Batasan Hills

Barangay Batasan Hills
Barangay
Seal
Nickname(s):  Batasan, Constitution Hill
Map of Quezon City showing Batasan Hills
Country	Philippines
Region	National Capital Region
City	Quezon City
District	2nd District of Quezon City
Established	February 25, 1983
Government
• Type	Barangay
• Barangay Captain	John Jojo Mercado Abad
Population  (2007)
• Total	148,624
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
Postal Code	1126
Area code	2

Batasan Hills is a barangay of Quezon City, Philippines which contains the Batasan Hill, formerly known as Constitution Hill. On the hill is the Batasang Pambansa Complex, the legislative session hall of the House of Representatives of the Philippines.

The barangay borders the barangays of Commonwealth and Bagong Silangan to the north, Barangay Holy Spirit to the west, Barangay Matandang Balara to the south, and the town of San Mateo, Rizal to the east.

The Sandiganbayan of the Philippine government is also located there.

Background

Barangay Batasan Hills is a portion of Barangay Matandang Balara separated and constituted into a new barangay thru the initiative of Ben Morales/President- Filinvest 1 Homeowners association, Melvin Morallos/Chairman-Tanggol Karapatan Dist.II/August Twenty One Movement and Manolo Taroy/Congressional Staff of Congressman Alberto of Catanduanes who sponsored the bill for the creation of Barangay Batasan Hills, and by virtue of Batas Pambansa Blg. 343 - An Act Creating Barangay Batasan Hills in Quezon City, Metropolitan Manila on February 25, 1983. Section 2 of the act specified the area of the new barangay:

The new barangay shall include the area which is bounded by the National Government Center-Batasan Complex to the boundary line of Barangay Silangan on the north; by the Marikina River on the east; by the Don Mariano Marcos Avenue on the west; and by the Capitol Homes to the Marikina River on the south.

A plebiscite was conducted and ratified by the majority of the votes casts by the residents. In 1986, after the People Power Revolution and 3 years after the approval of Batas Pambansa Blg. 343, the first set of barangay officials were appointed by President Corazon C. Aquino through the (then) Secretary of Interior and Local Government Aquilino Pimentel. Manuel D. Laxina was the first appointed Barangay Chairman, along with 6 Barangay Kagawads (Barangay Counselors).

The barangay was envisioned to be the new home of the National Government Center, an area housing the three branches of the Philippine government (legislative, executive and judicial), because Quezon City was declared the capital of the country in 1948. This government center in Quezon City was originally planned to be at what is now Quezon Memorial Circle, before it was moved north to the area of what is now Batasan Hills. Even as the Batasang Pambansa Complex was being completed, the capital of the country was transferred to Manila in 1976. Before its creation as a barangay, the area was called "Constitution Hill", referring to the hilly area on where the government center was supposed to rise.

Today, most of Batasan Hills is residential. Although it has one of the largest urban poor populations in the country, it is also home to middle and upper class real estate properties like Filinvest 1 and 2, Northview 1 and 2, and Treviso which were developed by real estate firm Filinvest Land. Other middle and upper class real estate properties include Vista Real Executive Village and Vista Real Classica Subdivision.

As of May 1, 2010, the current population of the barangay stands at 150,764.

Government

The barangay is in the Legislative districts of Quezon City. The current barangay captain is John "Jojo" M. Abad. (Youngest Elected Barangay Captain in Batasan Hills) It is home to several important National Government institutions including the House of Representatives of the Philippines at the Batasang Pambansa Complex, the Sandiganbayan, and the Commission on Audit

Buildings and structures

Notable buildings and structures within the barangay include the Batasang Pambansa Complex which houses the House of Representatives, and the Sandiganbayan Centennial Building, home of the Sandiganbayan which is one of the major courts of the country. Other government establishments in the area include the headquarters of the Civil Service Commission, the Commission on Audit, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Also located within the barangay is Ever Gotesco Commonwealth (a shopping mall), a Convergys office (call center), a branch of Starbucks, Ministop, and St. Peter's Parish along Commonwealth Avenue.

St. Peter's Parish was created

Villages/Subdivisions

The barangay is mostly residential with a number of subdivisions and villages which include:

• Filinvest 1 Subdivision
• Filinvest 2 Subdivision
• Luzviminda Village
• Ciudad Regina
• Doña Pilar Subdivision
• Northview 1 Subdivision
• Northview 2 Subdivision
• Sugartowne Housing Project
• Serra Monte Villas
• Treviso
• Spring Country Subdivision
• Capitol Ridge Executive Subdivision
• New Capitol Estates
• Sunnyside Heights Subdivision
• Nelson Ville I
• Villa Amor Uno
• Capitol Estates 2
• Vista Real Executive Village
• Vista Real Classica Subdivision
• Violago Homes
• Woodcrest Homes
• Garland Subdivision
• Senorita Subdivision

Schools

There are schools located in the barangay namely:

• Young Scholars Academy
• Caroline Learning Center [Preparatory to High School]
• Batasan Hills National High School
• Pres.Corazon C. Aquino Elementary School (Formerly Batasan Hills Elementary School)
• San Diego Elementary School
• Diliman Preparatory School
• Capitol Hills Christian School
• Our Lady of Mercy School
• Our Lord Saviour Academy
• Academia de Sta. Faustina
• Mary the Queen College
• Mary the Queen Academy English-Chinese School
• Quezon City Polytechnic University-Batasan Campus
• Sto.Nino Institute of Science and Technology - Talanay Branch

Churches

File:StPeterParishCommonwealth.jpg

St. Peter Parish

• St. Peter's Parish
• San Antonio De Padua Parish
• Capitol Hills Christian Church
• Christ the King Parish
• Christ Life Prayer Ministry International
• Protestant Parishes
• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS church)
• Batasan Hills International Baptist Church
• Batasan Chunan Baptist Church
• Jesus Christ Saves Global Outreach - Batasan Family
• Pentecostal Missionary Church of Christ
• Manila Oh Jung Church
• Bastion Of Truth Reformed Church
• The Living God (Full Gospel Christian Church)
• Good News Family Worship Center
• Park Baptist Church and Missions
• Presentation of our Lord Parish (located in Filinvest 1)

Sub-Parishes

• Mary the Queen Sub-Parish
• Santo Nino Sub-Parish (Villa Amor Uno subdivision)
• Our Lady of Assumption

Sports Organization

• Unified Darter's of Batasan Hills

A group of darter's in luzviminda village particularly at Digos St. this non-profit organization to encourage especially the youth of the new generation to have an interest to play and be one of the top players not only in Batasan but as national dart player as well.

This group is organizing street darts tournament, during weekends.

Roads/Bridges

Batasan Road, one of the major roads of Batasan Hills.

There are three major roads in Barangay Batasan Hills, These are Commonwealth Avenue which is the widest road in the Philippines at 18 lanes (9 on both sides), and the Batasan (IBP) Road which is one of the main routes into the barangay. Also, the road has a tunnel which connects the southbound side of the road to Commonwealth Avenue. The third major route is the Batasan-San Mateo Road which connects the barangay to the town of San Mateo, Rizal where the Batasan-San Mateo Bridge in the Marikina River connects the two areas. There are smaller roads like Filinvest 2 Road which connects with the Batasan-San Mateo Road, and the Filinvest 1 Road which connects with Batasan Road.

Future MRT line

Currently there are no train lines along Commonwealth Avenue, traversing through the barangay. But there are plans to build one along the highway via the MRT 7 which will begin construction in 2010 or 2011. This MRT line starts from Quirino Highway in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan through parts of Northern Caloocan and Quezon City through Commonwealth Avenue, and will end at North Avenue to connect with the MRT 3 line. This is expected to decongest traffic on the avenue.

Incidents

• Batasang Pambansa bombing. On November 13, 2007 an explosion occurred on South Wing of the Batasan Complex killing four people including Congressman Wahab Akbar of Basilan and injuring six more including Representatives Luzviminda Ilagan of GABRIELA and Pryde Henry Teves of Negros Oriental.