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Quezon City Council History



Quezon City, named after Commonwealth President Manuel Luis Quezon was chartered as a city in 1939. Its sparsely populated territory, consisting then of vast open spaces and rolling hills was carved up from various municipalities of Rizal and physically, unlike Manila was largely unaffected by the war, It was President Quezon's vision and dream for this city to be the center of government with wide roads, parks and plenty of trees. From these largely pastoral buildings, it emerged relatively undisturbed after the liberation owning to its sparse population and few existing infrastructures. Quezon's City growth and boom however took off during the post-war period starting with the establishment of low-cost government housing projects. The economic has vastly improved since then up to now the city is continously growing. It is the city with the biggest territory and second largest income among Metro-Manila cities.



Quezon City was among the first few councils organized and chartered immidiately after the war years by the Boy Scouts of the Philippines when it was approved and granted a charter on June 15, 1947.



The formation of a council in the city was made possible with the pioneering initiatives of various Scout leaders, Scout units and institutions in San Francisco del Monte, Kamuning, La Loma, San Jose, Galas and Cubao. San Francisco Elementary School in hilly San Francisco del Monte district was the gathering place where these Scouting leaders and pioneers met and decided to harmonize and effect greater cooperation among themselves by establishing a local council.



The First BSP Quezon City Council Office was established in a building owned by Executive Board Member Mamerto C. Bernardo at the corner of Padilla and San Vicente Streets in San Francisco del Monte In August 1947 the office was transfered to Camp Garcia along Mango Road (now Judge Juan Luna St.) owned by Dr. Delfin Garcia, also in San Francisco del Monte.



To effetively serve and be conveniently accessible to all scouters in the city, a more strategic location was deemed appropriate and during the Council Presidency of Hon. Luis Sianghio the council office was transferred to the Quezon City Police Dept. Building adjacent to Bernardo Park on Highway 54 (now EDSA and fronting NEPA Q-Mart).



During PC Col Emilio L. Baldia's Precidency of the council (1958-1960) a donation of prefabricated school building to the council was arranged, and it was put up at Kamuning Elementary School Compound. This for some years served the council office.



Recognizing and acting on the need for a larger and more permanent site for the council, it was during the administration of Council President Alfredo J. Andal, who was the concurrently the City Superintendent of Schools in 1965 that the present site adjacent to the Quezon City High School was realized. An active civic leader and Rotarian, Supt. Andal also arranged that a portion of this lot be utilized by the Inner Wheel of the Quezon City Rotaty Club, as a day care center. As this lot occupied were originally part of the Quezon City High School, through a subsequent Quezon City Council Resolution, the portion was segregated and deeded for permanent use by the Boy Scouts.



Immediate effort were undertaken in the middle 1960's to construct a council office building. Representations were made with then President Diosdado Macapagal who gave a start up donation of P50,000. Follow up counterpart funding from the Quezon City Mayor Norberto Amoranto soon followed, together with those from other Scouting supporters. This two-story wooden and concrete structure was finished and inaugurated in March 27, 1966. Three fourths smaller than the present building, it featured the same second floor conference hall, and offices, meeting rooms and kitchen and quarters on the first floor.



For almost thirty years, this building stood as the council office and service center. Unfortunately after the May, 1995 Barangay elections, a fire started by faulty electrical wiring in the adjacent High School annex building crossed over and burned down a major portion of the Boy Scouts building. The council office and technical staff after this fire had to squeeze themselves in the one-room annex which used to house the council's supply service outlet.



The dream of having a new council office building in lieu of the burned one was kindled and rekindled over the years. Fortunately with the leadership of Council Chairman "Bu" Mathay together with Council Scout Executive Manuel S. Salumbides, then Quezon City Mayor Ismael Mathay Jr. approved the plan for the city government to fund the construction of a new council office building. Luckily, Mayor Mathay successor, Mayor Feliciano R. Belmonte Jr. generously supported and continued the program. With its completion and inauguration the Scouts and Scouters of Quezon City will again have a home. This building also stands as a symbol and commitment; among our leaders in government, and private who are ready and willing to support programs for the welfare and development of the youth of Quezon City.