Places and General Information (A)

Places

There are more than 42,000 barangays (communities), nearly 1,500 municipalities, 138 cities, 81 provinces, 17 regions and 3 major island groups in the Philippines. More than 88 million Filipinos live in these places. The most populated region is Region IV- A or CALABARZON Region (**population = 11,743,110) while the most populated city is Quezon City (**population = 2,679,450). Sixty-four (**64) cities are located in Luzon, thirty-nine (**39) cities are found in the Visayas and thirty-three (**33) cities are located in Mindanao. The largest city (land area) is Davao, which is located in Mindanao, while the most congested place is Manila, which is located in Luzon.

Manila is the capital of the Philippines while Baguio City is the "summer capital" of the Philippines. Baguio is a city which sits atop the Cordillera mountain range and it is known for its cool weather, pine trees and mountain sceneries. Another famous summer vacation spot is Tagaytay City. It is located just outside Metro Manila, in the Southern Tagalog region. Like Baguio, it is situated on a mountain range. Two well-known cities south of Luzon are Cebu and Zamboanga. Cebu is the "queen city of the south," although, in fact, it is located in the Visayas which is the central portion of the country. Zamboanga is a progressive city in Mindanao and it is the second biggest city. In Luzon, two of the most progressive cities are Makati, which the country's "financial district," and Quezon City. In the northern part of Luzon, there are two places which are recognized by UNESCO as world heritage sites. These are Vigan and the Banaue rice terraces. Vigan is the best preserved Spanish town in Asia while the Banaue rice terraces (as a whole) is an artistic and engineering marvel created by the indigenous people of the Cordillera region. Filipinos often refer to the terraces as the "eighth wonder of the world." The rice paddies were built along the slopes of the vast Cordillera mountain range.

Philippine Post Office Building or Manila Central Post Office

Manila. It is a city rich in culture and history. Prior to the coming of the Spaniards in 1521, Manila was a thriving port where merchandise were bought and sold by local, Chinese and Arab traders. During the Spanish colonial period (1521-1898), Manila became the center of socio-economic and political activities in the country and a massive wall was built around the city as a fortress. The Spanish government had plans to abandon its post in the Philippines but it was reluctant to give up Manila. It was a city which rivaled the best cities in Europe and, therefore, it was jewel on the crown of the Spanish Monarch. Manila was also the site of many a decisive battle that influenced the course of Philippine history.

National Museum of the Philippines or the Old Congress Building

Today, Manila is one of the biggest cities in the Philippines and it is classified as a highly urbanized city. It is located along the Manila Bay area in Luzon. It is the seat of the Philippine government and a center for cultural activities. It is home to many old buildings and landmark structures such as the Malacanang Palace, Philippine Post Office Building, Wall of Intramuros, National Museum of the Philippines and the Rizal monument. The Rizal monument is an iconic structure located in Rizal park, which is a popular tourist destination. Another tourist destination is Fort Santiago which is located inside the walled city of Old Manila.

Quezon City. The city was the brainchild of the late Commonwealth President Manuel L. Quezon. During the 1930's, President Quezon envisioned a city where the ordinary people can live with dignity. That vision has become a reality.

Today, Quezon City is the country's most populated city and one of the biggest cities in terms of land area. Much of the land area is used for residential purposes but the city is also home to many government offices: the Philippine Congress (House of Representatives), Department of Agriculture, Camp Crame, National Computer Center, Philippine Heart Center, Philippine Coconut Authority and many more. Business is powered by small-to-medium scale enterprises belonging to the retail and service sectors. Other business enterprises which contribute to the economy of Quezon City come from the transport and tele-communications sectors. The most well-known commercial district is the Araneta Center in Cubao. Quezon City is known for its large, open spaces. The Quezon Memorial Circle is one example of this kind of environment and in the middle of this memorial circle stands an iconic structure: the Quezon Memorial Tower. Near the memorial circle is another famous landmark: the Parks and Wildlife. It is a nature's park at the heart of the city.

Metro Manila’s Top Cities Info

Manila and Quezon City are two of the 16 cities of the National Capital Region (NCR), which is also known as Metro Manila. Manila is the 1st District of the region while Quezon City belongs to the 2nd District which includes Mandaluyong, Marikina, Pasig and San Juan.

Quezon City is the most populated city in the country (2,679,450) and Manila is the second most populated city (1,660,714) as of year 2008.

Quezon City and the cities of the 2nd District of Metro Manila rank first as the least poor provinces/areas in the Philippines while Manila ranks fourth in the said category as of year 2000.

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Metro Manila

Metro Manila or the National Capital Region (NCR) is a sprawling, busy metropolis located near the center of the Philippines' largest island which is Luzon. It is a cosmopolitan region where Filipinos from all walks of life and from different regions and various ethno-linguistic groups converge to live, work and play. It consists of 16 cities and 1 municipality that are grouped into four districts. The 1st District is made up of only one city which is Manila while the 2nd District consists of 5 cities which are Mandaluyong, Marikina, Pasig, Quezon City, and San Juan. The 3rd District is composed of 4 cities and these are Kaloocan City, Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela while the 4th District is made up of the cities of Las Piñas, Makati, Muntinlupa, Parañaque, Pasay and Pateros and the municipality of Taguig.

Metro Manila is the region where the capital of the Philippines is located, which is Manila. It is the region where the "shoe capital of the Philippines" can be found, which is Marikina. It is the region that plays host to the Philippines' top financial centers, which are Makati and Binondo in Manila. It is the region that has a city built for the ordinary people, which is Quezon City. Metro Manila is the site of a famous sunset which can be seen in the Manila Bay area. The bay's beautiful sunset is matched by its proud history of commercial trading that dates back as early as the 3rd century A.D. when Arab and Chinese traders from mainland Asia found their way to the Old Philippines. It is the urban center that boasts of a massive, old wall called the Intramuros, a fortress that made Manila one of the world's top cities during Spain's colonial rule of the Philippines. It is the metropolis where two iconic structures stand: the Andres Bonifacio monument in Kaloocan and the Rizal monument in Luneta, Manila. These monuments are powerful symbols of the struggle of the Filipino people for independence.

Metro Manila is the political center of the Philippines. It is the place where the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government are located. The Malacanang Palace, which is the official residence of the president of the Philippines, and the Supreme Court are located in Manila while the Senate and the House of Representatives, which make up the Philippine Congress, are located in Pasay City and Quezon City, respectively. Metro Manila is the economic center of the Philippines. It is the top contributor to the national economy. Its contribution to the country's gross domestic product accounts for nearly a third of the national economy since year 2001. It is the site where stocks are traded and money are made or lost in the stock market. It is the place where novel things and innovations are introduced and new trends are established. It is where money matters that has made it the “least poor region.”

What more can be said about Metro Manila? It also suffers from all sorts of problems associated with highly urbanized places: pollution, juvenile delinquency, crime, squatting and inadequate housing. Metro Manila is sometimes associated with graft and corruption in government. It lacks the road infrastructure needed to cope with the ever-growing number of people and vehicles as well as a comprehensive, metro-wide railway system. Traffic jams are a common sight. Its drainage system needs to be improved. Flooding often occurs in the major thoroughfares during the rainy season. Yet, this urban jungle with a land area of 619.5 square kilometers is home to 11,553,427 Filipinos, which makes Metro Manila the most densely populated region in the Philippines. It is the place where important decisions are made by the leaders of the country. It is the place where the home offices of many major corporations are located. It is the place where students can study in the best schools. It is the place where Filipinos can shop and dine and have fun in world-class shopping malls, hotels, restaurants and amusement centers. It is the place to be in the Philippines.