The bill seeks to create a special development and administrative region embracing the Metro Manila cities of Quezon and Marikina; Antipolo City, San Mateo and Rodriguez (Montalban) in Rizal province and San Jose del Monte in Bulacan, to usher in rapid countryside development of the region.
"An exodus of trade, commerce, and activity naturally stems from the congestion of major urban areas. In the next few years, we will be witness to a burgeoning growth of activity in the northeastern section of the NCR as emigration from the national core of the metropolis steadily picks up," said Daza, one of the new young members of the House of Representatives.
"Thus, the need for a centralized body that would exercise regulatory and supervisory authority over this area once development — in terms of the infrastructure, tourism, commerce and industry, among others — spreads out from it’s areas of concentration today," she added.
The proposal seeks to ensure the development of the growth region without prejudice to the autonomy of the affected local government units and to bring government focus to the fringes of Metro Manila.
"What we want to see is the provision of adequate metro-wide services efficiently and effectively planned, supervised and coordinated by a designated development authority, as steered by an association of the local officials of the concerned cities and municipalities" she said.