President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. inspects a housing project under the Pambansang Pabahay sa Pilipino program in San Fernando, Pampanga on July 3, 2023. The housing development is composed of 30 12-story buildings with a mix of 25 sq.m. and 28 sq.m. units. Joey O. Razon, PNA

MANILA — The Philippine government is in the process of planning a new 70,000-hectare city in Quezon province to decongest Metro Manila, Human Settlements and Urban Development Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar said on Wednesday.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has identified an area “near the Pacific Ocean” for the new city, Acuzar told state television PTV.

He said the plan is in response to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s order to decongest Manila and ease traffic in the capital.

“So ano ang solusyon? Kailangan magbukas ng new development na malaki, na bagong siyudad,” he said.

(So, what's the solution? We need to open a large new development, a news city)

The Aquino and Duterte administrations began development of New Clark City in Tarlac, which was meant to decongest Metro Manila and would act as the government center with the relocation of agency offices there.

The DHSUD is working with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) in this endeavor, Acuzar said.

“Itong programang ito mahalaga ito [dahil] si Indonesia mayroon na rin, si Malaysia mayroon na rin,” Acuzar, a property developer before he joined government, said.

(This program is important. Indonesia has one, Malaysia also has one)

Indonesia's Nusantara Capital City on Borneo is meant to be its new capital while Malaysia has Putrajaya, which is home to many government agencies and is its administrative capital.

“‘Pag nabuo na natin yung lupa na almost 70,000 hectares, doon na natin lalagyan ng plano yan,” he said.

(Once we complete the almost 70,000 hectares, that is when we'll put the plan there)

Acuzar did not give details as to when the government plans to present the city plan and other details of the new development in Quezon province.

In April 2024, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his Cabinet had “a very long discussion on the traffic issue” in Metro Manila, with the President directing his administration to come up with a “comprehensive and holistic approach” to solve the capital region’s traffic woes.

“What the President really wants is a comprehensive, holistic approach to solving the traffic problem – hindi iyong piecemeal approach as has been the case all these years,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said in an earlier interview.

Marcos wants 'comprehensive, holistic' approach to traffic problem: NEDA chief

Last month, Marcos Jr. said that he is studying recommendations to adjust the office hours of government agencies in Metro Manila to ease congestion.

Data from the 2023 TomTom Traffic Index listed Metro Manila as having the worst traffic congestion among 387 metro areas in the world.

A JICA study meanwhile revealed that the traffic congestion in Metro Manila alone is costing the Philippine economy at least P3.5 billion per day or P1.27 trillion annually.