Administrative divisions of Metro Manila

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 separately elected mayors and councils which 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 (formerly called barrios) which are headed by an elected barangay captain and barangay council.

The region as a whole is geographically divided into four districts, of which the first district is the central capital City of Manila, the second and third districts located to the east and north of the City, respectively, and the fourth district covering the remaining areas of the region south of the City and the Pasig River.

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." 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). The districts serve mainly to organize the region's local government units for fiscal and statistical purposes.

Districts of Metro Manila

Districts of Metro Manila
District	Cities/Municipality	Population (2020)	Area
Capital District (1st District)	Manila	1,846,513	42.34 km2 (16.35 sq mi)
Eastern Manila District (2nd District)	Mandaluyong Marikina Pasig Quezon City San Juan	4,771,371	236.36 km2 (91.26 sq mi)
Northern Manila District (Camanava) (3rd District)	Caloocan Malabon Navotas Valenzuela	3,004,627	126.42 km2 (48.81 sq mi)
Southern Manila District (4th District)	Las Piñas Makati Muntinlupa Parañaque Pasay Pateros Taguig	3,861,951	208.28 km2 (80.42 sq mi)
Metro Manila		13,484,462	636.00 km2 (245.56 sq mi)
Sources: Population Land area Pateros area

Independent cities and municipality

The seventeen local government units of Metro Manila are administratively equal to provinces. They are composed of sixteen independent cities, classified as highly urbanized cities, and one independent municipality: Pateros.

Primary local government units of Metro Manila, 2012

City/Municipality	Population as of 2010	Area
City of Manila	1,652,171	38.55
Caloocan	1,489,040	55.80
Las Piñas	552,573	32.69
Makati	529,039	21.57
Malabon	353,337	15.71
Mandaluyong	328,699	21.26
Marikina	424,150	21.52
Muntinlupa	459,941	39.75
Navotas	249,131	10.77
Parañaque	588,126	47.69
Pasay	392,869	13.97
Pasig	669,773	31.00
Pateros	64,147	2.25
Quezon City	2,761,720	166.20
San Juan	121,430	5.95
Taguig	644,473	53.67
Valenzuela	575,356	47.02

Barangays

Main article: List of barangays of Metro Manila

The cities and municipality of Metro Manila are divided into barangays with populations ranging from under 1,000 to over 200,000. In the City of Manila, Caloocan and Pasay, the barangays are grouped into zones for strategical purposes. As of 2010, there are 1,704 barangays in Metro Manila.

Other divisions

Legislative districts

In terms of congressional representation, the region has 32 legislative districts with each city comprising one or more legislative districts. The lone municipality of Pateros shares a legislative district with the first district of Taguig.

Old districts

Metro Manila cities may also be divided into traditional districts, such as the former municipalities (now city districts) that make up the City of Manila and the historical municipalities and estates like Novaliches, Balintawak, San Francisco del Monte and Diliman that were amalgamated to form Quezon City. Neither division has its own government. In Pasay, traditional districts include Malibay, Santa Clara, San Rafael and Maricaban.

Gated communities

Some cities in Metro Manila may also be divided into several gated communities, also known as subdivisions, which may or may not constitute their own barangays or low-level local government units. Some examples are: La Vista, White Plains, BF Homes, Greenmeadows and Filinvest Homes in Quezon City; and Marina Bay, Merville, Tahanan Village and Better Living Subdivision in Parañaque.

Historical divisions

Before 1901

Main article: Manila (province)

Before 1901, the Province of Manila which today encompasses most of Metro Manila and the northern part of the neighboring province of Rizal was divided into 24 municipalities with Intramuros (then known as Manila) as its capital.

1901–1942

Except for the City of Manila which amalgamated six smaller municipalities in June 1901, the Province of Manila was absorbed by the newly created Province of Rizal with Pasig as its provincial capital.

1942–1947

The City of Greater Manila was formed in January 1942 combining the City of Manila and Quezon City, as well as six other municipalities from Rizal: Caloocan, Makati, Mandaluyong, Parañaque, Pasay and San Juan.

1947–1975

The seven municipalities of the City of Greater Manila were restored and reorganized under the Province of Rizal.

In November 1975 through Presidential Decree No. 824, Metropolitan Manila was created out of four cities and thirteen municipalities (twelve from the province of Rizal and the municipality of Valenzuela from Bulacan) which covers the present-day territory of Metro Manila. It was declared the National Capital Region of the Philippines in June 1978.