About Barangay Batasan Hills
Brief History
Barangay Batasan Hills was a portion of Barangay Matandang Balara which separated and constituted into a new barangay through the initiative of Ben Morales (then President, Filinvest 1 Homeowners Association), Melvin Morallos (then Chairman, Tanggol Karapatan District II), the August Twenty One Movement, and the late Manolo Taroy (then Congressional Staff of former Catanduanes Representative Jose M. Alberto, who sponsored the bill). It was created by virtue of Batas Pambansa Blg. 343 — An Act Creating Barangay Batasan Hills in Quezon City, Metropolitan Manila — approved February 25, 1983.
Section 2 of the act defines the barangay's original area:
"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 ratified the creation. In 1986, after the People Power Revolution and three years after BP 343 was approved, the first set of barangay officials was appointed by President Corazon C. Aquino through then-Secretary of the Interior and Local Government Aquilino Pimentel. Manuel D. Laxina was the first appointed Barangay Chairman, along with 6 Barangay Kagawads.
The barangay was originally envisioned as the site of the National Government Center — meant to house the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government after Quezon City was declared national capital in 1948. This government center was originally planned for what is now Quezon Memorial Circle before being moved north to what is now Batasan Hills. Even as the Batasang Pambansa Complex was being completed, the capital was transferred back to Manila in 1976. Before becoming a barangay, the area was called "Constitution Hill," referring to where the government center was meant to rise.
Today, most of Batasan Hills is residential — home to one of the country's largest urban poor populations, alongside middle/upper-class subdivisions like Filinvest 1 & 2, Northview 1 & 2, and Treviso (developed by Filinvest Land), plus Vista Real Executive Village and Vista Real Classica.
As of 2015, the barangay's population stood at 161,409 (Philippine Statistics Authority).
Vision
English: Batasan Hills is a nationally renowned model barangay in terms of appropriate balance between infrastructure developments and natural resource conservation, enhanced economic opportunities, and healthy well-being of all constituents.
Filipino: Ang Batasan Hills ay modelong barangay na may pambansang pagkakakilanlan sa mga tuntunin ng naaangkop na balanse sa pagitan ng mga pagpapaunlad ng imprastraktura at pag-iingat ng likas na yaman, pinahusay na pagkakataon sa ekonomiya, at malusog na kagalingan ng lahat ng nasasakupan.
Mission
English: It is our mission to sustain exemplary social services for our people, enhance people's education on natural resource conservation, provide more skills training programs that intensify blue-collar job opportunities and strengthen partnership with national entities, capacitate informal settler families through people empowerment toward community development, and encourage volunteerism as a way of life.
Filipino: Misyon natin na mapanatili ang mga huwarang serbisyong panlipunan para sa ating mga mamamayan, pahusayin ang edukasyon ng mga tao sa konserbasyon ng likas na yaman, magbigay ng higit pang mga programa sa pagsasanay sa kasanayan na magpapatindi ng mga oportunidad sa trabaho at palakasin ang pakikipagtulungan sa mga pambansang entidad, bigyan ng karapatan ang mga pamilyang nakatira sa lupang pagmamay-ari ng gobyerno sa pamamagitan ng pagbibigay-kapangyarihan sa mga tao tungo sa pagpapaunlad ng komunidad, at hikayatin ang bolunterismo bilang isang paraan ng pamumuhay.