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The number of cities in the country has increased by 75 or by 123%, from 61 cities in 1977 to 136 cities as of the third quarter of 2007. During this 30-year period, the number of cities in Luzon had an increase of 40 cities, Visayas, up by 19 cities, and Mindanao with 16 cities more.

Majority of the cities in the country can be found in Luzon. As the largest island in the country, Luzon has 64 cities or 47%, with 16 cities coming from the National Capital Region (NCR). Visayas has 39 cities or 29% with Regions VI and VII having 16 cities apiece, while Mindanao has 33 cities. Among the regions in Mindanao, Region X had the highest number of cities in the island at 9.

Some cities act independently from any province and are self-governing as referred to the 1991 Local Government Code of the Philippines, Sec. 451. Cities, Classified, which states that, “A city may either be component or highly urbanized: Provided, however, that the criteria established in this Code shall not affect the classification and corporate status of existing cities. Independent component cities are those component cities whose charters prohibit their voters from voting for provincial elective officials. Independent component cities shall be independent of the province” 1/.

Table 1. Number of Cities, by Island Group

REGIONS	CITIES
	2007	1977 2/
TOTAL	136	61
LUZON	64	24
NCR	16	4
CAR	2	1
I (ILOCOS REGION)	9	3
II (CAGAYAN VALLEY)	3	0
III (CENTRAL LUZON)	13	5
IV-A (CALABARZON)	12	7
IV-B (MIMAROPA)	2	1
V (BICOL REGION)	7	3
VISAYAS	39	20
VI (WESTERN VISAYAS)	16	8
VII (CENTRAL VISAYAS)	16	9
VIII (ESTERN VISAYAS)	7	3
MINDANAO	33	17
IX (ZAMBOANGA PENINSULA)	5	5
X (NORTHERN MINDANAO)	9	6
XI (DAVAO REGION)	6	1
XII (SOCCSKSARGEN)	5	2
ARMM	2	1
XIII (CARAGA)	6	2

 

Of the 136 cities in 2007, 32 cities are classified as Highly Urbanized Cities, with 16 cities or 50% coming from the NCR. Four (4) cities are Independent Component Cities and 100 cities are Component Cities.

During the third quarter of 2007, five municipalities were converted into (5) new cities, thus, the number of cities increased from 131 as of June 30, 2007 to 136 as of September 30, 2007. The new cities are as follows:

1. CITY OF TAYABAS, Quezon, Reg. IV-A
2. CITY OF CARCAR, Cebu, Reg. VII
3. CITY OF NAGA, Cebu, Region VII
4. CITY OF GUIHULNGAN, Negros Oriental, Reg. VII
5. CITY OF CABADBARAN, Agusan del Norte, Caraga

Figure 1. Number of Cities in 2007 and 1997

 

1 - http://www.chanrobles.com/localgov3.htm

2 - 1977 Philippine Standard Geographic Code (PSGC); Municipality Code Book, Part I

 

 

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