Cities of the Philippines

Cities in the Philippines are classified into highly urbanized cities, or component cities. All totaling thirty-three (33), the highly urbanized cities (HUCs) have a minimum population of 200,000 and an annual income of at least fifty million Philippine pesos (₱50 M). Those cities that do not meet the above requirements are the component cities; these cities are considered part of the province where they are located. However, there are cities that are further classified as independent component cities; their charters prohibit their voters from voting for elective provincial officials and they are independent of the provinces where they are located. There are 108 component cities and only five (5) independent component cities in the Philippines; the latter category are Dagupan in Pangasinan, Naga in Camarines Sur, Ormoc in Leyte, Santiago in Isabela, and Cotabato City.

A component city is created by an Act of Congress and duly ratified by the affected voting population in a plebiscite. The requisites for its creation are an average annual income of at least twenty million Philippine pesos (₱20 M) for the last two (2) consecutive years, and either of the following:

• a contiguous territory of at least 100 square kilometers, or

• a minimum population of 150,000

As regards a highly urbanized city, only the President can declare its creation subject to the approval of the majority of the affected electorate in a plebiscite.

The elected officials of the city government are the Mayor who is the chief executive, the Vice-Mayor, and the Sangguniang Panlungsod members. There are also appointive officials in charge of the various offices in the city government.

List of cities

Highly urbanized cities (33)

• Angeles

• Bacolod

• Baguio

• Butuan

• Cagayan de Oro

• Caloocan

• Cebu City

• Davao City

• General Santos

• Iligan

• Iloilo City

• Lapu-Lapu

• Las Piñas

• Lucena

• Makati

• Malabon

• Mandaluyong

• Mandaue

• Manila

• Marikina

• Muntinlupa

• Navotas

• Olongapo

• Parañaque

• Pasay

• Pasig

• Puerto Princesa

• Quezon City

• San Juan

• Tacloban

• Taguig

• Valenzuela

• Zamboanga City

Independent component cities (5)

• Cotabato City

• Dagupan (Pangasinan)

• Naga (Camarines Sur)

• Ormoc (Leyte)

• Santiago (Isabela)

Component cities (108)

Filter:

• Alaminos (Pangasinan)

• Antipolo (Rizal)

• Bacoor (Cavite)

• Bago (Negros Occidental)

• Bais (Negros Oriental)

• Balanga (Bataan)

• Batac (Ilocos Norte)

• Batangas City (Batangas)

• Bayawan (Negros Oriental)

• Baybay (Leyte)

• Bayugan (Agusan del Sur)

• Bislig (Surigao del Sur)

• Biñan (Laguna)

• Bogo (Cebu)

• Borongan (Eastern Samar)

• Cabadbaran (Agusan del Norte)

• Cabanatuan (Nueva Ecija)

• Cabuyao (Laguna)

• Cadiz (Negros Occidental)

• Calamba (Laguna)

• Calapan (Oriental Mindoro)

• Calbayog (Samar)

• Candon (Ilocos Sur)

• Canlaon (Negros Oriental)

• Carcar (Cebu)

• Catbalogan (Samar)

• Cauayan (Isabela)

• Cavite City (Cavite)

• Danao (Cebu)

• Dapitan (Zamboanga del Norte)

• Dasmariñas (Cavite)

• Digos (Davao del Sur)

• Dipolog (Zamboanga del Norte)

• Dumaguete (Negros Oriental)

• El Salvador (Misamis Oriental)

• Escalante (Negros Occidental)

• Gapan (Nueva Ecija)

• General Trias (Cavite)

• Gingoog (Misamis Oriental)

• Guihulngan (Negros Oriental)

• Himamaylan (Negros Occidental)

• Ilagan (Isabela)

• Imus (Cavite)

• Iriga (Camarines Sur)

• Isabela City (Basilan)

• Kabankalan (Negros Occidental)

• Kidapawan (Cotabato)

• Koronadal (South Cotabato)

• La Carlota (Negros Occidental)

• Lamitan (Basilan)

• Laoag (Ilocos Norte)

• Legazpi (Albay)

• Ligao (Albay)

• Lipa (Batangas)

• Maasin (Southern Leyte)

• Mabalacat (Pampanga)

• Malaybalay (Bukidnon)

• Malolos (Bulacan)

• Marawi (Lanao del Sur)

• Masbate City (Masbate)

• Mati (Davao Oriental)

• Meycauayan (Bulacan)

• Muñoz (Nueva Ecija)

• Naga (Cebu)

• Oroquieta (Misamis Occidental)

• Ozamiz (Misamis Occidental)

• Pagadian (Zamboanga del Sur)

• Palayan (Nueva Ecija)

• Panabo (Davao del Norte)

• Passi (Iloilo)

• Roxas City (Capiz)

• Sagay (Negros Occidental)

• Samal (Davao del Norte)

• San Carlos (Pangasinan)

• San Carlos (Negros Occidental)

• San Fernando (La Union)

• San Fernando (Pampanga)

• San Jose (Nueva Ecija)

• San Jose del Monte (Bulacan)

• San Pablo (Laguna)

• San Pedro (Laguna)

• Santa Rosa (Laguna)

• Santo Tomas (Batangas)

• Silay (Negros Occidental)

• Sipalay (Negros Occidental)

• Sorsogon City (Sorsogon)

• Surigao City (Surigao del Norte)

• Tabaco (Albay)

• Tabuk (Kalinga)

• Tacurong (Sultan Kudarat)

• Tagaytay (Cavite)

• Tagbilaran (Bohol)

• Tagum (Davao del Norte)

• Talisay (Negros Occidental)

• Talisay (Cebu)

• Tanauan (Batangas)

• Tandag (Surigao del Sur)

• Tangub (Misamis Occidental)

• Tanjay (Negros Oriental)

• Tarlac City (Tarlac)

• Tayabas (Quezon)

• Toledo (Cebu)

• Trece Martires (Cavite)

• Tuguegarao (Cagayan)

• Urdaneta (Pangasinan)

• Valencia (Bukidnon)

• Victorias (Negros Occidental)

• Vigan (Ilocos Sur)

Statistics

Based on the 2020 census, the cities with the highest population are Quezon City (2,960,048), Manila (1,846,513), and Davao City (1,776,949). For component cities, the most populated are Antipolo (887,399), Dasmariñas (703,141), and Bacoor (664,625). Cities with the lowest population are Palayan (45,383), Vigan (53,935), and Batac (55,484).

By land area, the largest are Davao City (2,443.61 km2 or 943.48 sq mi), Puerto Princesa (2,381.02 km2 or 919.32 sq mi), and Zamboanga City (1,414.70 km2 or 546.22 sq mi), while the smallest are San Juan (5.95 km2 or 2.30 sq mi), Navotas (8.94 km2 or 3.45 sq mi), and Mandaluyong (9.29 km2 or 3.59 sq mi).