Welcome to Metro Manila!
Metro Manila (Filipino: Kalakhang Maynila) on the island of Luzon, is the national capital region of the Philippines. With a population of about 24 million people, it is smallest administrative region of the country but the most populous, contributing to no less than 37% of the Philippines' GDP. It is the country's center of administration, business, education, diplomacy and entertainment, a huge metropolis with massive social contrasts which may even exceed those in Latin America, and are reflected in the contrasts of urban landscapes.
With massive traffic jams and a reputation for insecurity relative to other Southeast Asian cities, Metro Manila is often considered to be a challenging city to explore, but in reality, the contrasts are precisely what makes the city a great destination to both most spoiled and the most adventurous travellers.
As in the rest of the Philippines, expect local customs and behaviours to be different from your own. Metro Manila locals are more sophisticated than those in the countryside, yet expect customs, behaviors, and situations that may upset first-time visitors.
Metropolitan Manila (often shortened as Metro Manila, Filipino: Kalakhang Maynila), officially the National Capital Region (NCR, Filipino: Pambansang Punong Rehiyon) is the seat of government and one of three defined metropolitan areas in the Philippines. It is composed of 16 cities: the city of Manila, Quezon City, Caloocan, Las Piñas, Makati, Malabon, Mandaluyong, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Navotas, Parañaque, Pasay, Pasig, San Juan, Taguig, and Valenzuela, as well as the municipality of Pateros. The region encompasses an area of 619.57 square kilometers (239.22 sq mi) and a population of 13,484,462 as of 2020. It is the second most populous and the most densely populated region of the Philippines. It is also the 9th most populous metropolitan area in Asia and the 5th most populous urban area in the world.
The region is the center of culture, 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.The region was established in 1975 through Presidential Decree No. 824 in response to the needs to sustain the growing population and for the creation for the center of political power and the seat of the government of the Philippines. The Province of Manila, the predecessor entity of the region, is one of the first eight provinces that revolted against the Spanish colonial rule in the Philippines at the end of the 19th century. Manila's role in the Revolution is honored in the flag of the Philippines, where the sun's eight rays symbolize the eight revolutionary provinces.