Travel guideHistorySightsNightlifeMap

Quezon City History, Philippines

A City of Promise

Compared to its Metro Manila counterparts, Quezon City is in fact a relatively young city which comes as a surprise since one-fourth of the city comprises the metro. It is also known as the city of the young because one-third of its population is under the age of fifteen. But all these have contributed in some way to the city’s growth and its continued progress shows a lot of promise to its citizens.

Conceived From a Dream

Before the formation of Quezon City, it was made up of small towns particularly those of San Francisco del Monte, Novaliches and Balintawak. The city was born out of a vision by the late President Manuel L. Quezon after whom the city was later on named. He envisioned a city where the common Filipino can live with dignity and that this city should replace Manila as the nation’s capital. In the year 1938, President Quezon through the People’s Homesite Corporation purchased 1,529 hectares of land in the huge Diliman Estate from its owners, the Tuason family.

The following year the National Assembly, which was the legislative body at that time under the Philippine Commonwealth government, passed the Commonwealth Act 502 which is also known as the Charter of Quezon City. Before this, the city was named Balintawak City but not until Assemblyman Narciso Ramos, father of Fidel V. Ramos who will be the 12th president of the country, and Assemblyman Ramon Mitra Sr., father of Ramon Mitra Jr. who will serve the country as a Speaker of the House from 1987-1992, successfully lobbied that the city should be named after the incumbent president.

From a vision to reality, President Quezon signed the bill into law on October 12, 1939 which gave birth to what is now known as Quezon City.

The Nation’s Capital

After the Second World War, President Elipidio Quirino signed Republic Act No. 333 which proclaimed Quezon City as the capital of the Republic of the Philippines and it will stay this way from 1948 until 1976. The city also extended its borders through a revision on the city’s charter via Republic Act No. 537 which now grew to its present area of 153.59 square kilometers.

It was during President Ferdinand Marcos’ time on November 7, 1975 that the Presidential Decree No. 824 was enacted and established Metro Manila of which Quezon City was part together with its 17 cities and municipalities. It was a year after through Presidential Decree No. 940 that the nation’s capital was transferred back to Manila.

Quezon City Today

The city is now a thriving metropolis that is considered the entertainment capital of the Philippines, an excellent shopping destination and a profitable place to start or transfer your business. This vibrant city offers its citizens a great place to live and grow with its continued progress in technology and wellness. It also gives its young citizens a great place to learn with its prominent Universities and schools within its borders.