MANILA, Philippines – It’s now official: Antipolo City is the capital of Rizal province. 

President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday, June 19, signed Republic Act No. 11475 which officially transfers Rizal’s capital and seat of government to Antipolo City, from Pasig City. A copy of the law was shared to the media on Monday, June 22.

Pasig had been holding the province’s seat of government for over 4 decades, even though it is part of Metro Manila. Rizal’s provincial capitol had long been transferred to Antipolo City.

When the law becomes effective 15 days after publication, the current capitol in Antipolo “shall be deemed as the official provincial government center where all the provincial offices shall be established.”

Rizal was declared a province in 1901 and Pasig was made the capital, but in 1975, Pasig was incorporated into Metro Manila, said Deputy Speaker and Antipolo City 1st District Representative Roberto Puno in the explanatory note for House Bill No. 2998, the one signed into law.

The bill, filed in July 2019, sought to transfer the provincial capital to Antipolo “due to its accessibility and location.” The House passed the measure in November 2019, and the Senate approved it in March 2020.

Puno and Representative Resurreccion Acop of Antipolo’s 2nd District are the authors of the bill, along with Rizal 1st District congressman Michael John Duavit and Manila 3rd District congressman John Marvin Nieto. – with a report from Sofia Tomacruz/Rappler.com