The daily grind of life in major cities is always unpredictable — enough to make us shift our attention towards the laid-back and postcard-perfect-looking provinces outside Metro Manila’s border. However, the desire to move to calmer and greener pastures is always offset automatically by questions of practicality and ease. Is it worth losing your closeness to friends, family, and jobs to forego the congestion and soaring costs?

Rizal, the eastern province that is the nearest neighbor to Metro Manila, makes a strong case for being able to capture the best of both worlds. Cainta, the prime gateway, is so close that its boundary with Pasig City has always focused on contention.

If you’re looking to move out of the city but still can’t decide where to go, read on. We’ve listed down the top three reasons why a move to the eastern suburbs of the Metro is not only a quixotic daydream but also a plan that makes good sense as well.

Rizal Provides Easy Access to Metro Manila and CALABARZON

If mobility is a problem for you, then living in the city of Antipolo, Rizal Province wouldn’t be too troublesome. Despite the deteriorating traffic conditions in the region, more ways and options you can take to travel to and from Rizal have been provided by recent infrastructure developments. You can drive through EDSA or C5 to enter the Ortigas Avenue interchange if you are walking, which you can then use to go to Antipolo.

Using the Marcos highway to take you straight to Rizal will be another option. Commuting is also feasible because you can take many jeepneys, taxis, or FX trips going there. You can add it to the list of commuting options you can take until LRT line 4 is completed by June 2021 — its original target date for completion.

With a new toll road, the Metro Manila Expressway, which links Rizal to the rest of Metro Manila and Calabarzon, the province of Rizal is no escaping what has been touted as the imminent “golden age of infrastructure” (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon). It is also going to serve as a smoother path to Edsa and C-5. Rizal is easy for commuters as well — SM Megamall is only an FX trip out.

Rizal Offers Rich Culture and History

The seat of power might still be in Manila's colonial city, but when lined up against the capital, Rizal may more than hold its own. Dr. Jose Rizal, the national hero, often used the name “Rizal” with his mother, who was a devotee of the province's patroness. Tourism officer Bernard Laca Jr. said that the town of Angono, Rizal is well known for producing sculptors, painters, authors, and musicians, including Carlos ‘Botong ‘Francisco, the national artist.

In and around the region of Rizal, culture is still rich and very much alive, whether it’s in terms of tradition, religion, arts, or a mix of them all. Since it is considered the oldest work of art in the Philippines, the Angono-Binangonan Petroglyphs are a perfect example of history and art. The Pinto Art Museum, which houses some of the most prized art collections globally, will certainly be admired by contemporary art enthusiasts.

What’s more, thanks to the famous Antipolo Cathedral, which draws countless pilgrims during the pilgrimage season, reaching the shrine only by foot, devout Catholics still have avenues to share their religion. You have better access to all these locations and much more by staying in Rizal. Experiences you would not be able to get if you live in Metro Manila are unlocked, and the best part of all is that if you find yourself missing the city, you are not that far from the metro itself.

Rizal Has Great Nature and Tourist Spots You Can Enjoy

Rizal features some of the country’s best spots for wildlife. On every list of best places to trek near Metro Manila, Tinipak River and Mt. Daraitan are the mainstays, and for a good cause, the dense jungle, ethereal rock formations, and brilliant blue water transport you to a whole new world. But even in mundane times, in the low-key spots of Rizal, nature still rules and awes you, without ever being too far from the middle of the action.

The alternative, idyllic lifestyle that it entails is one of the principal selling points of living in Rizal. Beautiful nature scenes await you because the province lies at the foot of the Sierra Madre, the famed mountain range known for being the longest in the Philippines. You will also visit the many popular tourist attractions as much as you like, such as the Hinulugang Taktak waterfalls.

You can also consider visiting the Avilon Zoo if you want to take things a step further. Finally, one of the most searched out places in Rizal is also the lush Masungi Georeserve. Nature lovers will definitely feel at home thanks to all of these and more. Complemented by the adequate and relaxing space, if you look for picturesque scenes and tranquility away from the metro's busy cities, living in Rizal will prove to be a smart decision.

Rizal Offers Peaceful and Convenient Residencial Areas

For individuals who are searching for something new, living in Rizal is a perfect option.

The best residence choice in Rizal by far is Filinvest’s One Spatial and One Oasis condominium straddling Pasig, Marikina, Antipolo, and Cainta. Complementing the full services and equipment is a position that is geographically convenient to business centers, such as Sta. Lucia Mall confirms the paradoxical feeling of a wealthy community that resides in provincial life's peace and quiet.

Bayani Fernando City Transport’s nearby transport terminal accommodates buses that fly to Antique, Caticlan, Iloilo, Mindoro Occidental, and Oriental, while another major bonus is access to LRT 2-Emerald Station.  In reality, these condominiums offer big-city comfort and consistency, with all the advantages of being rolled into one thriving creation on the serene outskirts of the Eastern Metro.

If you are looking for a house and lot instead of a condo unit, you can also consider buying a house at Forest Farms in Angono, Mission Hills in Antipolo, Amarilyo Crest, and Highlands Pointe in Taytay.

Rizal Is Connected to Many Roads and Highways

In Angono, Rizal, you can easily rely on modern roads and transport networks to make you more accessible to surrounding cities and towns, not only to the institutions within the region but even outside. In the next few years, Angono is expected to witness greater connectivity as the government aims for more infrastructure projects.

The Angono-Antipolo diversion road will be finished within the year, which reduces travel time between the two Rizal areas and decongests existing highways. Plus, living in Angono will let you visit the tourist spots of Antipolo without trouble and seize more bonding time with the family.

MRT-4, which will connect the province of Rizal to parts of Metro Manila, will have a station in Taytay, a municipality near Angono, in addition to this diversion line. In this scenario, even though you are on the periphery of the metropolis, going to the capital city's business districts won’t be a challenge. You will keep your work in town and come home to an area tucked away from all the hustle and bustle.

Enjoy a Work-Life Balance in Rizal

In the end, being in a highly open place encourages work-life harmony. You get to spend your time doing the things that matter when there is a reliable transport network: getting the job done and enjoying quality time with your family.

—

Source: https://lilianrealestate.com/whats-it-like-to-live-in-rizal/