purposes; Provided, finally, That the Masterplan for the
physical development of the new capital is accompanied with maps, sketches,
overlays, plates, charts, and descriptions;

(f) To engage the assistance of local and foreign consultants and experts in the
development of the masterplan;

(g) In general, to have such powers as may be necessary to enable it to accomplish its
task as outlined by this Act: Provided, That the masterplan for the establishment of
an administrative city, shall have as their general purposes to guide and accomplish
a coordinated, adjusted, harmonious development of the capital of the Philippines
which will, in accordance with the present and future needs, best promote health,
safety, morals, order, convenience, prosperity, and general welfare as well as
efficiency and economy in the process of development; including, among other
things, adequate provisions for light and air, the promotion of healthful and
convenient distribution of population; the promotion of good civic design and
arrangement, economic, wise, efficient and equitable expenditure of public funds,
and the adequate provision of public utilities and other public requirements;

(h) To develop mechanisms and guidelines on how to improve the existing state of
affairs in the adminsitrative capital with the end in view of promoting more effective
and efficient government service and enable the national government to meet the
challenges in the decades to come;

SEC. 4, Composition. The Commission shall be composed of a Chairperson and six
(6) Commissioners appointed by the President. No person may be appointed as Chairperson


or Commissioner unless he/she is a Filipino citizen, at least thirty years of age on the day of
his/her appointment, and has relevant educational qualification and at least fifteen years of
experience in urban planning, housing and urban development, architecture, information
and communications technology, geology, geography, environmental protection and/or
other relevant fields.

SEC. 5. Secretariat. The Commission shall organize its Secretariat which shall
provide administrative and technical support to the Commission.

The Commission is hereby authorized to create technical committees and designate
members thereof, and engage the assistance of experts and professional advisors, subject
to government rules and regulations.

SEC. 6. Term of Office and Termination. The Commission shall complete its work
not later than two (2) years from the date of the approval of this Act.

Upon completion of its work and submission of its recommendations not later than
two (2) years from the date of the approval of this Act, the Commission shall cease to exist
and the services of the Chairperson and Commissioners and members of the Secretariat and
Technical Committees shall terminate.

SEC. 7. Appropriation. The amount necessary to implement the provisions of this
Act shall be included under the budget of the Office of the President in the annual General
Appropriations Act.

SEC. 8. Separability Clause. If any clause, sentence, paragraph or part of this Act
shall be adjudged by any Court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such judgment shall
not affect, impair or invalidate the remainder of this Act, but shall be confined in its
operation to the clause, sentence, paragraph or part thereof directly involved.

SEC. 9. Repealing Clause. All previous issuances inconsistent with the provisions
of this order are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 10. Effectivity. This order shall take effect upon its publication in the Official
Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,