regions of the philippines

NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION

Metropolitan Manila (Filipino: Kalakhang Maynila, Kamaynilaan), the National

Capital Region (NCR) (Filipino: Pambansang Punong Rehiyon), or sImply Metro

Manila, is the metropolitan region encompassing the City of Manila and its

surrounding areas in the Philippines. It is composed of 16 cities, namely Manila,

Caloocan, Las Piñas, Makati, Malabon, Mandaluyong, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Navotas,

Pasay, Pasig,Parañaque, Quezon City, San Juan, Taguig, and Valenzuela, and the Municipality

of Pateros. The region is the political, economic, social, cultural, and educational center of

the Philippines. As proclaimed by Presidential Decree No. 940, Metro Manila as a whole is

the Philippines' seat of government while the City of Manila is the capital. The largest city

in the metropolis is Quezon City, while the largest business district is the Makati Central

Business District. Metro Manila is the most populous of the twelve defined metropolitan

areas in the Philippines and the 11th most populous in the world. As of the 2010 census, it

had a population of 11,855,975, comprising 13% of the national population. The sum total

population of provinces with a provincial density above 700 people per square kilometer

(more than double the national average) in a contiguous zone with Metro Manila is 25.5 million

people as of the 2007 census, one way to refer to the conurbation around Metro Manila is Greater Manila.

CORDILLERA ADMINISTRATIVE REGION
The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) is a region in the Philippines composed

of the provinces of 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.

REGION I - ILOCOS REGION
The Ilocos region or Region I (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 and is located in the northwest of Luzon. It borders to

the east the regions of the Cordillera Administrative Region and Cagayan Valley and to

the south the region of Central Luzon. To the west north 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, and Pangasinan speakers are 27%, and the Tagalogs compose 3%.

REGION II - CAGAYAN VALLEY
Cagayan Valley (Filipino: Lambak ng Cagayan, Ibanag: Tana' nak Cagayan, Iloko: Tanap ti Cagayan,

Malaueg: Ga-dang yoh Cagayan) is a region of the Philippines, also designated as Region II or

Region 02. It is composed of five provinces, namely: Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya,

and Quirino. It has three cities; Industrial center-Cauayan City, its regional center-Tuguegarao,

its commercial center-Santiago City, and its invesment hub-Ilagan city.

Most of the region lies in a large valley in northeastern Luzon, between the Cordilleras and the

Sierra Madre mountain ranges. The Cagayan River, the country's longest river runs through its

center and flows out to Luzon Strait in the north, in the town of Aparri, Cagayan. The Babuyan

and Batanes island groups that lie in the Luzon Strait also belong to the region.

Cagayan Valley is the largest region of the Philippines in terms of land area.

REGION III - CENTRAL LUZON
Central Luzon (or Gitnang Luzon in Filipino), 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 Bowl of the Philippines". Its provinces are: Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan,

Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, and Zambales.

Central Luzon Region is located north of Manila, the nation's capital. Bordering the region

are the regions of Ilocos, Cordillera Administrative Region and Cagayan Valley regions to

the north; National Capital Region and CALABARZON to the south; and of waters of Manila

Bay to the south; South China Sea to the west; and The Philippine Sea to the east.

There are fourteen cities which include: Balanga in Bataan; Malolos, Meycauayan and San Jose de

l Monte in Bulacan; Cabanatuan, Gapan,Muñoz, Palayan and San Jose in Nueva Ecija; Angeles,

Mabalacat City and San Fernando in Pampanga; Tarlac in Tarlac; and Olongapo in Zambales. Central Luzon

produces the most rice in the whole country.Excess rice is delivered and imported to other provinces

of the Philippines. The City of San Fernando, in Pampanga, is the regional center.

REGION IV-A - CALABARZON
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; the region's name is

formed from the names of these provinces. 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.

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. Lucena City is the first highly-urbanized city in this region.

REGION IV-B - MIMAROPA
MIMAROPA is an administrative region of the Philippines. It is one of two regions of

the Philippines having no land border with another region,Eastern Visayas being the

other, and is designated as Region IV-B. The name is a portmanteau 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 situated 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.However, on August 19, 2005, President

Arroyo issued Administrative Order No. 129 to hold the earlier EO 429 in abeyance pending a review.

REGION V - BICOL REGION
The Bicol Region or Region V (also known as Bicolandia) is one of the 17 regions of the

Philippines. 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.

Its regional center is Legazpi City in Albay province.

REGION VI - WESTERN VISAYAS
Western Visayas, one of the regions of the Philippines, is 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.

All of the provinces of Western Visayas (except Negros Occidental) are also known as

"The Piedmont of the Philippines".

REGION VII - CENTRAL VISAYAS
Central Visayas, designated as Region VII, is a region of the Philippines located in the central

part of the Visayas island group. It 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 2007 census, it has a population of 6,398,628,

making it the 5th most populous of the country's 17 regions.

REGION VIII - EASTERN VISAYAS
Eastern Visayas is one of the two regions of the Philippines having no land border with another

region, MIMAROPA being the other, and is designated as Region VIII. It consists of six provinces

and seven cities, namely, Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Samar, Southern Leyte,

the cities of Ormoc City, Baybay City, Maasin City, Calbayog City, Catbalogan City, Borongan City

and the highly-urbanized city of Tacloban, the regional center. These provinces and cities occupy

the easternmost islands of Visayas: Samar, Leyte and Biliran.

Eastern Visayas directly faces the Pacific Ocean. The land area of the region is 23,432 km km².

As of 2010, it has a population of 4,101,322.

REGION IX - ZAMBOANGA PENINSULA
Zamboanga Peninsula is a peninsula and an administrative region in the Philippines.

Designated as Region IX, the region consists of three provinces, namely, Zamboanga del

Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga Sibugay, its component cities of Dipolog, Dapitan,

Pagadian, and Isabela (Capital of Basilan Province, which is a part of the ARMM) and the

highly-urbanized city of Zamboanga. The region was previously known as Western Mindanao

before the enactment of Executive Order No. 36 on September 19, 2001. Pagadian City is

the regional center.

REGION X - NORTHERN MINDANAO
Northern Mindanao (Filipino: Hilagang Mindanao) (Region X) is a region of the Philippines,

composed of five provinces and two cities classified as highly-urbanized, all occupying

the north-central part of Mindanao island, and the island-province of Camiguin. The regional

center is Cagayan de Oro City. Lanao del Norte was transferred to Northern Mindanao from

Region XII (then called Central Mindanao) by virtue of Executive Order No. 36.

REGION XI - DAVAO REGION
Davao Region / Southern Mindanao, designated as Region XI, is one of the regions

of the Philippines, located on the southeastern portion ofMindanao. Davao Region

consists of four provinces, namely: Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental,

and Davao del Sur. The region encloses the Davao Gulf and its regional center is Davao City.

Davao is the Hispanicized pronunciation of daba-daba, the Bagobo word for "fire"

(the Cebuano translation is "kalayo").

REGION XII - SOCCSKSARGEN
SOCCSKSARGEN is a region of the Philippines, located in central Mindanao, and is officially

designated as Region XII. The name is an acronym that stands for the region's four provinces

and one of its cities: South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos City.

The region is more formally known by its older name Central Mindanao. The regional center is

Koronadal City located in the province of South Cotabato. Cotabato City, though geographically within

the boundaries of the province of Maguindanao, itself is part of SOCCSKSARGEN, and is independent of

that province. Maguindanao province is, in fact, a part of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)

which has its seat in Cotabato City. SOCCSKSARGEN and the province of Maguindanao were once part of the

original Cotabato province.

REGION XIII - CARAGA REGION
Caraga is an administrative region of the Philippines, on the northeastern portion

of the island of Mindanao. It is the newest region in the Philippines and is also called

Region XIII. The Caraga Region was created through Republic Act No. 7901 on February 25, 1995.

The region is composed of five provinces: Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte,

Surigao del Sur and Dinagat Islands;[1] six cities: Bayugan,Butuan, Cabadbaran, Surigao, Tandag,

Bislig; 67 municipalities and 1,311 barangays. Butuan City is the regional center.

ARMM - AUTONOMOUS REGION IN MUSLIM MINDANAO
The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (abbreviated ARMM) is the region, located in

the Mindanao island group of the Philippines, that is composed of predominantly Muslim

provinces, namely: Basilan (except Isabela City), Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

It is the only region that has its own government. The regional capital is at Cotabato City, although

this city is outside of its jurisdiction.

The ARMM previously included the province of Shariff Kabunsuan until July 16, 2008, when Shariff

Kabunsuan ceased to exist as a province after the Supreme Court in Sema v. Comelec declared

unconstitutional the "Muslim Mindanao Autonomy Act 201", which created it