List of metropolitan areas in the Philippines

The Philippines has three metropolitan areas officially recognized by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) due to their prominence, population, size, and economy: Manila, Cebu, and Davao.^[1]^[2] The most populous is Metro Manila, which comprises the City of Manila, 15 neighboring cities, and a municipality. The largest by land area is Metro Davao in Mindanao.

Previously, NEDA recognized ten other metropolitan areas: Metro Angeles, Metro Bacolod, Metro Baguio, Metro Batangas, Metro Cagayan de Oro, Metro Dagupan, Metro Iloilo–Guimaras, Metro Naga, and Metro Olongapo. However, these ten were not included as official metropolises in the 2017–2022 Philippine Development Plan created by NEDA.^[3] By 2025, the population of Metro Cagayan de Oro is expected to reach a level that would allow it to be reclassified as a metropolitan area.^[4]

The official definition of each metropolitan area, as listed below, does not necessarily follow the actual extent of continuous urbanization. For example, the built-up area of Metro Manila has long spilled out of its borders into the adjacent provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal.^[5]

List

	Metro area ^[1]	Population (2020) ^[6]		Area ^[7]^[8]		Density (2020)		Managing agency
				km²	sq mi	/km²	/sq mi
	Metro Cebu	3,165,799		1,053.19	406.64	3,000	7,800	Metro Cebu Development and Coordinating Board^[9]
10°06′12″N 123°38′26″E / 10.1033°N 123.6405°E / 10.1033; 123.6405 (Carcar)	Carcar	4.3%	136,453	116.78	45.09	1,200	3,100
10°18′32″N 123°53′35″E / 10.3090°N 123.8930°E / 10.3090; 123.8930 (Cebu City)	Cebu City	30.5%	964,169	315.00	121.62	3,100	8,000
10°27′26″N 124°00′37″E / 10.4571°N 124.0104°E / 10.4571; 124.0104 (Compostela)	Compostela	1.8%	55,874	53.90	20.81	1,000	2,600
10°22′35″N 123°57′26″E / 10.3765°N 123.9572°E / 10.3765; 123.9572 (Consolacion)	Consolacion	4.7%	148,012	37.03	14.30	4,000	10,000
10°15′05″N 123°57′00″E / 10.2515°N 123.9499°E / 10.2515; 123.9499 (Cordova)	Cordova	2.2%	70,595	17.15	6.62	4,100	11,000
10°31′14″N 124°01′37″E / 10.5205°N 124.0270°E / 10.5205; 124.0270 (Danao)	Danao	4.9%	156,321	107.30	41.43	1,500	3,900
10°18′39″N 123°56′58″E / 10.3109°N 123.9494°E / 10.3109; 123.9494 (Lapu-Lapu)	Lapu-Lapu (Opon)	15.7%	497,604	58.10	22.43	8,600	22,000
10°24′01″N 123°59′57″E / 10.4002°N 123.9993°E / 10.4002; 123.9993 (Liloan)	Liloan	4.8%	153,197	45.92	17.73	3,300	8,500
10°19′28″N 123°56′34″E / 10.3245°N 123.9428°E / 10.3245; 123.9428 (Mandaue)	Mandaue	11.5%	364,116	25.18	9.72	14,000	36,000
10°14′42″N 123°47′47″E / 10.2450°N 123.7964°E / 10.2450; 123.7964 (Minglanilla)	Minglanilla	4.8%	151,002	65.60	25.33	2,300	6,000
10°12′33″N 123°45′24″E / 10.2093°N 123.7567°E / 10.2093; 123.7567 (Naga)	Naga	4.2%	133,184	101.97	39.37	1,300	3,400
10°09′51″N 123°42′21″E / 10.1643°N 123.7058°E / 10.1643; 123.7058 (San Fernando)	San Fernando	2.3%	72,224	69.39	26.79	1,000	2,600
10°14′41″N 123°50′50″E / 10.2446°N 123.8473°E / 10.2446; 123.8473 (Talisay)	Talisay	8.3%	263,048	39.87	15.39	6,600	17,000
	Metro Davao	3,339,284		6,492.84	2,506.90	510	1,300	Metropolitan Davao Development Authority^[10]
7°21′20″N 125°42′16″E / 7.3556°N 125.7045°E / 7.3556; 125.7045 (Carmen)	Carmen	2.5%	82,018	166.00	64.09	490	1,300
7°03′50″N 125°36′30″E / 7.0639°N 125.6083°E / 7.0639; 125.6083 (Davao City)	Davao City	53.2%	1,776,949	2,443.61	943.48	730	1,900
6°44′39″N 125°21′23″E / 6.7443°N 125.3565°E / 6.7443; 125.3565 (Digos)	Digos	5.6%	188,376	287.10	110.85	660	1,700
6°44′39″N 125°21′23″E / 6.7443°N 125.3565°E / 6.7443; 125.3565 (Hagonoy)	Hagonoy	1.7%	56,919	114.28	44.12	500	1,300
6°44′39″N 125°21′23″E / 6.7443°N 125.3565°E / 6.7443; 125.3565 (Maco)	Maco	2.5%	83,237	342.23	132.14	240	620
6°44′39″N 125°21′23″E / 6.7443°N 125.3565°E / 6.7443; 125.3565 (Malalag)	Malalag	1.2%	40,158	186.12	71.86	220	570
6°44′39″N 125°21′23″E / 6.7443°N 125.3565°E / 6.7443; 125.3565 (Malita)	Malita	3.5%	118,197	883.37	341.07	130	340
6°34′12″N 126°07′48″E / 6.5700°N 126.1300°E / 6.5700; 126.1300 (Mati)	Mati	4.4%	147,547	588.63	227.27	250	650
6°56′N 126°58′E / 6.94°N 126.97°E / 6.94; 126.97 (Padada)	Padada	0.9%	29,878	83.00	32.05	360	930
7°18′01″N 125°40′57″E / 7.3004°N 125.6826°E / 7.3004; 125.6826 (Panabo)	Panabo	6.3%	209,230	251.23	97.00	830	2,100
7°04′28″N 125°42′31″E / 7.0744°N 125.7086°E / 7.0744; 125.7086 (Samal)	Samal	3.5%	116,771	301.30	116.33	390	1,000
6°50′02″N 125°24′55″E / 6.8340°N 125.4154°E / 6.8340; 125.4154 (Santa Cruz)	Santa Cruz	3.0%	101,125	319.91	123.52	320	830
6°50′02″N 125°24′55″E / 6.8340°N 125.4154°E / 6.8340; 125.4154 (Santa Maria)	Santa Maria	1.7%	57,526	175.00	67.57	330	850
6°50′02″N 125°24′55″E / 6.8340°N 125.4154°E / 6.8340; 125.4154 (Santa Maria)	Sulop	1.1%	35,151	155.26	59.95	230	600
7°26′48″N 125°48′34″E / 7.4468°N 125.8095°E / 7.4468; 125.8095 (Tagum)	Tagum	8.9%	296,202	195.80	75.60	1,500	3,900
	Metro Manila	13,484,462		633.11	244.45	21,000	54,000	Metropolitan Manila Development Authority
14°39′26″N 120°59′03″E / 14.6571°N 120.9841°E / 14.6571; 120.9841 (Caloocan)	Caloocan	12.3%	1,661,584	53.20	20.54	31,000	80,000
14°28′50″N 120°58′55″E / 14.4806°N 120.9819°E / 14.4806; 120.9819 (Las Piñas)	Las Piñas	4.5%	606,293	32.02	12.36	19,000	49,000
14°33′24″N 121°01′25″E / 14.5568°N 121.0235°E / 14.5568; 121.0235 (Makati)	Makati	4.7%	629,616	27.36	10.56	23,000	60,000
14°40′31″N 120°57′26″E / 14.6752°N 120.9573°E / 14.6752; 120.9573 (Malabon)	Malabon	2.8%	380,522	15.96	6.16	24,000	62,000
14°34′39″N 121°02′00″E / 14.5774°N 121.0334°E / 14.5774; 121.0334 (Mandaluyong)	Mandaluyong	3.2%	425,758	11.06	4.27	38,000	98,000
14°35′26″N 120°58′48″E / 14.5906°N 120.9799°E / 14.5906; 120.9799 (Manila)	Manila	13.7%	1,846,513	42.88	16.56	43,000	110,000
14°37′59″N 121°05′57″E / 14.6331°N 121.0993°E / 14.6331; 121.0993 (Marikina)	Marikina	3.4%	456,059	22.64	8.74	20,000	52,000
15°42′47″N 120°54′15″E / 15.7131°N 120.9041°E / 15.7131; 120.9041 (Muntinlupa)	Muntinlupa	4.0%	543,445	41.67	16.09	13,000	34,000
14°39′25″N 120°56′52″E / 14.6569°N 120.9478°E / 14.6569; 120.9478 (Navotas)	Navotas	1.8%	247,543	11.51	4.44	22,000	57,000
14°30′03″N 120°59′29″E / 14.5007°N 120.9915°E / 14.5007; 120.9915 (Parañaque)	Parañaque	5.1%	689,992	47.28	18.25	15,000	39,000
14°32′37″N 120°59′43″E / 14.5437°N 120.9954°E / 14.5437; 120.9954 (Pasay)	Pasay	3.3%	440,656	18.64	7.20	24,000	62,000
14°33′38″N 121°04′36″E / 14.5605°N 121.0767°E / 14.5605; 121.0767 (Pasig)	Pasig	6.0%	803,159	31.46	12.15	26,000	67,000
14°32′32″N 121°03′55″E / 14.5421°N 121.0654°E / 14.5421; 121.0654 (Pateros)	Pateros	0.5%	65,227	1.76	0.68	37,000	96,000
14°39′03″N 121°02′55″E / 14.6509°N 121.0486°E / 14.6509; 121.0486 (Quezon City)	Quezon City	22.0%	2,960,048	165.33	63.83	18,000	47,000
14°36′17″N 121°01′48″E / 14.6047°N 121.0299°E / 14.6047; 121.0299 (San Juan)	San Juan	0.9%	126,347	5.87	2.27	22,000	57,000
14°31′36″N 121°04′28″E / 14.5266°N 121.0744°E / 14.5266; 121.0744 (Taguig)	Taguig	6.6%	886,722	45.18	17.44	20,000	52,000
14°42′28″N 120°56′46″E / 14.7077°N 120.9462°E / 14.7077; 120.9462 (Valenzuela)	Valenzuela	5.3%	714,978	45.75	17.66	16,000	41,000

History

In 2020, 54% of the Philippine population lived in urban areas^[11] encompassing many cities. Growth in some cities has led to urban spillover in adjacent municipalities.

Metro Manila was created in 1975 with the establishment of the Metro Manila Commission. This commission, reorganized in 1986 as the Metro Manila Authority, was renamed in 1995 as the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA). While MMDA has no power over the local government units (LGUs) it covers, it has worked with the LGUs to solve issues that affect all of them such as traffic management.

The practice of creating an intercity board or agency to determine the limits of a metropolitan area has become common.^{[citation needed]} A number of proposals have been created to create similar metropolitan arrangements in other areas of the country. In 1997, Cebu created the Metropolitan Cebu Development Council (MCDC), which was renamed the Metropolitan Cebu Development and Coordinating Board (MCDCB) in 2011. In 2022, Baguio^[12] and Davao created their own metropolitan boards. Other proposed metropolitan boards include ones for Bulacan and Bataan.

Gallery

Metro Manila
Metro Cebu
Metro Davao

References

External links

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