The region is the center of culture (including arts and entertainment), economy, education and government of the Philippines. Designated as a global power city, the region exerts a significant impact on commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and entertainment, both locally and internationally. It is the home to all embassies in the Philippines, thereby making it an important center for international diplomacy in the country. Its economic power makes the region the country's premier center for finance and commerce. The region accounts for 36% of the gross domestic product (GDP) of the Philippines.[12]Greater Manila is the fourth largest ASEAN country subdivision by GDP after Singapore, Jakarta and Bangkok.
In 1975, in response to the need to sustain and provide integrated services to the growing population, the built-up area centered on Manila was formally recognized as a metropolitan area through Presidential Decree No. 824.[1] A year later, Presidential Decree No. 879 established Metro Manila as an administrative region, retaining its earlier status as a metropolis, and was designated as Region IV, with the remainder of the Southern Tagalog region being designated as Region IV-A.[2] Finally, in 1978, Metro Manila became the National Capital Region (NCR) of the Philippines, discontinuing its numerical designation and reverting it to Southern Tagalog.[3]
Map of ancient Manila in 1570. The polity of Maynila shown in yellow.
Manila, to the extent that it has this placename, was likely founded in the Middle Ages, in the early 16th century[13] due to the Sanskrit origin of the component "nila" in its name which refers to "indigo"[14], and the prevalence of the placename during the rule of Rajah Matanda, the old king of Maynila, who was born somewhere between the late 15th century to the early 16th century. The earliest evidence of Hinduism and Sanskrit influence in maritime Southeast Asia is in Sanskrit inscriptions from the late 300s in eastern Kalimantan (or Borneo). This analysis of the placename is supported by many other nearby placenames in the Tagalog region with the prefix "may-".
Manila has historically been a global city due to its role for international trade. By the 15th and 16th centuries, Manila was a walled and fortified city and was the capital of the Kingdom of Luzon. Its institution, government, and economy were associated with the Tagalogs and the Kapampangans, and the Malay language was extensively used for foreign affairs as customary in much of Southeast Asia at the time. It was also well known by other Southeast Asian kingdoms such as Cebu, Brunei, Melaka, other Malay kingdoms, and Ternate, and may be known in East Asia as far as China and Japan.
In the current territory of Metropolitan Manila, there were several lordships that were either sovereign or tributary such as Tondo (Tundun), Malate (Maalát), Navotas (Nabútas), Tambobong (Tambúbong), Taguig (Tagiig), Parañaque (Palanyág) and Cainta (Kay Intâ).[15]
Shortly after Rajah Matanda's birth, sometime around the early 16th century while he was rajahmuda or heir apparent, his father, the King of Luzon, died, leaving his mother as the quen regent of Luzon.[16] By 1511, Luzonians had been carrying out large-scale trade at least within maritime Southeast Asia with some Luzonians being hired as officials in Melaka and some Luzonian merchants gaining royal favors in Brunei. It was in Melaka that Luzonians met the Portuguese before the Portuguese conquest of Melaka in 1511. In 1521, Rajah Matanda, then still a young man known as Ache, was known in maritime Southeast Asia as the son of the King of Luzon. He married a princess of Brunei and served as an admiral for his grandfather, the Sultan of Brunei, in an attack near Java in exchange for soldiers and a fleet of ships. On the way home, he met and had an encounter with a Castilian fleet.[17]
Some Luzonians in the 1500s had also been taking part in mercenary work in other kingdoms. The Luzonians' commercial influence also reached as far as Butuan. By the 1570s, the ruling class of Manila together with the international Luzonian merchants were Muslim and Islam was spreading through the freemen and the slaves.
On May 24, 1570, the battle of Manila was fought between the Kingdom of Luzon, under the command of the heir apparent Prince Sulayman, and the Kingdom of Spain, under the command of field marshal Martin de Goiti who was aided by some foreign forces. This resulted in the arson and destruction of Manila.[15]
After destroying Manila, the Spanish set up a settlement to secure territory on the same site on the Luzon island for the Spanish ruler. Initially enclosed in wood, much later in stone, a new walled city of Manila became the capital of the Spanish East Indies. After setting up a settlement and consolidating some territorial holdings outwards, the Spanish instituted a province known as Manila.[15]
Later on, the Manila galleon continually sailed the Pacific from end-to-end, bringing to Mexico Asian merchandise and cultural exchange.
First Philippine Republic
In the First Philippine Republic, the province included the walled city of Manila and 23 other municipalities. Mariquina also served as the provincial capital from 1898 to 1899. However, despite almost the entirety of the territory being occupied by Philippine forces, the walled city of Manila was occupied by Spanish forces.
Nichols Field runway with Manila in the background, taken prior to 1941
In 1939, during the Philippine Commonwealth, President Manuel L. Quezon established Quezon City with the objective of replacing Manila as the capital city of the Philippines. A design for Quezon City was completed. The establishment of Quezon City meant the abandonment of Burnham's design for Manila, with funds being diverted for the establishment of the new capital
Map of the City of Greater Manila that existed from 1942 to 1945
In 1942, during the World War II, PresidentManuel L. Quezon created the City of Greater Manila as an emergency measure, merging the cities of Manila and Quezon City, along with the municipalities of Caloocan, Makati, Mandaluyong, Parañaque, Pasay, and San Juan.[20]Jorge Vargas was appointed as its first mayor. Mayors in the cities and municipalities included in the City of Greater Manila served as assistant mayors in their town. This was to ensure that Vargas, who was Quezon's principal lieutenant for administrative matters, would have a position of authority recognized under international military law. The City of Greater Manila served as a model for the present-day Metro Manila and the administrative functions of the Governor of Metro Manila that was established during the Marcos administration.
After World War II, in 1945, President Sergio Osmeña signed Executive Order No. 58, which dissolved the city of Greater Manila instituted by former President Quezon.[21]
Third Philippine Republic
Creation of the National Capital Region
World War II resulted in the loss of more than 100,000 lives in the battle of Manila in 1945. Most of the developments in Burnham's design were also destroyed. Later on, Quezon City was eventually declared as the national capital in 1948 and later expanded to the areas formerly under the jurisdiction of Caloocan, Marikina, and San Mateo, Rizal.
Reinstitution as Metropolitan Manila under martial law
On November 7, 1975, Metro Manila was formally established through Presidential Decree No. 824. The Metropolitan Manila Commission was also created to manage the region.[1] On June 2, 1978, through Presidential Decree No. 1396, the metropolitan area was declared the National Capital Region of the Philippines.[3] When Metro Manila was established, there were four cities, Manila, Quezon City, Caloocan, Pasay and the thirteen municipalities of Las Piñas, Makati, Malabon, Mandaluyong, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Navotas, Parañaque, Pasig, Pateros, San Juan, Taguig, and Valenzuela. At present, all but one of these municipalities have become independent chartered cities; only Pateros still remains as a municipality.
The capital of the Philippines was re-designated to Manila in 1976 through Presidential Decree No. 940. The decree states that Manila has always been, to the Filipino people and in the eyes of the world, the premier city of the Philippines, being the center of trade, commerce, education, and culture. While the then-newly formed region was designated as the seat of government.[22]
Fourth Philippine Republic
President Marcos was overthrown in a non-violent revolution along EDSA, which lasted four days in late February 1986. The popular uprising, now known as the People Power Revolution, made international headlines as "the revolution that surprised the world".[23]
Fifth Philippine Republic
In 1986, President Corazon Aquino laid down the Executive Order No. 392, reorganizing and changing the structure of the Metropolitan Manila Commission and renamed it to the Metropolitan Manila Authority. Mayors in the metropolis chose from among themselves the chair of the agency. Later on, it was again reorganized in 1995 through Republic Act No. 7924, creating the present-day Metropolitan Manila Development Authority. The chairperson of the agency would be appointed by the President and should not have a concurrent elected position such as mayor. Elfren Cruz was the last to serve as the Officer-In-Charge governor of Metro Manila.[24]
In 2014, then-MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino proposed that San Pedro, Laguna be included in Metro Manila as its 18th member city. Tolentino said that in the first meeting of the MMDA Council of mayors in January 2015, he would push for the inclusion of the city to the MMDA.[27] Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III filed Senate Bill No. 3029, which seeks to create San Pedro as a separate legislative district to commence in the next national and local elections if the bill was passed into law.[28][29]
In April 2022, Makati lost the territorial dispute with Taguig, which was ruled with finality a year later in April 2023. Ten barangays, including the Embo barangays, were thus transferred to Taguig.[30][31][32]
Metropolitan Manila, or the National Capital Region, is divided morphologically into three major parts. These are the: Central Plateau, Coastal Lowland, and Marikina ValleyDrainage map of the Pasig-Marikina River system
Metro Manila is located in the southwestern portion of Luzon. The region lies along the flat alluvial lands extending from the mouth of the Pasig River in the west to the higher rugged lands of Marikina Valley in the east. The region is geographically divided into 4 zones: the Coastal Margin, Guadalupe Plateau, Marikina Valley, and the Laguna Lowlands.
The Coastal Margin or Lowland is a flat and low plain that faces Manila Bay. Located here is Manila, Navotas, parts of Malabon, and the western part and reclaimed areas of Pasay and Parañaque, where the ground elevation ranges from zero meters on Manila Bay to five meters (16ft) at the west side of the cities of Mandaluyong and Makati. The Coastal Lowland possesses resources for offshore fisheries and fishpond development, and various reclamation projects in the area are meant for mixed-use urban development.
The Central or Guadalupe Plateau is the most adaptable to urban development activities not only because of its solid geographical foundations but also because of its existing infrastructure links with the rest of Luzon. It is mainly residential and includes the densely populated areas of Metro Manila such San Juan, Makati and Quezon City, as well as most parts of Caloocan and Mandaluyong. The ground elevation ranges from 20 to 40 meters (66 to 131ft) and gradually becomes lower towards its western side, while ground elevation ranges from 70 to 100 meters (230 to 330ft) towards the northwestern side of the plateau. The area becomes narrower along the Pasig River.
The Marikina Valley is a floodplain along the Marikina River and a delta along Laguna de Bay. Its elevation ranges from two meters (6ft 7in) on the Laguna de Bay side to 30 meters (98ft) on its north side towards Montalban. It is surrounded by the Central Plateau and mountains of Rizal. It has fertile land suitable for crop cultivation while the Marikina River provides water for industrial uses and discharge.
The Laguna Lowlands is not only suitable for agriculture and aquaculture but also for industrial activity.[33]
Natural hazards
Flooding brought by Typhoon Ketsana (Tropical Storm Ondoy) in 2009 caused 484 deaths in Metro Manila alone.
Metro Manila is exposed to multiple natural hazards such as earthquakes, floods, and typhoons. It is surrounded by active faults including the Marikina Valley Fault System. Other distant faults such as the Philippine Faults, Lubang Faults, Manila Trench and Casiguran Faults, are a threat as well.[34] Flooding is recurrent every year especially in low-lying areas of Valenzuela, Malabon, Caloocan, Navotas, Manila, Pasay, Parañaque, and Las Piñas, where flood are generally linked with the tidal movements in Manila Bay. Meanwhile, Marikina, Pasig, Taguig, and Pateros are areas inland that are also prone to flooding. These areas are located along the Marikina Valley where there is poor soil drainage and a shallow water table due to being in proximity to Laguna Bay's shores. Flood risks are generally lower in cities along the Guadalupe Plateau, including Quezon City, San Juan, Makati, Mandaluyong and Muntinlupa, where volcanic rocks rise up to 40 to 70 meters (130 to 230ft) above sea level.[35] Around five to seven typhoons hit Manila yearly. Manila was ranked as the second riskiest capital city after Tokyo to live in according to Swiss Re.[36]
Climate
According to the Köppen climate classification, there are two climates in Metro Manila. Most of the region has a tropical wet and dry climate (Köppen climate classification Aw) while the northeastern part of the region that lies on the foothills of Sierra Madre has a tropical monsoon climate. Together with the rest of the Philippines, Manila lies entirely within the tropics. Its proximity to the equator means that temperatures are hot year-round, rarely going below 15°C or above 39°C. Temperature extremes have ranged from 14.4°C on January 11, 1914,[37] to 38.8°C on April 27, 2024.[38]
Humidity levels are usually very high all year round. Manila has a distinct dry season from December through April, and a relatively lengthy wet season that covers the remaining period with slightly cooler temperatures. In the wet season, it rarely rains all day, but rainfall is very heavy during short periods. Typhoons usually occur from June to September.[39][unreliable source?]
Climate data for Port Area, Manila (1981–2010, extremes 1885–2023)
Rizal Park, also known as Luneta Park, is considered the largest urban park in Asia with an area of 58 hectares (140 acres).[49] The park along with the historic walled area of Intramuros are designated as flagship destination to become a tourism enterprise zone according to the Tourism Act of 2009.[50]Paco Park is a recreational garden which was once the city's municipal cemetery built by the Dominicans during the Spanish colonial period.[51] Filipino Landscape architectIP Santos, the "Father of Philippine Landscape Architecture", was commissioned to do the design of converting the former cemetery into a park.
Manila Zoo is the oldest zoo in Asia, which was founded in 1959. It is the home to more than a thousand animals from 90 different species including the 40-year-old elephant, Mali. The zoo has an average of 4,000 visitors weekly. An estimated 40,000 tourists visit the zoo each month.[52]
The Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area (LPPCHEA) was declared as a critical habitat by the Government of the Philippines in 2007[53] and was listed by the Ramsar Convention as a Wetland of International Importance in 2013.[54] LPPCHEA is composed of the Freedom Island in Parañaque and the Long Island in Las Piñas that covers 175 hectares and features a mangrove forest of eight species, tidal mudflats, secluded ponds with fringing salt-tolerant vegetation, a coastal lagoon, and a beach.[55]
The framework of government and governance in Metro Manila is based on Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as the "Local Government Code of 1991". This law outlines the powers and responsibilities of all local government units (LGUS) in the Philippines and thus forms the basis of inter-local governmental relations among the area's constituent local governments. The local government code grants these units significant political and administrative autonomy in accordance with the principles of decentralization and devolution of power. This situation presents a challenge to the coordination of policy and service delivery across the multiple autonomous local government units and is thus the underlying dilemma of metropolitan governance in Metro Manila.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is the agency responsible for the delivery of public services in Metro Manila. Its services are limited to traffic management and garbage collection. Previously Metro Manila was governed by a regional government authority, the Metro Manila Commission and was led by a governor.
A bill was introduced in 2014 proposing the creation of a new governing body in Metro Manila to be known as the Metropolitan Manila Regional Administration (MMRA). Unlike the MMDA which is limited to being an administrative coordinating body, the proposed MMRA will have police and other typical municipal powers and is more akin to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.[56][57]
The political and administrative boundaries of the National Capital Region has not changed since its formation in 1975 as a public corporation under Presidential Decree No. 824. They are composed of sixteen independent cities, classified as highly urbanized cities, and one independent municipality: Pateros.
Primary local government units of Metro Manila, 2023
^ Land area of Manila from the City of Manila official government website.[60]
^ Land area of Pateros from the Municipality of Pateros official government website.[61]
Districts
Unlike other administrative regions in the Philippines, Metro Manila is not composed of provinces. Instead, the region is divided into four geographic areas called "districts".[62] The districts have their district centers at the four original cities in the region: the city-district of Manila (Capital District), Quezon City (Eastern Manila), Caloocan (Northern Manila, also informally known as Camanava), and Pasay (Southern Manila).[63] The districts serve mainly to organize the region's local government units for fiscal and statistical purposes.
There is a high demand for the inclusion of San Pedro, Laguna in Metro Manila. Support groups from the local government and non-government organizations are striving to incorporate San Pedro into Metro Manila.[67][68]
San Pedro is being looked at as the 18th member of Metro Manila. Former Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Francis Tolentino is pushing for the inclusion of San Pedro in the National Capital Region, to eventually become its 18th member city. Tolentino said that in the first meeting of the MMDA Council of mayors in January 2015, he would push for the inclusion of the city to the MMDA.[69]
Metro Manila has a population of 13,484,462 according to the 2020 national census.[5] Its total urban area, composed of the urban agglomeration which refers to the continuous urban expansion of Metro Manila into the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Batangas has an estimated population of 24,100,000 as of 2015.[6] It is the second most populous (after Calabarzon) and most densely populated region in the Philippines, the 7th most populous metropolitan area in Asia, and the 4th most populous urban area in the world.
From the 1980s up to the present, informal settlers have accounted for roughly one-third of the Metro Manila population.[81][82] A majority of informal settlers belong to the middle-class.[83] In 2014, there are an estimated four million slum dwellers living in Metro Manila. Homelessness is also a major problem in Metro Manila.[84] However, these are being addressed by creating in-city relocation housing, and by relocating informal settler families in low-density housing built in the nearby provinces of Batangas, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal.[85]
During the American occupation, housing policies in Manila dealt the problem of sanitation and concentration of settlers around business areas. Among those implemented were business codes and sanitation laws in slum areas in the 1930s. During this period and until the 1950s, new communities were opened for relocation. Among these were Projects 1–8 in Quezon City and the Vitas tenement houses in Tondo. The government implemented the Public Housing Policy in 1947 that established the People's Homesite and Housing Corporation (PHHC). A few years later, it put up the Slum Clearance Committee which, with the help of the PHHC, relocated thousands of families from Tondo and Quezon City to Sapang Palay in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan in the 1960s.[86]
During the time of President Ferdinand Marcos, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank supported the programs for the "development of relocation" and "on-site development". Carmona and Dasmariñas in Cavite and San Pedro in Laguna opened as relocation sites. Along with the establishment of the National Housing Authority (Philippines), Presidential Decree 772 made squatting a crime, making the Philippines one of only two countries (the other is South Africa) where squatting is a crime. The government formulated the National Shelter Program which became the over-all framework for dealing with housing needs of all income classes.[citation needed]
Imelda Marcos held both the position as Governor of Metro Manila and as Minister of Human Settlements and Ecology (MHSE) until the downfall of the dictatorship in 1986. The MHSE, through loans from the World Bank, initiated the Bagong Lipunan Improvement of Sites and Services (BLISS) housing projects not only in Metro Manila but also in other provinces.[87][88]
From 1960 to 1992, the government transferred some 328,000 families to resettlement sites 25 to 40km (16 to 25mi) from Metro Manila. According to the Asian Coalition on Housing Rights, during President Corazon C. Aquino's time, the government would bring some 100,000 persons to relocation sites yearly. During the said period, Sapang Palay and Carmona had a 60% abandonment rate. Congress enacted Republic Act No. 7279 or the Urban Development and Housing Act (UDHA) in 1992. The law gave a new name for the squatters: informal settlers.[89] Essentially, UDHA gives protection for big private ownership of land in the urban areas, ensuring that these are protected from illegal occupants. The law also widened the scope of private sector participation in the National Shelter Program (NSP).[citation needed]
In the middle of the presidency of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, infrastructure projects of the government led to the demolition of hundreds of thousands of families (from along railways, C-4 Road, C-5 Road, and from Fort Bonifacio). During the same period, new relocation sites in Bulacan, Valenzuela and Caloocan opened.
The National Capital Region accounts for 31.1% of the gross domestic product of the Philippines in 2023.[12] Furthermore, it has the highest per capita GDP of the country at ₱530,945.[91] The employment rate in the region is at 91.3% as of April2021[update].[88] According to the Brookings Institution, the 2014 share of output by industry in Metro Manila is as follows: trade and tourism: 31.4%, business/finance: 28.6%, local/non-market: 15.6%, manufacturing: 12.5%, transportation: 4.9%, construction: 4%, utilities: 2.8%, and commodities: 0.3%.[92]
Metro Manila would add 1.85million square meters (7.1×10−7×10^6sqmi) of office spaces between 2015 and 2017 in the central business districts in Makati, Taguig, and Quezon City as more global firms such as Google and HSBC seek to outsource business processes in the Philippines.[93] The vacancy rate for office spaces remains low, at less 3% in the year-end of 2014.[94] Manila remains as the least expensive capital city in the Asia-Pacific to occupy prime office space at an average rent of $22 per square meter per month.[95]
Metro Manila makes it to the "Global Top 30" cities according to property consultancy firm Jones Lang LaSalle, citing its economic scale, vast population, large gross domestic product and BPO specialization as its competitive edge.[96] Furthermore, the region ranks 3rd for the top business process outsourcing global destinations, next to Bangalore and Mumbai.[97] The region's retail sector remains strong, bolstered by remittances abroad, BPOs, and its tourism sector.[98]
Binondo, founded in 1594, is considered as the oldest chinatown in the world.
Historically, the main business district of the metropolis was Binondo, where commercial trading flourished since the 15th century. By the 1960s, economic activities shifted from Binondo to Makati. It transformed Makati into one of the leading financial centers in Asia. Still, Binondo remained as a cultural and financial center because of the vast Chinese population residing and doing business in the area.
The minimum wage of Metro Manila is at ₱645.00 ($13.1) per-day for non-agricultural workers and at ₱608.00 ($12.35) per-day for those working in the agricultural sector,[100] the highest minimum wage among all the 17 regions of the country.[101] However, an increase of ₱25 was made and implemented in November 2018.[102]
Nominal wages are what Metro Manila's current minimum wage rates are known as. The Philippine government has set these wage rates at a fixed amount.
On the other hand, the amount after inflation is what is considered the real minimum wage. For instance, the non-agricultural employees of NCR typically receive ₱428.23 ($8.7) per day as opposed to ₱537 ($10.9). The minimum salary for agricultural employees in Manila (including plantation and non-plantation workers) is ₱398.72 ($8.1) after accounting for inflation.
The Makati Central Business District is the premier business and commercial center of the Philippines. It is the headquarters to most of the multinational corporations residing in the Philippines as well as the country's biggest commercial firms and BPO companies.[103] The Central Business District has an office stock of 1.1million square meters of Grade A and premium office space.[104] It is the home to the tallest skyscrapers in the region as well as in the country.
Bonifacio Global City is the newest business district of Manila and is the premier financial and lifestyle center of the metropolis. It is located in the north-western part of Taguig. It used to be a military base known as Fort Bonifacio. The Bases and Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) privatized the property and its income from the sale was intended to be used for the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Upon its privatization, the place was transformed into a business hub featuring numerous tourist attractions such as The Mind Museum, high-end shops, towering office skyscrapers, and luxurious lofts and condominiums. Bonifacio Global City will soon overtake the Makati Central Business District as the premier financial center of the country in the future. One of the reasons for it is that the Philippine Stock Exchange will relocate its headquarters in BGC. Also, it has more spaces and land for future developments. It is also the most active business district, generating over 50 percent of the growth in property market and has more available space for rent or lease and sale than Makati.[104]
Tourism is a vital industry of the region. Metro Manila is the main gateway to the Philippines. Trade and tourism represent 31.4% of share of NCR's output by industry according to Brookings Institution.[92] Metro Manila welcomed 974,379 overnight visitors in 2012, making it the top overnight tourist destination of the country.[107]Manila is visited by the majority of international tourists coming to the country registering a total of 3,139,756 arrivals in 2012.[108]
Okada Manila is one of Metro Manila's integrated casino resort and hotel complex.
Intramuros is the historic walled area within the modern City of Manila. Originally, it was considered to be Manila itself at the time when the Philippines was under the Spanish Empire colonial rule. Owing to its history and cultural value, Intramuros and Rizal Park were designated as flagship destination to become a tourism enterprise zone in the Tourism Act of 2009.[50]Intramuros is managed by the Intramuros Administration.
The architecture of Intramuros reflects the Spanish colonial style and the American neoclassical architectural style, since the Philippines was a colony of Spain and the United States before it was granted its independence in 1946. Kalesa is a popular mode of transportation in Intramuros and nearby places[118] such as Binondo, Ermita and the Rizal Park.
Metro Manila is widely celebrated in popular lore, frequently the setting for mostly Filipino books, movies, and television programs. Flores de Mayo is widely celebrated throughout all the places in Metro Manila. The yearly Metro Manila Film Festival, inaugurated in 1966, is the forerunner of all Philippine film festivals.
Metro Manila's, and in general the country's main sport is basketball. Another popular sport in the city are cue sports, and billiard halls are found in many places. Baseball, volleyball, football and swimming are also widely played sports. The region has been the champion of the Palarong Pambansa for 13 straight years.[124]Manila Storm are a rugby league team training out of Rizal Park (Luneta Park) and playing home matches at the Southern Plains Field, Calamba, Laguna. The Metro Manila area is also home to a number of rugby union teams such as the Alabang Eagles, Makati Mavericks, Manila Nomads Sports Club and the Manila Hapons.
The region has the highest literacy rate among all the regions of the Philippines, with 99.2% in 2008. Literacy rate for males is at 99.0% while literacy rate for females is at 99.4%.[127] For the school year of 2008–2009, Metro Manila has 511 public elementary schools and 220 public secondary schools. There are 309 tertiary (public and private) institutions as of the year-end of 2009. For the said school year, enrollment in public elementary schools is at 1,219,333, public secondary schools at 661,019 and 687,096 for tertiary (public and private) institutions.[128]
Healthcare in Metro Manila is mostly provided by private corporations. 72% of region's hospitals are privately owned. As of 2009[update], the region has 179 hospitals. Quezon City has the most hospitals while Valenzuela and Pateros do not have any.[129] In 2008, government health workers in NCR comprises 590 doctors, 498 dentists, 4,576 nurses, and 17,437 midwives. Furthermore, Metro Manila has 27,779 beds with a ratio of 2.47 per 1,000 population as of 2008[update].[130] The region has the lowest malnutrition rate among all the regions in the country.[131]
The headquarters of the World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific, and the World Health Organization Country Office for the Philippines are in the region. The main office of the Department of Health, the national health department, is also in the region.
The Philippine National Police is responsible for law enforcement in the country. Its headquarters is located at Camp Crame along Bonny Serrano Avenue, Quezon City. The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) is the regional branch of PNP that operates in the region. Its headquarters is located at Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig. Under the supervision of NCRPO, Metro Manila is divided into five police districts. The five police districts are the Northern Police District, Eastern Police District, Southern Police District and Quezon City Police District.[138]
Metro Manila has the highest rate of crime in the country in 2014, with 59,448 crimes reported (excluding crimes reported in barangay level) with 25,353 of these crimes committed against persons.[139] Following criticisms of high crime rate in Metro Manila, the Philippine National Police launched a relentless anti-crime drive that resulted in the decrease of crimes in the metropolis.[140][141] As of March 2015 Metro Manila's crime rate is down by 50%. From an average of 919 crimes reported weekly, it has gone down to 412. Recorded robberies and theft also decreased by 63 in just a month.[142] All the 159 police community precincts of Metro Manila will be using the electronic blotter system in recording crimes starting June 2015.[143]
The Bureau of Fire Protection National Capital Region provides fire protection and technical rescue as well as emergency medical services to the metropolis. It is broadly organized into five firefighting districts: Manila, Quezon City, District II, District III and District IV.
According to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, public ridership in Metro Manila composes of the following: 46% of the people go around by jeepneys, 32% by private vehicle, 14% by bus, and 8% use the railway system.[146] Transportation development in Metro Manila follows the Metro Manila Dream Plan, which consists of building short-term to long-term infrastructure lasting up to 2030 and addressing its issues on traffic, land use and environment.[147][148]
The roads of Metro Manila are built around the City of Manila. Roads are classified as local, national or subdivision roads. There are ten radial roads branching out from the city. Also there are five circumferential roads forming a series of concentric semi-circular arcs around Manila. The circumferential and radial roads are systems of interconnected roads, bridges and highways. A problem with the circumferential roads are the missing road links. These are the roads that are not yet constructed to give way for development due to Metro Manila's rapid urbanization. The metropolis is resolving this problem through the completion of missing road links or through the construction of connector roads.
The radial and circumferential road system are being supplanted by a new numbered highway system implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways, and new signage are being placed with its implementation. Expressways are being assigned numbers with the E prefix. National roads are assigned 1 to 3 digit numbers, except for those classified as tertiary national roads.
The Skyway serves as the region's main expressway, directly connecting the North Luzon Expressway and the South Luzon Expressway. It also enables access to Ninoy Aquino International Airport via the NAIA Expressway (NAIAX). The Skyway is the first fully grade-separated highway in the Philippines and one of the longest elevated highways in the world with a total length of approximately 42.79 kilometers (26.59mi). Other expressways such as the Manila–Cavite Expressway and Muntinlupa–Cavite Expressway also connect Metro Manila to its surrounding areas.
The development of roads, highways and expressways are based on the Metro Manila Dream Plan. Ongoing projects in the dream plan include the rehabilitation of EDSA, CAVITEX–C-5 Link, NLEX Connector, and the construction of the missing road links for the circumferential roads.
Rail transportation in the Greater Manila Area is a major part of the transportation system in Metro Manila and its surrounding areas. It consists of the Manila Light Rail Transit System, Manila Metro Rail Transit System, and the PNR Metro Commuter Line. As of 2021, the three systems and its four operational lines combined has 82 stations, covering a total of 113.3km (70.4mi). The network makes up the majority of active railways in the country and bear the brunt of providing the metropolis with rail as a faster alternative mode of transport other than buses and jeepneys. However, these systems are currently insufficient for the rapidly expanding metropolis; to address this, new lines and line extensions are under construction, which will extend the system far out into neighboring regions.[149]
Several new railway projects are being undertaken by the national government and the private sector. These include the North–South Commuter Railway, the Metro Manila Subway, and MRT Line 7, all of which are under construction.[149][150] Line extensions such as the LRT Line 1 South extension and the LRT Line 2 West extension are in the pipeline.[151] Other line extensions and railway lines are in the planning stage.[152][151]
Air
Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) is the only airport and the premier gateway in Metro Manila. It is the busiest airport in the Philippines.[153] NAIA has four terminals: Terminal 1, Terminal 2 (which is exclusively used by Philippine Airlines), Terminal 3 (the newest and largest airport terminal in NAIA) and Terminal 4 (also known as the Manila Domestic passenger Terminal). The other airport that serves Metro Manila is Clark International Airport in Angeles City which is located 80 kilometers (50mi) away.
Bus franchises in the region are regulated by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board. The Premium Point-to-Point Bus Service is the express bus system that runs from its dispatch terminal in Fairview up to the central business districts along EDSA. It aims to cut travel time substantially and provide a faster, safer and more convenient bus service to commuters, who are usually caught at the heavy traffic across the metropolis.[154][155] A second express bus link from SM North EDSA, Trinoma and SM Megamall to Makati opened in December 2015, and by January 2016 was the line on which, for the first time in nearly three decades, a double-decker bus traveled on EDSA, to the delight of motorists, followed by a third link, this time from Robinsons Galleria to the Ayala Center complex in February 2016 and a fourth in March linking the Ayala Center to the Alabang Town Center in Muntinlupa via the Metro Manila Skyway (and later to Ayala Malls South Park). As of the present express buses also link the Market Market mall and Circuit Makati to both the Nuvali residential township and the Pacita Village complex in San Pedro, both in Laguna, in services launched in 2014 and 2017, respectively (plus additional services to the UP Town Mall in Quezon City and SM Masinag in Antipolo, Rizal), while intercity express buses have been in operation since 2015 to alleviate traffic on EDSA. In 2018, additional services from the Makati CBD and from San Lorenzo Place up to Cavite debuted.
Metro Manila has a bus rapid transit (BRT) system, particularly the EDSA Carousel. Another BRT system will traverse for 27.7 kilometers (17.2mi) from Commonwealth Avenue up to the Manila City Hall. The planned BRT system costs ₱4.9billion ($109.5million) and will have a fleet of 300 buses and 32 stations.[156][157]
Water zones for Metro Manila and the surrounding areas. Maynilad Water Services operates in the red areas while Manila Water operates in the blue areas.
Meralco is the sole electric distributor of Metro Manila. It generates its power from the National Power Corporation and other independent power producers in Luzon. The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) was responsible for the supply and delivery of potable water and the sewerage system in Metro Manila. It was privatized in 1997 and the region and its immediate surrounding areas were split into the east and west concession. The winning corporations provide the same function of MWSS.
For garbage hauling, the region spent ₱4.221billion ($93.855million) in 2013. Quezon City spent the most at ₱994.59million ($22.115million) while Pateros, the region's only municipality, spent the least money on garbage at ₱9.478million ($210,747).[158]
↑ or more simply, albeit less precisely, Manila[9][10]
Related Research Articles
Makati, officially the City of Makati, is a highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines, known for being one of the leading financial centers in the country. As of 2013, the city has the highest concentration of multinational and local corporations in the Philippines. Major banks, corporations, department stores as well as foreign embassies are based in Makati. Makati is also known for being a major cultural and entertainment hub in Metro Manila. According to the 2020 census, it had a population of 629,616 people, making it the 47th most populous city in the country and 8th most populous in Metro Manila. Makati is one of the most densely populated city proper areas globally, ranking 8th worldwide and 2nd in the Philippines, after Manila, with a population density of 28,975 inhabitants per square kilometer.
Rizal, officially the Province of Rizal, is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region in Luzon. Its capital is the city of Antipolo. It is about 16 kilometers (9.9 mi) east of Manila. The province is named after José Rizal, one of the main national heroes of the Philippines. It is bordered by Metro Manila to the west, Bulacan to the north, Quezon to the east and Laguna to the southeast. The province also lies on the northern shores of Laguna de Bay, the largest lake in the country. Rizal is a mountainous province perched on the western slopes of the southern portion of the Sierra Madre mountain range.
Pasig, officially the City of Pasig, is a highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 803,159 people.
Mega Manila is a megalopolis on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. There are varying definitions of the megalopolis, but it is generally seen as encompassing the administrative regions of Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and Metro Manila. On some occasions, the administrative region of Mimaropa is also included.
The legislative districts of Rizal are the representations of the province of Rizal in the various national and local legislatures of the Philippines. At present, the province is represented in the House of Representatives of the Philippines by its four congressional districts, with the districts' representatives being elected every three years. Additionally, each district is allotted a certain number of seats in the Rizal Provincial Board, with board members also being elected every three years.
Ayala Malls is a retail subsidiary of real estate company Ayala Land, an affiliate of Ayala Corporation. Founded in 1988, Ayala Malls owns a chain of large shopping malls, all located in the Philippines. Ayala Malls is one of the largest shopping mall retailer in the Philippines, along with SM Supermalls and Robinsons Malls.
The geography of the City of Manila is characterized by its coastal position at the estuary of the Pasig River that flows to Manila Bay. The city is located on a naturally protected harbor, regarded as one of the finest harbors in Asia. The scarce availability of land is a contributing factor that makes Manila the densest populated city in the world.
Manila, also known as Tondo until 1859, was a province of the Philippines that encompassed the former pre-Hispanic polities of Tondo, Maynila, and Namayan. In 1898, it comprised the city of Manila and 23 other municipalities. In 1901, the province was dissolved, with the city of Manila absorbing six of its smaller neighboring municipalities. The remaining part was merged with the adjacent district of Morong to form the province of Rizal.
Numerous events and festivals are held annually in Metro Manila. They include:
Metro Manila, the capital region of the Philippines, is a large metropolitan area that has several levels of subdivisions. Administratively, the region is divided into seventeen primary local government units with their own separate elected mayors and councils who are coordinated by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, a national government agency headed by a chairperson directly appointed by the Philippine president. The cities and municipality that form the region's local government units are further divided into several barangays or villages which are headed by an elected barangay captain and barangay council.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Metro Manila:
The following is an alphabetical list of articles related to the Philippine capital region of Metro Manila.
Greater Manila, officially the City of Greater Manila and sometimes referred to as the Greater Manila Area (GMA), was a chartered city that existed during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines in World War II, from 1942 to 1945. Governed by the Commonwealth of the Philippines, it served as a model for the present-day Metro Manila and the administrative functions of the governor of Metro Manila—both established three decades later during the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos. It was a merger of Manila, Quezon City, and the then-Rizal towns of Caloocan, Makati, Mandaluyong, Parañaque, Pasay, and San Juan, all present parts of Metro Manila.
The COVID-19 pandemic in Metro Manila was a part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The virus reached Metro Manila on January 30, 2020, when the first case of COVID-19 in the Philippines was confirmed in Manila. Metro Manila is the worst affected region in the Philippines, where most cases in the country are recorded. A state of calamity and community quarantine was declared in the region on March 15.
↑ Morley, Ian (February 2018). "Manila". Cities. 72: 17–33. doi:10.1016/j.cities.2017.07.022. Although the term Manila is typically used to describe Metro Manila, the City of Manila refers to the historic core of the built-up area that presently extends over 1400km2.
↑ Scott, William Henry (1994). Barangay: Sixteenth Century Philippine Culture and Society. Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press. ISBN971-550-135-4.
↑ Baumgartner, Joseph (March 1975). "Manila — Maynilad or Maynila?". Philippine Quarterly of Culture and Society. 3 (1): 52–54. JSTOR29791188.
↑ de Aganduru Moriz, Rodrigo (1882). Historia general de las Islas Occidentales a la Asia adyacentes, llamadas Philipinas. Madrid: Impr. de Miguel Ginesta.{{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
↑ de Aganduru Moriz, Rodrigo (1882). Historia general de las Islas Occidentales a la Asia adyacentes, llamadas Philipinas. Madrid: Impr. de Miguel Ginesta.{{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
↑ "619,000 in Metro looking for jobs". Manila Standard. Manila Standard News, Inc. September 10, 1988. p.11. Archived from the original on February 6, 2022. Retrieved February 6, 2022. Using January as a reference point, NSO notes a deterioration in the city's [sic] employment situation since there were 2.392 million job holders at the start of the year compared with the 2.329 million employed counted at middle of the year.
↑ Cappelen, John; Jensen, Jens. "Filippinerne – Manila, Luzon"(PDF). Climate Data for Selected Stations (1931–1960) (in Danish). Danish Meteorological Institute. Archived from the original(PDF) on April 27, 2013. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
↑ "Archived copy". Philippine News Agency. Archived from the original on December 31, 2014. Retrieved July 28, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
↑ Rebong, Nick (January 14, 1996). "Squatters to fill half of metropolis". Manila Standard. Kamahalan Publishing Corp. p.9. Archived from the original on January 25, 2022. Retrieved January 26, 2022. In 1980, Metro Manila's squatter population was estimated as 857,000. By 1987, this figure exploded to about 2.5 million or roughly one third of the population of Metro Manila.
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0.85 (Very high) [8] 
