In the Philippines, regions (Tagalog: rehiyon,) are administrative divisions that serve primarily to organize the provinces (lalawigan) of the country for administrative convenience. Currently, the archipelagic republic of the Philippines is divided into 17 regions. Most government offices are established by region instead of individual provincial offices, usually (but not always) in the city designated as the regional center. The regions themselves do not possess a separate local government, with the exception of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, which has an elected regional assembly and governor. The Cordillera Administrative Region was originally intended to be autonomous (Cordillera Autonomous Region), but the failure of two plebiscites for its establishment reduced it to a regular administrative region.
†REGIONS †
National Capital Region(NCR)
Metro Manila, otherwise known as National Capital Region, is the center of Luzon and the capital region of the Philippines. Unlike the other 17 Philippine regions, NCR does not have any provinces. It is composed of 16 cities – namely the City of Manila itself, Caloocan, Las Pinas, Makati, Malabon, Mandaluyong, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Navotas, Pasay, Pasig, Paranaque, Quezon City, San Juan, Taguig, Valenzuela – and the municipality of Pateros. Metro Manila is bounded by the Cordillera Mountains on the east, Laguna de Bay on the southeast, Central Luzon on the north and Southern Tagalog Region on the south.
Metro Manila is composed of almost all the cultural groups of the Philippines. The primary language used is Tagalog with English as the secondary language. Metro Manila lies entirely within the tropics and because of its proximity to the equator, the temperature range is very small. It has a distinct, relatively short dry season from January through April and a long wet season from May through December.
The region is considered as the political, economic, social, and cultural center of the Philippines and is one of the more modern metropolises in Southeast Asia. According to Presidential Decree No. 940, Metro Manila is the Philippines’ seat of government but the City of Manila is the capital. The Malacanan Palace, the official office and residence of the President of the Philippines, and the buildings of the Supreme Court of the Philippines are based in Metro Manila.
Metro Manila is the shopping center of the Philippines. Three “megamalls” are located in this region and these are SM Mall of Asia, SM Megamall and SM City North Edsa which is the 2nd largest mall in the world. Makati is regarded as the main central business district of Metro Manila while Ortigas City is the second most important business district in Metro Manila.
Metro Manila is a place of economic extremes. Many high-income citizens live in exclusive communities such as Forbes Park in Makati and Ayala Alabang in Muntinlupa. In contrast to these residences are the slums and illegal settlement scattered across the metropolitan area and are often found in vacant government land or in districts such as Tondo.
Metro Manila is rich in historical landmarks and recreational areas. Located west of Metro Manila is the famous Rizal Park, also known as the Luneta Park. Rizal Park features the Rizal Monument, a statue of the Philippine National Hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal. Near Rizal Park is the 400-year-old Imperial City known as Intramuros, a walled domain which was once the seat of government during the Spanish Colonial Era and American Period.
- Caloocan
- Las Piñas
- Makati
- Malabon
- Mandaluyong
- Manila
- Marikina
- Muntinlupa
- Navotas
- Parañaque
- Pasay
- Pasig
- Pateros
- Quezon City
- San Juan
- Taguig
- Valenzuela
Cordillera Administrative Region(CAR)
The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) (Filipino: Rehiyong Pampangasiwaan ng Cordillera) is a region in the Philippines that is composed of six provinces, namely: Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga and Mountain Province, as well as Baguio City, the regional center. The Cordillera Administrative Region encompasses most of the areas within the Cordillera Central mountains of Luzon, the largest mountain range in the country. It is the country's only land-locked region. The region is home to numerous indigenous tribes collectively called the Igorot.
- Abra
- Apayao
- Baguio
- Benguet
- Ifugao
- Kalinga
- Mountain Province
Ilocos Region(Region1)
Ilocos Region (Filipino: Kaikolusan; Ilokano: Rehion ti Ilocos or Deppaar ti Ilocos; Pangasinan: Rihiyon na Sagor na Baybay na Luzon (Region at the Northwest Coast of Luzon)) is a Region of the Philippines, designated as Region I. It is located in the northwest of Luzon, bordering to the east the regions of the Cordillera Administrative Region and Cagayan Valley and to the south the region of Central Luzon. To the northwest is the South China Sea. The region is composed of four provinces, namely: Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union and Pangasinan. Its regional center is San Fernando City, La Union. Ilocano speakers compose 66% of the region, Pangasinan speakers are 27%, and Tagalog compose 3%.
- Dagupan
- Ilocos Norte
- Ilocos Sur
- La Union
- Pangasinan
Cagayan Valley(Region2)
Cagayan Valley (Filipino: Lambak ng Cagayan, Ibanag: Tana' nak Cagayan, Ilokano: Tanap ti Cagayan, Itawis: Tanap yo Cagayan, Malaueg: Ga-dang yo Cagayan) is a region of the Philippines (also designated as Region II or Region 02). It is composed of five provinces: Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, and Quirino. It has four cities: industrial center Cauayan City, its regional center Tuguegarao, its primary growth center and investment hub Ilagan City and its Premier City Santiago City.
Most of the region lies in a large valley in northeastern Luzon, between the Cordilleras and the Sierra Madre mountain ranges. The eponymous Cagayan River, the country's longest, runs through its center and flows out to the Luzon Strait in the north, at the town of Aparri, Cagayan. The Babuyan and Batanes island groups that lie in the Luzon Strait belong to the region.
Cagayan Valley is the second largest region of the Philippines in terms of land area.
- Batanes
- Cagayan
- Isabela
- Nueva Vizcaya
- Quirino
- Santiago
Central Luzon(Region3)
Central Luzon (Filipino: Gitnáng Luzon, also known as Region III (or Region 3)), is an administrative division or region of the Republic of the Philippines, primarily serve to organize the 7 provinces of the vast central plain of the island of Luzon (the largest island), for administrative convenience. The region contains the largest plain in the country and produces most of the country's rice supply, earning itself the nickname "Rice Granary of the Philippines". Its provinces are: Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, and Zambales.
- Angeles
- Aurora
- Bataan
- Bulacan
- Nueva Ecija
- Olongapo
- Pampanga
- Tarlac
- Zambales
CALABARZON(Region4A)
CALABARZON (/ka-la-bar-zon/) is one of the regions of the Philippines. It is designated as Region IV-A and its regional center is Calamba City in Laguna. The region is composed of five provinces, namely: Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon; whose names form the acronym CALABARZON. The region is also more formally known as Southern Tagalog Mainland.
The region is in southwestern Luzon, just south and east of Metro Manila and is the second most densely populated region. CALABARZON and MIMAROPA were previously combined together as Southern Tagalog, until they were separated in 2002 by virtue of Executive Order No. 103. Executive Order No. 246, dated October 28, 2003, designated Calamba City as the regional center of CALABARZON. The largest city of CALABARZON Region and the second highly urbanized city is Antipolo City, with Lucena City being the first. CALABARZON is the most populated region in the Philippines, with a population of 12,609,803 inhabitants.
The region is also home to a host of important Philippine historical figures, most notable of which is the Philippines' national hero, Jose Rizal, who was born in Calamba.
- Batangas
- Cavite
- Laguna
- Lucena
- Quezon
- Rizal
MIMAROPA(Region4B)
MIMAROPA is an administrative region of the Philippines, designated as Region IV-B. It is one of two regions of the Philippines having no land border with another region, Eastern Visayas being the other. The name is an acronym combining the names of its provinces, which are: Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan. The region is also more formally known as Southern Tagalog Islands.
Calapan City is the regional center, however, most regional government offices like the Department of Public Works are in Quezon City, Metro Manila.
On May 23, 2005, Palawan and the highly urbanized city of Puerto Princesa were moved to Western Visayas by Executive Order No. 429.[4] However, on August 19, 2005, President Arroyo issued Administrative Order No. 129 to hold the earlier EO 429 in abeyance pending a review.
- Marinduque
- Occidental Mindoro
- Oriental Mindoro
- Palawan
- Puerto Princesa
- Romblon
Bicol Region(Region5)
The Bicol Region (Filipino: Kabikulan; Spanish: Bicolandia) is one of the 17 Regions of the Philippines, designated as Region V. Bicol (also spelled Bikol) is composed of four provinces in the Bicol Peninsula, the southeastern end of Luzon island, and two island-provinces adjacent to the peninsula, namely: Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate and Sorsogon. The administrative center is Legazpi while the religious, education, economic, industrial and commercial center is Naga City.
- Albay
- Camarines Norte
- Camarines Sur
- Catanduanes
- Masbate
- Naga
- Sorsogon
Western Visayas(Region6)
Western Visayas (Filipino: Kanlurang Kabisayaan; Katundanan Bisayás (Hiligaynon); Kasadpangang Bisayás (Cebuano)) is one of the regions of the Philippines, designated as Region VI. It consists of six provinces; Aklan, Antique, Negros Occidental, Capiz, Guimaras and Iloilo and 16 cities making it the region with the highest number of cities. Iloilo City is the regional center.
Western Visayas is composed of six provinces and the highly urbanized cities of Bacolod and Iloilo.
- Aklan
- Antique
- Bacolod
- Capiz
- Guimaras
- Iloilo
- Iloilo City
- Negros Occidental
Central Visayas(Region7)
Central Visayas (Filipino: Gitnang Kabisayaan) is a region of the Philippines, designated as Region VII. It is located in the central part of the Visayas island group, and consists of four provinces—Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor— and the highly urbanized cities of Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, and Mandaue City. The region is dominated by the native speakers of Cebuano. Cebu City is its regional center.
The land area of the region is 15,875 km². As of the 2010 census, it has a population of 6,800,180 people, making it the 5th most populous of the country's 17 regions.
- Bohol
- Cebu
- Cebu City
- Lapu-Lapu
- Mandaue
- Negros Oriental
- Siquijor
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