View source for Cities of the Philippines

{{Short description|Administrative division of the Philippines}}
{{use mdy dates|date=September 2025}}
{{Infobox subdivision type
| name             = Cities of the Philippines
| alt_name         = 
| map              = Cities and municipalities of the Philippines.png
| caption          = {{plainlist}}
* {{legend-inline|#ff0000|Highly urbanized cities}}
* {{legend-inline|#ff00ff|Independent component cities}}
* {{legend-inline|#00ff00|Component cities}}
* {{legend-inline|#ffffff|Municipalities}}
{{endplainlist}}
| category         = [[City]] ([[Local government in the Philippines|Local government unit]])
| territory        = Philippines
| status           = {{hlist|Highly urbanized city|Independent component city|Component city}}
| start_date       = 
| current_number   = 149
| number_date      = 2023
| population_range = 45,383 ([[Palayan]]) – 2,960,048 ([[Quezon City]])
| area_range       = {{cvt|5.95|sqkm|abbr=on}} for [[San Juan, Metro Manila|San Juan]] – {{cvt|2,443.61|sqkm|abbr=on}} for [[Davao City]]
| government       = 
| subdivision      = [[Barangay]]s
}}
{{Philippine city and municipality tables sidebar|hide_map=yes}}
{{Politics of the Philippines}}
A '''city''' ({{langx|fil|lungsod}} or {{lang|fil|siyudad}}) is one of the units of [[local government in the Philippines]]. All Philippine cities are chartered cities ({{lang|fil|nakakartang lungsod}}), whose existence as corporate and administrative entities is governed by their own specific [[municipal charter]]s, in addition to the [[Local Government Code]] of 1991, which defines their administrative structure and powers. {{As of|2023|07|08|df=us}}, there are 149 cities in the country.

A city is entitled to at least one representative in the [[House of Representatives of the Philippines|House of Representatives]] if its population reaches 250,000. Cities are also allowed to use a common seal. As corporate entities, they have the power to acquire, hold, lease, convey, and dispose of real and personal property for their general interests; condemn private property for public use ([[eminent domain]]); enter into contracts; sue and be sued; and exercise all other powers conferred on them by Congress. Only an [[List of Philippine laws|act of Congress]] can create or amend a city charter, and through this charter, [[Congress of the Philippines|Congress]] may grant a city certain powers not available to regular municipalities—or even to other cities.

Despite differences in the powers accorded to each city, all cities, regardless of status, receive a larger share of the [[Internal Revenue Allotment]] (IRA) than regular municipalities,{{efn|The collective share of all cities in the IRA is 23%, while that of all municipalities is 34%. Since there are far fewer cities (149) than municipalities (1,485), an individual city receives more IRA per unit than a municipality after distribution.}} and are generally more autonomous than municipalities.

{{TOC limit|3}}

==Government==
{{main|Sangguniang Panlungsod}}

A city's local government is headed by a mayor elected by popular vote. The vice mayor serves as the presiding officer of the [[Sangguniang Panlungsod]] (city council), which serves as the city's legislative body. Upon receiving their charters, cities also receive a full complement of executive departments to better serve their constituents. Some departments are established on a case-by-case basis, depending on the needs of the city.

===Offices and officials common to all cities===
{| class="wikitable" style=";font-size:90%;"
|-
! scope="col" | Office
! scope="col" | Head
! scope="col" | Mandatory / Optional
|-
! scope="row" | City Government
| Mayor
| Mandatory
|-
! scope="row" | [[Sangguniang Panlungsod]]<br>{{small|(City Council)}}
| Vice Mayor as presiding officer
| Mandatory
|-
! scope="row" | Office of the Secretary to the Sanggunian
| Secretary to the Sanggunian
| Mandatory
|-
! scope="row" | Treasury Office
| Treasurer
| Mandatory
|-
! scope="row" | Assessor's Office
| Assessor
| Mandatory
|-
! scope="row" | Accounting and Internal Audit Services
| Accountant
| Mandatory
|-
! scope="row" | Budget Office
| Budget Officer
| Mandatory
|-
! scope="row" | Planning and Development Office
| Planning and Development Coordinator
| Mandatory
|-
! scope="row" | Engineering Office
| Engineer
| Mandatory
|-
! scope="row" | Health Office
| Health Officer
| Mandatory
|-
! scope="row" | Office of Civil Registry
| Civil Registrar
| Mandatory
|-
! scope="row" | Office of the Administrator
| Administrator
| Mandatory
|-
! scope="row" | Office of Legal Services
| Legal Officer
| Mandatory
|-
! scope="row" | Office on Social Welfare and Development Services
| Social Welfare and Development Officer
| Mandatory
|-
! scope="row" | Office on General Services
| General Services Officer
| Mandatory
|-
! scope="row" | Office for Veterinary Services
| Veterinarian
| Mandatory
|-
! scope="row" | Office on Architectural Planning and Design
| Architect
| Optional
|-
! scope="row" | Office on Public Information
| Information Officer
| Optional
|-
! scope="row" | Office for the Development of Cooperatives
| Cooperative Officer
| Optional
|-
! scope="row" | Office on Population Development
| Population Officer
| Optional
|-
! scope="row" | Office on Environment and Natural Resources
| Environment and Natural Resources Office
| Optional
|-
! scope="row" | Office of Agricultural Services
| Agriculturist
| Optional
|}
<small>Source: Local Government Code of 1991.<ref name="LawPhilNet-RA7160" /></small>

==Subdivisions==
Cities, like [[Municipalities of the Philippines|municipalities]], are composed of [[barangay]]s, which can range from urban neighborhoods (e.g., Barangay Socorro in [[Quezon City]] and [[Fort Bonifacio (barangay)|Barangay Fort Bonifacio]] in [[Taguig]]) to rural communities (e.g., Barangay Iwahig in [[Puerto Princesa]] and Barangay Linao Norte in [[Tuguegarao]]). Barangays are sometimes grouped into officially defined administrative or geographical districts. Examples of such are the cities of [[Manila]] ([[Manila#Barangays and districts|16 districts]]), [[Davao City|Davao]] ([[Districts of Davao City|11 districts]]), [[Iloilo City|Iloilo]] ([[Districts of Iloilo City|seven districts]]), and [[Samal, Davao del Norte|Samal]] (three districts: Babak, Kaputian, and Peñaplata). Some cities such as [[Caloocan]], Manila, and [[Pasay]] also have an intermediate level between the district and barangay levels, called a ''zone''. However, geographic districts and zones are not political units; there are no elected city government officials at these administrative levels. Rather, they serve only to facilitate city planning, statistics-gathering, and other administrative functions.

== Classification ==
=== Income classification ===
Republic Act No. 11964, or the Automatic Income Classification of Local Government Units Act, was signed by President [[Bongbong Marcos]] on October 26, 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bajo |first=Anna Felicia |date=October 27, 2023 |title=Marcos signs law institutionalizing automatic LGU income classification |url=https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/886483/marcos-signs-law-institutionalizing-automatic-lgu-income-classification/story/ |access-date=2024-06-04 |website=GMA News Online |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Gutierrez |first=Margarita |date=November 3, 2023 |title=Automatic income classification for LGUs |url=https://tribune.net.ph/2023/11/03/automatic-oncome-classification-for-lgus |access-date=2024-06-04 |website=[[Daily Tribune (Philippines)| Daily Tribune]] |language=en}}</ref> The law classifies cities into five classes according to their income ranges, based on the average annual regular income for three fiscal years preceding a general income reclassification.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lo |first=Katrina |date=2023-10-28 |title=New law updating the income classification of LGUs to help DOF boost LGU revenues, fiscal sustainability |url=https://www.dof.gov.ph/new-law-updating-the-income-classification-of-lgus-to-help-dof-boost-lgu-revenues-fiscal-sustainability/ |access-date=2024-06-04 |website=Department of Finance |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>[https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/downloads/2023/10oct/20231026-RA-11964-FRM.pdf Congress of the Philippines(2023). REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11964.]</ref> The classification are as follows:

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;"
|-
! scope="col" style="width:25%;" | Class
! scope="col" | Average annual income<br />({{PH peso}})
|-
! scope="row" | First
| >1,300,000,000
|-
! scope="row" | Second
| 1,000,000,000–1,300,000,000
|-
! scope="row" | Third
| 800,000,000–1,000,000,000
|-
! scope="row" | Fourth
| 500,000,000–800,000,000
|-
! scope="row" | Fifth
| <500,000,000
|}

=== Legal classification ===
The Local Government Code of 1991 (Republic Act No. 7160) classifies all cities into one of three legal categories:<ref name="LawPhilNet-RA7160" />

*{{anchor|Highly Urbanized City}}Highly urbanized cities (HUC): Cities with a minimum population of 200,000, as certified by the [[Philippine Statistics Authority]], and with the latest annual income of at least {{PH peso}}50,000,000 or [[USD]] 1,000,000 based on 1991 constant prices, as certified by the city treasurer. However, [[San Juan, Metro Manila|San Juan City]] in Metro Manila became a highly urbanized city in 2007 through Republic Act 9388 despite having a population of 126,347 people.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071006200457/http://www.op.gov.ph/directives/RA09388.pdf Republic Act 9388: "An Act Converting the Municipality of San Juan into a Highly-Urbanized City to be known as the City of San Juan."]</ref> A majority of the votes cast in a plebiscite held on July 21, 2007, approved the conversion.<ref name="pscgupdate">{{Cite web |date=2007 |title=PSGC Updates (July – September 2007) |url=http://nap.psa.gov.ph/activestats/psgc/PSGC_updates/Sept07.asp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160508081947/http://nap.psa.gov.ph/activestats/psgc/PSGC_updates/Sept07.asp |archive-date=May 8, 2016 |access-date=August 11, 2011 |publisher=Philippine Statistics Authority}}</ref>

:There are currently 33 highly urbanized cities in the Philippines, 16 of which are located in Metro Manila.

*{{anchor|Independent Component City}}Independent component cities (ICC): Cities of this type have charters that explicitly prohibit their residents from voting for provincial officials. All five of them are considered independent from the province in which they are geographically located: [[Cotabato City|Cotabato]], [[Dagupan]], [[Naga, Camarines Sur|Naga]] (Camarines Sur), [[Ormoc]], and [[Santiago, Isabela|Santiago]].
*{{anchor|Component City}}Component cities (CC): Cities which do not meet the preceding requirements are deemed part of the province in which they are geographically located. If a component city is located along the boundaries of two or more provinces, it is considered part of the province of which it used to be a municipality.

===Independent cities===
<!-- This section is linked to many articles, especially those that require explanation of the status of independent cities. Please do not change the section title. -->
There are 38 independent cities in the Philippines, all of which are classified as either "Highly urbanized" or "Independent component" cities. A city classified as such:
* does not have its ''[[Sangguniang Panlungsod]]'' legislation subject to review by any province's ''[[Sangguniang Panlalawigan]]'';
* does not share tax revenue with any province; and
* is directly supervised by the [[President of the Philippines]] through the city government (given that the provincial government no longer exercises supervision over city officials), as stated in Section 29 of the Local Government Code.<ref name="LawPhilNet-RA7160">{{Cite web |date=October 10, 1991 |title=Republic Act No. 7160 – An Act Providing for a Local Government Code of 1991 |url=http://www.lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra1991/ra_7160_1991.html |access-date=April 30, 2016 |website=The LawPhil Project |location=Metro Manila, Philippines}}</ref>

Currently, there are only four independent cities in two classes that can still participate in the election of provincial officials (governor, vice governor, and ''[[Sangguniang Panlalawigan]]'' members):
* Cities declared highly urbanized between 1987 and 1992, whose charters (as amended) explicitly permitted residents to both vote and run for elective positions in the provincial government, and therefore allowed by Section 452-c of the Local Government Code<ref name="LawPhilNet-RA7160" /> to maintain these rights: [[Lucena, Philippines|Lucena]] ([[Quezon province|Quezon]]), [[Mandaue]] ([[Cebu]]);
* Independent component cities whose charters (as amended) only explicitly allow residents to run for provincial offices: [[Dagupan]] ([[Pangasinan]]) and [[Naga, Camarines Sur|Naga]] ([[Camarines Sur]])

Registered voters of the cities of [[Cotabato City|Cotabato]], [[Ormoc]], [[Santiago, Isabela|Santiago]], as well as all other highly urbanized cities, including those to be converted or created in the future, cannot participate in provincial elections.

In addition to the eligibility of some independent cities to vote in provincial elections, a few other situations become sources of confusion regarding the complete autonomy of independent cities from provinces:
* '''Some independent cities still serve as the seat of government for the province in which they are geographically located:''' [[Bacolod]] ([[Negros Occidental]]), [[Cagayan de Oro]] ([[Misamis Oriental]]), [[Cebu City]] ([[Cebu]]), [[Iloilo City]] ([[Iloilo]]), [[Lucena, Philippines|Lucena]] ([[Quezon]]), [[Puerto Princesa]] ([[Palawan]]) and [[Tacloban]] ([[Leyte (province)|Leyte]]). In such cases, the provincial government, apart from already financing the maintenance of its properties such as provincial government buildings and offices, may also provide the government of the independent city with an annual budget (determined by the province at its discretion) to aid in relieving incidental costs incurred by the city such as road maintenance due to increased vehicular traffic in the vicinity of the provincial government complex. The independent city of [[Butuan]] was the capital and seat of government in the province of [[Agusan del Norte]] until [[Cabadbaran]] became the province's capital since 2000.
* '''Some independent cities are still grouped with their former provinces for the purposes of representation in [[Congress of the Philippines|Congress]].''' While 24 independent cities have their own representative(s) in Congress, some remain part of the congressional representation of the province to which they formerly belonged: [[Butuan]], for example, is still part of the [[Agusan del Norte's 1st congressional district|1st congressional district of Agusan del Norte]]. In cases like this, independent cities that do not vote for provincial officials are excluded from [[Sangguniang Panlalawigan]] (provincial council) districts, and the allotment of SP members is adjusted accordingly by the [[Commission on Elections (Philippines)|Commission on Elections]] (COMELEC) with proper consideration of population. For example, [[Agusan del Norte]] (being a third income-class province) is entitled to elect eight members to its Sangguniang Panlalawigan, and belongs to [[Legislative districts of Agusan del Norte|two congressional districts]]. The seats of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan are not evenly distributed (4–4) between the province's first and second congressional districts because its 1st district contains [[Butuan]], an independent city which does not vote for provincial officials. Rather, the seats are distributed 1–7 to account for the small population of the province's 1st ''Sangguniang Panlalawigan'' district (consisting only of [[Las Nieves, Agusan del Norte|Las Nieves]]) and the bulk of the province's population being in the second district. On the other hand, the city of [[Lucena, Philippines|Lucena]], which is eligible to vote for provincial officials, still forms part of the province of Quezon's 2nd ''Sangguniang Panlalawigan'' district, which is coterminous with the [[Quezon's 2nd congressional district|2nd congressional district of Quezon]].
* '''General lack of distinction for independent cities, for practical purposes:''' Many government agencies, as well as Philippine society in general, still continue to classify many independent cities outside Metro Manila as part of provinces due to historical and cultural ties, especially if these cities were once or currently socio-economic and cultural capitals of the provinces to which they once belonged. Furthermore, most maps of the Philippines showing provincial boundaries almost never separate independent cities from the provinces in which they are geographically located, for [[cartography|cartographic]] convenience. Despite being first-level administrative divisions (i.e., on the same level as provinces, as stated in Section 25 of the LGC),<ref name="LawPhilNet-RA7160" /> independent cities are still treated by many to be on the same level as municipalities and component cities (second-level administrative divisions) for educational convenience and simplicity.

A component city, while enjoying relative autonomy on some matters compared to a regular municipality, is still considered part of a province. However, there are several sources of confusion:
* '''Some component cities form their own congressional representation, separate from their province.''' The representation of a city in the [[House of Representatives of the Philippines|House of Representatives]] (or lack thereof) is not a criterion for independence from a province, as Congress is the national legislative body and is part of the national (central) government. Despite [[Antipolo]], [[Biñan]] and [[San Jose del Monte]] having their own representatives in Congress, they are still component cities of [[Rizal (province)|Rizal]], [[Laguna (province)|Laguna]], and [[Bulacan]], respectively, as their respective charters specifically converted them into component cities and have no provision stating a severance in relations with their respective provincial governments.
* '''Being part of an administrative region different from the province:''' [[Isabela, Basilan|Isabela City]] functions as a component city of [[Basilan]]: its tax revenues are shared with the provincial government, its residents are eligible to both vote and run for provincial offices, and it is served by the provincial government and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of [[Basilan]] with regard to provincially devolved services. However, by opting out of joining the [[Bangsamoro|Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao]] (BARMM), Isabela City's residents are ineligible to vote and run for ''regional'' offices of the [[Bangsamoro Parliament]], unlike the rest of Basilan. Regional services provided to Isabela City come from offices in Region IX based in [[Pagadian]]; the rest of Basilan is serviced by the BARMM based in Cotabato City. Isabela City, while not independent from its province, is this outside the jurisdiction of the BARMM, the region to which the rest of Basilan belongs. Regions are not the primary subnational administrative divisions of the Philippines, but rather the [[provinces of the Philippines|provinces]].

==Creation of cities==
Congress is the lone legislative entity that can incorporate cities. [[Sangguniang Panlalawigan|Provincial]] and [[Sangguniang Bayan|municipal councils]] can pass resolutions indicating a desire to have a certain area (usually an already-existing municipality or a cluster of barangays) declared a city after the requirements for becoming a city are met. As per Republic Act No. 9009, these requirements include:<ref name="ChanRobles-RA9009">{{Cite web |date=February 24, 2001 |title=Republic Act No. 9009 – An Act Amending Sec. 450 of Republic Act No. 7160, Otherwise Known as the Local Government Code of 1991, by Increasing the Average Annual Income Requirement for a Municipality or Cluster of Barangays to be Converted into a Component City. |url=http://www.chanrobles.com/republicactno9009.html |access-date=April 29, 2016 |website=Chan Robles Virtual Law Library}}</ref>
* locally generated income of at least {{PH peso}}100&nbsp;million (based on constant prices in the year 2000) for the last two consecutive years, as certified by the Department of Finance, '''and'''
* a population of at least 150,000, as certified by the [[Philippine Statistics Authority]] (PSA), '''or''' a contiguous territory of 100 square kilometers, as certified by the [[Bureau of Lands Management (Philippines)|Land Management Bureau]], with contiguity not being a requisite for areas that are on two or more [[island]]s.
Republic Act No. 11683 further amended Section 450 of the Local Government Code in 2022,<ref name="easier">{{Cite news |last=Montemayor |first=Jocelyn |date=April 26, 2022 |title=Duterte signs 12 bills into laws |language=en-US |work=Malaya |url=https://malaya.com.ph/news_news/duterte-signs-12-bills-into-laws/ |access-date=July 13, 2023}}</ref> exempting a municipality qualified for cityhood from the land or population threshold if the municipality has a locally generated average annual income of 400 million pesos for the previous 2 years according to 2012 constant prices, though this amount "shall be increased by five percent" for every three years after the law's effectivity.<ref name="high income exemption">{{cite web |title=Republic Act No. 11683 |url=https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2022/ra_11683_2022.html |website=lawphil.net |access-date=22 November 2023}}</ref>

Members of Congress (usually the involving representative of the congressional district to which the proposed city belongs) then draft the legislation that will convert or create the city. After the bill passes through both the House of Representatives and the [[Senate of the Philippines|Senate]] and becomes an Act of Congress, the [[President of the Philippines|President]] signs the Act into law. If the Act goes unsigned after 30 days it still becomes law despite the absence of the President's signature.

The creation of cities before 1983 was solely at the discretion of the national legislature; there were no requirements for achieving 'city' status other than an approved city charter. No income, population or land area requirements had to be met to incorporate cities before ''Batas Pambansa Bilang 337'' (Local Government Code of 1983) became law. This is what made it possible for several current cities such as [[Tangub]] or [[Canlaon]] to be conferred such a status despite their small population and locally generated income, which do not meet current standards. The relatively low income standard between 1992 and 2001 (which was {{PH peso}}20&nbsp;million)<ref name="LawPhilNet-RA7160" /> also allowed several municipalities, such as [[Sipalay]] and [[Muñoz, Nueva Ecija|Muñoz]], to become cities despite not being able to meet the current {{PH peso}}100&nbsp;million local income standard.

Before 1987, many cities were created without any plebiscites conducted for the residents to ratify the city charter, most notable of which were cities that were incorporated during the early American colonial period ([[Manila]] and [[Baguio]]), and during the [[Commonwealth of the Philippines|Commonwealth Era (1935–1946)]] such as [[Cavite City]], Dansalan (now [[Marawi]]), [[Iloilo City]], [[Bacolod]], [[San Pablo, Laguna|San Pablo]] and [[Zamboanga City]]. Only since 1987 has it been mandated under the [[Constitution of the Philippines|Constitution]] that any change to the legal status of any local government unit requires the ratification by the residents that would be affected by such changes. Therefore, all cities created after 1987 – after meeting the requirements for cityhood as laid out in the Local Government Code of 1991 and Republic Act No. 9009 of 2001 – only acquired their corporate status after the majority of their voting residents approved their respective charters.

===Motivations for cityhood===
Although some early cities were given charters because of their advantageous ([[Baguio]], [[Tagaytay]]) or strategic ([[Angeles City]] and [[Olongapo]], [[Cotabato City|Cotabato]], [[Zamboanga City|Zamboanga]]) locations or to especially establish new government centers in otherwise sparsely populated areas ([[Palayan]], [[Trece Martires]], [[Quezon City]]), most Philippine cities were originally incorporated to provide a form of localized civil government to an area that is primarily urban, which, due to its compact nature and different demography and local economy, cannot be necessarily handled more efficiently by more rural-oriented provincial and municipal governments. However, not all cities are purely areas of dense urban settlement. To date there are still cities with huge expanses of rural or wilderness areas and considerable non-urban populations, such as [[Calbayog]], [[Davao City|Davao]], [[Puerto Princesa]] and [[Zamboanga City|Zamboanga]] as they were deliberately{{citation needed|date=July 2025}} incorporated with increased future resource needs and urban expansion, as well as strategic considerations, in mind.

With the enactment of the 1991 Local Government Code, municipalities and cities have both become more empowered to deal with local issues. Regular municipalities now share many of the same powers and responsibilities as chartered cities, but its citizens and/or leaders may feel that it might be to their best interest to get a larger share of internal revenue allotment (IRA) and acquire additional powers by becoming a city, especially if the population has greatly increased and local economy has become more robust. On the other hand, due to the higher property taxes that would be imposed after cityhood, many citizens have become wary of their town's conversion into a city, even if the municipality had already achieved a high degree of urbanization and has an annual income that already exceeds that of many existing lower-income cities. This has been among the cases made against the cityhood bids of many high-income and populous municipalities surrounding Metro Manila, most notably [[Bacoor]] and [[Dasmariñas]] (which finally became cities in June 2012 and November 2009 respectively), which for many years have been more qualified to become cities than others.

In response to the rapid increase in the number of municipalities being converted into cities since the enactment of the Local Government Code in 1991, Senator [[Aquilino Pimentel, Jr.|Aquilino Pimentel]] authored what became Republic Act No. 9009 in June 2001 which sought to establish a more appropriate benchmark by which municipalities that wished to become cities were to be measured.<ref name="BlogSpotCom-LCP">{{Cite web |title=A Call for Reason and Respect for Law |url=https://www.lcp-policy.blogspot.com/ |access-date=April 29, 2016 |website=LCP Policy Blog}}</ref> The income requirement was increased sharply from {{PH peso}}20 million to {{PH peso}}100&nbsp;million in a bid to curb the spate of conversions into cities of municipalities that were perceived to have not become urbanized or economically developed enough to be able to properly function as a city.

Despite the passage of RA 9009, 16 municipalities not meeting the required locally generated income were converted into cities in 2007 by seeking exemption from the income requirement. This led to vocal opposition from the [[League of Cities of the Philippines]] against the cityhood of these municipalities, with the League arguing that by letting these municipalities become cities, Congress will set "a dangerous precedent" that would not prevent others from seeking the same "special treatment".<ref name="BlogSpotCom-LCP" /> More importantly, the LCP argued that with the recent surge in the conversion of towns that did not meet the requirements set by RA 9009 for becoming cities, the allocation received by existing cities would only drastically decrease because more cities will have to share the amount allotted by the national government, which is equal to 23% of the IRA, which in turn is 40% of all the revenues collected by the [[Bureau of Internal Revenue (Philippines)|Bureau of Internal Revenue]].<ref name="ManilaTimes-LeagueofCities">{{Cite news |date=February 9, 2007 |title=League of Cities wants veto on city hood of 12 towns |work=The Manila Times |url=http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/feb/09/yehey/prov/20070209pro1.html |access-date=April 29, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090122102944/http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/feb/09/yehey/prov/20070209pro1.html |archive-date=January 22, 2009}}</ref> The resulting legal battles resulted in the [[#"League of 16" and legal battles|nullification of the city charters of the 16 municipalities by the Supreme Court]] in August 2010. (''See [[#"League of 16" and legal battles]])''

==Changing city status==
Throughout the years there have been instances of changes to the city's status with regard to eligibility for provincial elections, as a result of the passage of laws, both of general effectivity and specific to a city.

=== Before 1979 ===
Prior to 1979, all cities were just considered chartered cities, without any official category differentiating them aside from income levels. Though chartered cities were considered autonomous from the provinces from which they were created, the eligibility of their residents to vote for provincial officials was determined by their respective charters.<ref name="LawPhilNet-G.R.L-5150">{{Cite web |date=November 8, 1951 |title=G.R. No. L-5150; Teves, et al. vs. Commission on Elections |url=http://www.lawphil.net/judjuris/juri1951/nov1951/gr_l-5150_1951.html |access-date=April 30, 2016 |website=The LawPhil Project |location=Metro Manila, Philippines}}</ref>

Regarding participation in provincial affairs, there were three types of city charters:
# those which explicitly allowed their respective residents to elect provincial officials,
# those which explicitly prohibited participation in provincial elections,
# and those which are silent regarding voter participation in provincial elections.
The 1951 Supreme Court decision on ''Teves, et al. v. Commission on Elections'' finally resolved the ambiguity surrounding the third category of cities, by confirming that the residents of cities with such charters (such as [[Dumaguete]] and [[Davao City]]) are ineligible to participate in provincial elections.<ref name="LawPhilNet-G.R.L-5150" />

Altering the right of city residents to participate in provincial elections was a power solely determined by the national legislature. Before 1979, this power was exercised in seven cases, affecting a total of six cities:
* Five Acts of the National Assembly or Congress in which the residents of an existing city were restored the right to vote for officials of the mother province:
** August 22, 1940: Section 7 of the revised charter of the [[city of Iloilo]] (''Commonwealth Act No. 158'') was amended in 1940 by Commonwealth Act No. 604 to explicitly state: "The voters of said City of Iloilo shall take part in the election of the provincial officers of Iloilo, but the latter shall have no jurisdiction over the City of Iloilo and the officers thereof."<ref name="ca604">{{Cite web |last=National Assembly of the Philippines |date=August 22, 1940 |title=Commonwealth Act No. 604 – An Act to Amend Certain Sections of the Charter of the City of Iloilo |url=http://www.thecorpusjuris.com/legislative/commonwealth-acts/ca-no-604.php |access-date=November 28, 2016 |website=The Corpus Juris}}</ref>
** June 10, 1950: The original city charter of [[Dagupan]] (Republic Act No. 170) was originally silent on the matter of the eligibility of city residents to participate in provincial election,<ref name="RA170">{{Cite web |date=June 20, 1947 |title=Republic Act No. 170 – An Act Creating the City of Dagupan |url=http://www.chanrobles.com/republicacts/republicactno170.html |access-date=November 28, 2016 |website=Chan Robles Virtual Law Library}}</ref> therefore implying that residents were ineligible to participate in provincial elections. Three years later Republic Act No. 448 amended the charter to explicitly empower the city's voters to participate in the election of the governor and provincial board members of [[Pangasinan]].<ref name="RA448">{{Cite web |date=June 10, 1950 |title=Republic Act No. 448 – An Act to Amend the Charter of the City of Cabanatuan |url=http://laws.chanrobles.com/republicacts/5_republicacts.php?id=488 |access-date=November 28, 2016 |website=Chan Robles Virtual Law Library}}</ref>
** June 14, 1956: The city of [[Cabanatuan]] was originally explicitly excluded from electing and being elected into positions in the provincial government of [[Nueva Ecija]]<ref name="ChanRobles-RA526">{{Cite web |date=June 16, 1950 |title=Republic Act No. 526 – An Act Creating the City of Cabanatuan |url=http://www.chanrobles.com/republicacts/republicactno526.html |access-date=April 29, 2016 |website=Chan Robles Virtual Law Library}}</ref> until its original city charter (Republic Act No. 526) was amended by Republic Act No. 1445 in 1956, which enabled the city's residents to once more vote for provincial officials.<ref name="ChanRobles-RA1445">{{Cite web |date=June 14, 1956 |title=Republic Act No. 1445 – An Act Amending Certain Sections of Republic Act Numbered Five Hundred Twenty-Six, Otherwise Known as the Charter of the City of Cabanatuan |url=http://www.chanrobles.com/republicacts/republicactno1445.html |access-date=April 29, 2016 |website=Chan Robles Virtual Law Library}}</ref>
** June 16, 1956: The original city charter of [[Dansalan]] (''Commonwealth Act No. 592'') was originally silent on the matter of the eligibility of city residents to participate in provincial election,<ref name="ca592">{{Cite web |last=National Assembly of the Philippines |date=August 19, 1940 |title=Commonwealth Act No. 592 – An Act to Create the City of Dansalan |url=http://www.chanrobles.com/commonwealthacts/commonwealthactno592.html |access-date=February 18, 2017 |website=Chan Robles Law Library}}</ref> therefore implying that residents were ineligible to participate in provincial elections. Sixteen years later Republic Act No. 1552, in addition to renaming the city to [[Marawi]], also amended the city charter to explicitly empower the city's voters to participate in the election of [[Lanao (province)|Lanao Province]] officials.<ref name="ra1552">{{Cite web |last=Congress of the Philippines |date=June 16, 1956 |title=Republic Act No. 1552 – An Act to Amend the Charter of the City of Dansalan so as to Change Its name to Marawi and Make Elective Its Mayor, Vice Mayor and Councilors, and for other purposes |url=http://laws.chanrobles.com/republicacts/16_republicacts.php?id=1554 |access-date=February 18, 2017 |website=Chan Robles Law Library}}</ref>
** June 10, 1964: [[Cebu City]]'s old charter (''Commonwealth Act No. 58'')<ref name="CA58">{{Cite web |date=October 20, 1934 |title=Commonwealth Act No. 58 – An Act Creating the City of Cebu |url=http://www.chanrobles.com/commonwealthacts/commonwealthactno58.html |access-date=November 28, 2016 |website=Chan Robles Virtual Law Library}}</ref> was repealed, and replaced with Republic Act No. 3857 in 1964. The law allowed the city's residents to once more become eligible to vote for officials in the provincial government of [[Cebu]].<ref name="RA3857">{{Cite web |date=June 10, 1964 |title=Republic Act No. 3857 – An Act to Revise the Charter of the City of Cebu |url=http://www.lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra1964/ra_3857_1964.html |access-date=November 28, 2016 |website=The LawPhil Project}}</ref>
** June 21, 1969: Following the Supreme Court decision on ''Teves, et al. v. Commission on Elections'' which upheld [[Dumaguete]]'s independence from [[Negros Oriental]],<ref name="LawPhilNet-G.R.L-5150" /> Republic Act No. 5797 was enacted on June 21, 1969, by Congress to revise the city's original charter (Republic Act No. 327)<ref name="ra327">{{Cite web |last=Congress of the Philippines |date=July 15, 1948 |title=Republic Act No. 327 – An Act Creating the City of Dumaguete |url=http://www.chanrobles.com/republicacts/republicactno327.html |access-date=November 28, 2016 |website=Chan Robles Virtual Law Library}}</ref> to explicitly allow the city's residents to once again vote for provincial officials.<ref name="ra5797">{{Cite web |last=Congress of the Philippines |date=June 21, 1969 |title=Republic Act No. 5797 – An Act to Revise the Charter of the City of Dumaguete |url=http://www.thecorpusjuris.com/legislative/republic-acts/ra-no-5797.php |access-date=August 10, 2016 |website=The Corpus Juris}}</ref>
* One Act of Congress in which the residents of existing cities whose residents were previously explicitly granted the right to participate in provincial elections were deprived such a right:
** June 19, 1959: By virtue of Section 2 of Republic Act No. 2259, the voters of the cities of [[Dagupan]] and [[Iloilo City|Iloilo]] were deprived of the right to participate in provincial elections.<ref name=RA2259/>

===1979–1983===
''Batas Pambansa Bilang 51'', approved on December 22, 1979, introduced two legal categories of cities: '''highly urbanized cities''' (HUCs) and '''component cities'''.<ref name="ChanRobles-BP51">{{Cite web |date=December 22, 1979 |title=Batas Pambansa Blg. 51 – An Act Providing for the Elective or Appointive Positions in Various Local Governments and for Other Purposes |url=http://www.chanrobles.com/bataspambansa/bataspambansablg51.html |access-date=April 29, 2016 |website=Chan Robles Virtual Law Library}}</ref> COMELEC Resolution No. 1421, which was issued to implement the provisions of ''BP 51'' prior to the [[1980 Philippine local elections|January 30, 1980, local elections]], stated that a total of 20 cities were not allowed to participate in the election of provincial officials:<ref name="sc1980" /> seven of these were "highly urbanized", while the remaining 13 were "component" cities.
* When ''Batas Pambansa Bilang 51'' came into effect for the [[1980 Philippine local elections|January 30, 1980, elections]], all cities whose incomes at the time were {{PH peso}}40&nbsp;million or higher were considered highly urbanized cities.<ref name="ChanRobles-BP51" /> Cities that met this income requirement at the time were: Caloocan, Cebu, Davao, Manila, Pasay and Quezon City. Regardless of whether their respective charters allowed them to vote for provincial officials or not, highly urbanized cities were no longer allowed to vote for provincial officials. Among the aforementioned, only the voters of [[Cebu City]] lost the right to participate in provincial elections in this manner; the voters of the other five cities have not participated in any provincial election since their respective incorporation as cities. In addition, Section 3 of ''BP 51'' also made [[Baguio]] a highly urbanized city irrespective of its income,<ref name="ChanRobles-BP51" /> due to its importance as the host to the official summer residences of the [[President of the Philippines|President]] and the [[Supreme Court of the Philippines|Supreme Court]]. A Supreme Court case decided two days before election day upheld the legality of ''BP 51'' in depriving the voters of Cebu City the power to elect officials for the province of [[Cebu]].<ref name="sc1980">{{Cite web |last=Supreme Court of the Philippines |date=January 28, 1980 |title=G.R. No. L-52304 – RAMON B. CENIZA, FEDERICO C. CABILAO, JR., NELSON J. ROSAL and ALEJANDRO R. ALINSUG, petitioners, vs. COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS, COMMISSION ON AUDIT, and NATIONAL TREASURER, respondents. |url=http://www.lawphil.net/judjuris/juri1980/jan1980/gr_52304_1980.html |access-date=August 9, 2016 |website=The LawPhil Project}}</ref>
* Per Section 3 of ''BP 51'', all other cities were considered "component cities" of the provinces in which they are geographically located, or the provinces of which they were originally a part.<ref name="ChanRobles-BP51" /> Despite considering all other cities as part of their respective provinces, under ''BP 51'' the eligibility of voters to participate in provincial elections were still determined by their cities' respective charters (as amended).<ref name="ChanRobles-BP51" /> The voters of a total of thirteen "component cities" continued to be ineligible to vote for provincial officials for the [[1980 Philippine local elections|local elections of 1980]].<ref name="sc1980" /> Nine of these were cities with charters (as amended) that expressly prohibited participation in provincial elections: [[Dagupan]], [[General Santos]], [[Iloilo City|Iloilo]], [[Mandaue]], [[Naga, Camarines Sur|Naga]], [[Ormoc]], [[Oroquieta]], [[San Carlos, Pangasinan|San Carlos (Pangasinan)]] and [[Zamboanga City|Zamboanga]].<ref name="sc1980" /> The remaining four — [[Bais, Negros Oriental|Bais]], [[Canlaon]], [[Cotabato City|Cotabato]] and [[Ozamiz City|Ozamiz]] — were cities whose charters were silent on participation in provincial elections;<ref name="sc1980" /> ''BP 51'' upheld the 1951 Supreme Court decision on ''Teves, et al. v. Commission on Elections'' by barring their residents from participating in the election of provincial officials.

=== 1983–1987 ===
''Batas Pambansa Bilang 337'' (Local Government Code of 1983), approved on February 10, 1983, further refined the criteria by which cities can be classified as highly urbanized cities.<ref name="ChanRobles-BP337">{{Cite web |date=February 10, 1983 |title=Batas Pambansa Blg. 337 – An Act Enacting a Local Government Code (Repealed by Republic Act No. 7160) |url=http://www.chanrobles.com/bataspambansa/bataspambansablg337.html |access-date=April 29, 2016 |website=Chan Robles Virtual Law Library}}</ref> Under ''BP 337'' a city that had at least 150,000 inhabitants and an income of at least {{PH peso}}30&nbsp;million was to be declared highly urbanized by the Minister of Local Government within thirty days of the city having met the requirement.<ref name="ChanRobles-BP337" /> The cities of Angeles (October 13, 1986), Bacolod (September 27, 1984), Butuan (February 7, 1985), Cagayan de Oro, Iligan (both November 22, 1983), Olongapo (December 7, 1983), and Zamboanga (November 22, 1983) became HUCs in this manner. The residents in most of these cities lost their right to participate in provincial elections for the first time. The two exceptions are: [[Iloilo City]], which had already been deprived of the right to vote for provincial officials in 1959 by virtue of Section 2 of RA 2259,<ref name="RA2259">{{Cite web |last=Congress of the Philippines |date=June 19, 1959 |title=Republic Act No. 2259 – An Act making elective the offices of Mayor, Vice Mayor and Councilors in chartered cities, regulating the election in such cities and fixing the salaries and tenure of such offices. |url=http://www.lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra1959/ra_2259_1959.html |access-date=April 29, 2016 |website=The LawPhil Project}}</ref> and [[Zamboanga City]], which had been autonomously governed since its creation by virtue of Section 47 of its city charter (''Commonwealth Act No. 39'').<ref name="CA39">{{Cite web |date=October 12, 1936 |title=Commonwealth Act No. 39 – An Act Creating the City of Zamboanga |url=http://www.chanrobles.com/commonwealthacts/commonwealthactno39.html |access-date=November 28, 2016 |website=Chan Robles Virtual Law Library}}</ref>

By virtue of Section 30 of ''Batas Pambansa Bilang 881'' (''Omnibus Election Code of the Philippines''), approved on December 3, 1985, provided that: "unless their respective charters provide otherwise, the electorate of component cities shall be entitled to vote in the election for provincial officials of the province of which it is a part."<ref name="bp881">{{Cite web |last=Batasang Pambansa ng Pilipinas |date=December 3, 1985 |title=Batas Pambansa Blg. 881 – Omnibus Election Code of the Philippines |url=http://www.lawphil.net/statutes/bataspam/bp1985/bp_881_1985.html |access-date=August 11, 2016 |website=The LawPhil Project}}</ref> This provision therefore overrides the 1951 Supreme Court decision on ''Teves, et al. v. Commission on Elections'' by providing voters in component cities whose charters are silent on the matter of electing provincial officials the right to again participate in provincial elections. ''BP 881'' therefore again enfranchised voters in the cities of [[Bais, Negros Oriental|Bais]] and [[Canlaon]] ([[Negros Oriental]]), and [[Ozamiz City|Ozamiz]] ([[Misamis Occidental]]). Despite the charter of the city of [[Cotabato City|Cotabato]] being silent on the matter of electing provincial officials, the city was not legislated to be part of any of the successor provinces of the old undivided Cotabato province. Voters of the city therefore were still not eligible to vote in the provincial elections of either [[Maguindanao]] or [[North Cotabato]] and therefore remained independent from any province.

===1987–1991===
The period between ratification of the new Constitution (February 1987) and the effectivity of the Local Government Code of 1991 (January 1992) was one of transition. During this time, ''BP 51'', ''BP 337'' and ''BP 881'' were still in force: the only legal classes of cities during this period were still "highly urbanized" and "component" cities.

Altering the right of city residents to participate in provincial elections was once again exercised by the newly restored Congress in this period. A total of three cities were affected: Republic Acts Nos. 6641 (in 1987),<ref>{{Cite web |last=Congress of the Philippines |date=December 23, 1987 |title=Republic Act No. 6641 – An Act allowing qualified voters of the City of Mandaue to vote in provincial elections of the Province of Cebu, amending for the purpose Republic Act Numbered Fifty-Five Hundred and Nineteen |url=https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1987/12/23/republic-act-no-6641/ |access-date=August 10, 2016}}</ref> 6726 (in 1989)<ref name="ChanRobles-RA6726">{{Cite web |date=May 15, 1989 |title=Republic Act No. 6726 – An Act Allowing Qualified Voters of the City of Oroquieta to Vote in Provincial Elections of the Province of Misamis Occidental, Amending for the Purpose Republic Act Numbered Fifty-Five Hundred and Eighteen |url=http://www.chanrobles.com/republicacts/republicactno6726.html |access-date=April 29, 2016 |website=Chan Robles Virtual Law Library}}</ref> and 6843 (in 1990),<ref name="ChanRobles-RA6843">{{Cite web |date=January 5, 1990 |title=Republic Act No. 6843 – An Act to Amend Section Ninety-Six of Republic Act Numbered Forty-Four Hundred and Eighty-Seven, Entitled "An Act Creating the City of San Carlos in Pangasinan" by Allowing Qualified Voters of the City of San Carlos to Vote in the Provincial Elections of the Province of Pangasinan |url=http://www.chanrobles.com/republicacts/republicactno6843.html |access-date=April 29, 2016 |website=Chan Robles Virtual Law Library}}</ref> once again allowed the residents of [[Mandaue]], [[Oroquieta]] and [[San Carlos, Pangasinan|San Carlos]] to vote for provincial officials of [[Cebu]], [[Misamis Occidental]] and [[Pangasinan]] respectively. Since ''BP 51''—which only considered cities as being either "highly urbanized" or "component"—was still in force at the time, the changes were not considered as switching between legal categories,<ref name="SCJudiciaryGovPH-GR133064" /> but rather a simple change within the "component city" classification that did not require a plebiscite. The "independent component city" legal classification was only introduced through the Local Government Code in 1992.

Under the same criteria set in ''BP 337'' (Local Government Code of 1983), a total of three cities became highly urbanized: General Santos (September 5, 1988), Lucena (July 1, 1991) and Mandaue (February 15, 1991). Lucena and Mandaue were special cases, in that because their re-classification into HUC status took place after the ratification of the [[Constitution of the Philippines|Constitution]] (February 11, 1987) but before the effectivity of the Local Government Code of 1991 (January 1, 1992), their residents were allowed to continue to participate in the election of provincial officials as per their respective charters (as amended), by virtue of Section 452-c of the LGC.<ref name="LawPhilNet-RA7160" /> Residents of General Santos were already excluded from voting for provincial officials of [[South Cotabato]] since achieving cityhood in 1968; they were therefore unaffected by this exemption.

===1992–present===
The Local Government Code of 1991 came into effect on January 1, 1992, and has remained in force ever since, though some amendments have been made.<ref name="LawPhilNet-RA7160" /> New requirements for creating cities, and upgrading cities to highly urbanized status, were instituted under this Act. The ''LGC of 1991'' was also the first time the '''independent component city''' (ICC) category was introduced. These cities are those non-highly urbanized cities whose charters explicitly prohibited city residents to vote in provincial elections. They were finally made completely independent of the province from fiscal, administrative and legal standpoints.

====Upgrading====
*''Independent municipality to highly urbanized city''
The municipalities of [[Metro Manila]], having been severed from the provinces of Bulacan and Rizal and made independent units in 1975, were converted to highly urbanized cities, beginning in 1994 with [[Mandaluyong]]. The most recent, [[Navotas]], became an HUC in 2007. Only [[Pateros]], which does not currently meet the population requirement of 200,000 inhabitants, remains the only independent municipality in Metro Manila.

*''Component city to independent component city (CC–ICC)''
All that is needed is a congressional amendment to a component city's charter, prohibiting city residents to vote for provincial officials.
In the last quarter of 2021, Samar 1st district congressman [[Edgar Mary Sarmiento]] proposed to convert the city of [[Calbayog]] from being a component city into an independent component city through the virtue of House Bill No. 10483.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sarmiento |first=Edgar Mary S. |date=November 11, 2021 |title=House Bill No. 10483 - The bill seeks to convert the City of Calbayog, Samar from a component city to an independent component city |url=https://hrep-website.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/legisdocs/basic_18/HB10483.pdf |access-date=June 3, 2022 |website=amozonaws.com |publisher=House of Representatives}}</ref>

*''Component/independent component city to highly urbanized city (CC/ICC–HUC)''
Since 1992, once a city reaches a population of 200,000 persons as certified by the [[Philippine Statistics Authority]] and an income of {{PH peso}}50&nbsp;million (based on 1991 constant prices) as certified by the city treasurer, the city government can submit a request to the [[President of the Philippines|President]] to have their city declared as highly urbanized within 30 days. Upon the President's declaration, a plebiscite will be held within a specific timeframe to ratify this conversion. There are no limits as to the number of times a component city can attempt to become a highly urbanized city, should previous tries be unsuccessful.<ref name="dilg">{{Cite web |last=Doque IV |first=Jesus B. |date=March 11, 2011 |title=DILG Opinion No. 5, S. 2011 |url=http://www.dilg.gov.ph/PDF_File/issuances/legal_opinions/DILG-Legal_Opinions-2012223-d5cbf14855.pdf |access-date=August 11, 2016}}</ref>
* Since 1992 three component cities have been successfully converted into HUCs:
** [[Puerto Princesa]] (2007): Proclamation No. 1264 signed on March 26, 2007, declared the capital city of [[Palawan]] an HUC.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Macapagal-Arroyo |first=Gloria |date=March 26, 2007 |title=Converting the City of Puerto Princesa from a component city into a highly-urbanized city. |url=https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2007/03/26/proclamation-no-1264-s-2007/ |access-date=August 11, 2016 |publisher=Government of the Republic of the Philippines}}</ref> Majority of the votes cast in a plebiscite held on July 21, 2007, approved the conversion.<ref name="pscgupdate">{{Cite web |date=2007 |title=PSGC Updates (July – September 2007) |url=http://nap.psa.gov.ph/activestats/psgc/PSGC_updates/Sept07.asp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160508081947/http://nap.psa.gov.ph/activestats/psgc/PSGC_updates/Sept07.asp |archive-date=May 8, 2016 |access-date=August 11, 2011 |publisher=Philippine Statistics Authority}}</ref>
** [[Lapu-Lapu, Philippines|Lapu-Lapu]] (2007): Proclamation No. 1222 signed on January 23, 2007, declared the component city of Lapu-Lapu an HUC.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Macapagal-Arroyo |first=Gloria |date=January 23, 2007 |title=Converting the City of Lapu-Lapu from a component city into a highly-urbanized city. |url=https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2007/01/23/proclamation-no-1222-s-2007/ |access-date=August 11, 2016 |publisher=Government of the Republic of the Philippines}}</ref> Majority of the votes cast in a plebiscite held on July 21, 2007, approved the conversion.<ref name="pscgupdate">{{Cite web |date=2007 |title=PSGC Updates (July – September 2007) |url=http://nap.psa.gov.ph/activestats/psgc/PSGC_updates/Sept07.asp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160508081947/http://nap.psa.gov.ph/activestats/psgc/PSGC_updates/Sept07.asp |archive-date=May 8, 2016 |access-date=August 11, 2011 |publisher=Philippine Statistics Authority}}</ref>
** [[Tacloban]] (2008): Proclamation No. 1637 signed on October 4, 2008, declared the capital city of [[Leyte]] an HUC.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Macapagal-Arroyo |first=Gloria |date=October 4, 2008 |title=Converting the City of Tacloban into a highly-urbanized city. |url=https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2008/10/04/proclamation-no-1637-s-2008/ |access-date=August 11, 2016 |publisher=Government of the Republic of the Philippines}}</ref> Majority of the votes cast in a plebiscite held on December 18, 2008, approved the conversion.<ref name="pscgupdate2">{{Cite web |date=February 16, 2008 |title=Thirteen Barangays Created; One City Converted to Highly Urbanized City in the 4th Quarter of 2008 |url=http://nap.psa.gov.ph/pressreleases/2009/PR-200902-PP2-01PSGC.asp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170605220905/http://nap.psa.gov.ph/pressreleases/2009/PR-200902-PP2-01PSGC.asp |archive-date=June 5, 2017 |access-date=August 11, 2011 |publisher=Philippine Statistics Authority}}</ref>
* The following component cities failed to become HUCs, for various reasons:
** [[Cabanatuan]] (1997): Proclamation No. 969 signed on February 13, 1997, declared the former capital of the province of [[Nueva Ecija]] an HUC.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ramos |first=Fidel V. |date=February 13, 1997 |title=Converting the City of Cabanatuan from a component city into a highly-urbanized city. |url=https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/downloads/1997/02feb/19970213-PROC-0969-FVR.pdf |access-date=August 11, 2016 |publisher=Government of the Republic of the Philippines}}</ref> Majority of the votes cast in a plebiscite held simultaneously with the [[1997 Philippine barangay election|barangay elections on May 12, 1997]] did not approve the conversion.<ref name="philstar">{{Cite web |last=Galvez |first=Manny |date=June 17, 2004 |title=Cabanatuan renews bid for highly urbanized city status |url=https://www.philstar.com/nation/2004/06/17/254278/cabanatuan-renews-bid-for-highly-urbanized-city-status |access-date=August 11, 2016 |website=PhilStar.com}}</ref>
** [[Tarlac City]] (2005): Proclamation No. 940 signed on October 27, 2005, declared the capital city of the province of [[Tarlac]] an HUC.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Macapagal-Arroyo |first=Gloria |date=October 27, 2005 |title=Converting the City of Tarlac from a component city into a highly-urbanized city. |url=https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/downloads/2005/10oct/20051027-PROC-0940-GMA.pdf |access-date=August 11, 2016 |publisher=Government of the Republic of the Philippines}}</ref> Majority of the votes cast in a plebiscite held on February 11, 2006, did not approve the conversion.
** [[Antipolo]] (2011): Proclamation No. 124 signed on March 14, 2011, declared the capital city of the province of [[Rizal (province)|Rizal]] an HUC.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Aquino III |first=Benigno S. |date=March 14, 2011 |title=Converting the City of Antipolo from a component city into a highly-urbanized city. |url=https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2011/03/14/proclamation-no-124-s-2011/ |access-date=August 11, 2016 |publisher=Government of the Republic of the Philippines}}</ref> On April 4, 2011, Antipolo's city mayor announced that the planned June 18, 2011, plebiscite is indefinitely postponed, effectively suspending the bid to convert the city into an HUC.<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 6, 2011 |title=Antipolo City's urbanization put on hold temporarily |work=Manila Bulletin |url=https://sg.news.yahoo.com/antipolo-citys-urbanization-put-hold-temporarily-20110406-021756-921.html |url-status=dead |access-date=September 4, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305202839/https://sg.news.yahoo.com/antipolo-citys-urbanization-put-hold-temporarily-20110406-021756-921.html |archive-date=March 5, 2016}}</ref>
** Cabanatuan (2012): Proclamation No. 418 signed on July 4, 2012, once again declared the former capital of the province of [[Nueva Ecija]] an HUC.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Aquino III |first=Benigno |date=July 4, 2012 |title=Converting the City of Cabanatuan from a component city into a highly-urbanized city. |url=https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2012/07/04/proclamation-no-418-s-2012/ |access-date=August 11, 2016 |publisher=Government of the Republic of the Philippines}}</ref> The plebiscite was originally set for December 1, 2012, but, due to preparations for the upcoming [[2013 Philippine general election|2013 national, ARMM and local elections]], was rescheduled by the COMELEC for January 25, 2014.<ref name="punto">{{Cite web |last=Roque |first=Elmo |date=February 10, 2015 |title='Highly-urbanized' Cabanatuan still unratified |url=http://punto.com.ph/News/Article/22101/Volume-8-No-55/Headlines/%E2%80%98Highly-urbanized%E2%80%99-Cabanatuan-still-unratified |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150317172444/http://punto.com.ph/News/Article/22101/Volume-8-No-55/Headlines/%E2%80%98Highly-urbanized%E2%80%99-Cabanatuan-still-unratified |archive-date=March 17, 2015 |access-date=August 11, 2016 |publisher=Punto! Central Luzon}}</ref><ref name="GR203974">{{Cite web |last=Velasco, Jr. |first=Presbitero J. |date=April 22, 2014 |title=Aurelio M. Umali v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 203974, 22 April 2014 |url=http://www.lawphil.net/judjuris/juri2014/apr2014/gr_203974_2014.html |access-date=August 11, 2016 |website=The LawPhil Project |publisher=Supreme Court of the Philippines}}</ref> A week before the rescheduled plebiscite, the [[Supreme Court of the Philippines|Supreme Court]] issued a temporary restraining order, which postponed the vote until the case brought by Nueva Ecija governor Aurelio Umali was decided.<ref name=GR203974/> On April 22, 2014, the Supreme Court ordered the Commission to include the rest of Nueva Ecija in the plebiscite, given that the province's income will be significantly affected once Cabanatuan attains autonomy as an HUC.<ref name=GR203974/> The Commission subsequently rescheduled the expanded plebiscite for November 8, 2014.<ref name=punto/> However, on October 21 it issued Minute Resolution No. 14-0732, which suspended the voting until the city government of Cabanatuan provides the {{PH peso}}101&nbsp;million needed to administer the expanded plebiscite.<ref name="rappler">{{Cite web |last=Santos, Jr. |first=Reynaldo |date=November 6, 2014 |title=Cabanatuan City plebiscite postponed for the 3rd time |url=http://www.rappler.com/nation/74264-cabanatuan-plebiscite-postponed-third-time |access-date=August 11, 2016 |website=Rappler}}</ref>
** [[San Jose del Monte]] (2020): Proclamation No. 1057 signed on December 4, 2020, declared the component city of the province of [[Bulacan (province)|Bulacan]] an HUC.<ref name="CSJDM HUC proclamation">{{Cite web |date=December 4, 2020 |title=Proclamation No. 1057 s. 2020 {{!}} GOVPH |url=https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2020/12/04/proclamation-no-1057-s-2020/ |access-date=June 13, 2023 |website=Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines}}</ref> Majority of the votes cast in a plebiscite held on October 30, 2023, did not approve the conversion.<ref name="sjdmreject">{{Cite web|last=Rita|first=Joviland|date=November 1, 2023 |title=Voters turn down conversion of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan to highly urbanized city|url=https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/regions/886957/voters-turn-down-conversion-of-san-jose-del-monte-bulacan-to-highly-urbanized-city/story/|website=GMA News Online}}</ref>

====Downgrading====
=====''Highly urbanized city to component city''=====
Reclassifying an HUC as a component city likely involves not only amending the concerned city's charter, but also the Local Government Code,<ref name="Cuenco">[http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/ceb/2005/05/27/news/cuenco.ready.to.work.for.it.del.mar.wants.to.be.sure.html Cuenco ready to work for it; del Mar wants to be sure] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060307111850/http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/ceb/2005/05/27/news/cuenco.ready.to.work.for.it.del.mar.wants.to.be.sure.html |date=March 7, 2006 }}</ref> as currently there is no provision in the ''LGC'' that allows this, nor are there any precedents. Some [[Cebu City]] politicians have previously indicated that they wish to bring back the city under the province's control, to bring in more votes against the ''[[Sugbuak]]'', the proposed [[partition (politics)|partition]] of Cebu Province.<ref name="Cuenco" />

=====''Independent component city to component city''=====
A congressional amendment to the city charter enabling city residents to vote for provincial officials is required, followed by a plebiscite. [[Santiago, Isabela|Santiago]]'s status as an independent component city was briefly in question after the enactment of Republic Act No. 8528 on February 14, 1998, which sought to make it a regular component city.<ref name="ChanRobles-RA8528">{{Cite web |date=February 14, 1998 |title=Republic Act No. 8528 – An Act Amending Certain Sections of Republic Act Numbered 7720 – An Act Converting the Municipality of Santiago into an Independent Component City to be Known as the City of Santiago |url=http://www.chanrobles.com/republicacts/republicactno8528.html |access-date=April 29, 2016 |website=Chan Robles Virtual Law Library}}</ref> The Supreme Court on September 16, 1999, however ruled in favor of the city's mayor who contended that such a change in the status of the city required a plebiscite just like any other merger, division, abolition or alteration in boundaries of any political unit. And due to the lack of a plebiscite to affirm such a change, RA 8528 was therefore unconstitutional.<ref name="SCJudiciaryGovPH-GR133064">{{Cite web |date=September 16, 1999 |title=Miranda vs. Aguirre : G.R. No. 133064 : September 16, 1999 : J. Puno : En Banc |url=http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/1999/sept99/133064.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303170435/http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/1999/sept99/133064.htm |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |access-date=April 29, 2016 |website=Supreme Court of the Philippines}}</ref>

====Amendments====
On April 11, 2022, a day after it lapsed into law without the signature of the president, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act No. 11683, which amended Section 450 of the Local Government Code, making the conversion of municipalities into cities easier. The amendments state that if a municipality generates at least ₱400&nbsp;million for two consecutive years, it will be exempt from the land and population requirements.<ref name="easier" />

==League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP)==
{{Main|League of Cities of the Philippines}}
The League is a non-profit organization and is not a government agency and was founded in 1988. As of July 8, 2023, the league has a membership of 149 cities. The organization was formed to help coordinate efforts to improve governance and local autonomy and to tackle issues such as preserving the environment and improving public works.

==List of cities==
{{Further|List of cities in the Philippines}}

{{As of|2023|07|08|df=US}}, there are 149 [[List of cities in the Philippines|cities in the Philippines]]. [[Carmona, Cavite|Carmona]] in [[Cavite]] is the newest city, after the plebiscite held resulted in approval of ratification on July 8, 2023.

{{Cities of the Philippines location map}}

===Largest cities===
{{main list|List of cities and municipalities in the Philippines}}

{|class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%"
|+The ten most populous cities in the Philippines
|-
! scope="col" | #
! scope="col" style="width:8em;" | City
! scope="col" | Population<br />{{small|(2024)}}{{PH census|2024}}
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Image
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Description
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
! scope="row" | 1
| style="font-weight:bold;" | [[Quezon City]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 3,084,270
| [[File:Eastwood City Open Park, Q.C. May 2023.jpg|200px]]
| Former capital of the country (1948–1976). Largest city in Metro Manila in population and land area. Hosts the [[House of Representatives of the Philippines]] at the [[Batasang Pambansa Complex]] and the metropolis' largest source of water, the La Mesa Reservoir.
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
! scope="row" | 2
| style="font-weight:bold;" | [[Manila]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,902,590
| [[File:Downtown Manila Panorama View, Aug 2024.jpg|200px]]
| Capital of the country (1571–1948 and 1976–present). Historically centered on the walled city of [[Intramuros]], by the mouth of the [[Pasig River]]. Host to the seat of the chief executive, the [[Malacañang Palace]]. By far the most densely populated city in the country, as well as the whole world.
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
! scope="row" | 3
| style="font-weight:bold;" | [[Davao City]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,848,947
|[[File:Davao Poblacion District skyline Bajada (Davao City; 08-22-2023).jpg|200x200px]]
| The largest city in [[Mindanao]] by population. Popularly nicknamed "The King City of the South". Historically centered near where the [[Davao River]] exits into [[Davao Gulf]], the city also encompasses expanses of wilderness, including part of the [[Mount Apo Natural Park]], making it the largest city in the Philippines by land area. Regional center of the [[Davao Region|Region XI]], and core of the third-largest and last metropolitan area in the country, [[Metro Davao]].
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
! scope="row" | 4
| style="font-weight:bold;" | [[Caloocan]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,712,945
| [[File:Bonifacio Monument, EDSA (Caloocan; 03-21-2021).jpg|200px|none]]
| Historic city where [[Andrés Bonifacio]] and the [[Katipunan]] held many of its meetings in secrecy. Much of its territory was ceded to form Quezon City, resulting in the formation of two non-contiguous sections under the city's jurisdiction. The city mainly encompasses residential areas, with significant industrial and commercial sections.
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
! scope="row" | 5
| style="font-weight:bold;" | [[Taguig]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,308,085
| [[File:View from Grand Hyatt Manila overlooking Bonifacio Global City and Makati skylines at sunset.jpg|200px]]
| Lying on the western shore of [[Laguna de Bay]], the city encompasses significant industrial, commercial and residential areas, including the [[Fort Bonifacio|Fort Bonifacio Military Reservation]], a former American military base that has been in development as the country's new premier [[Bonifacio Global City|business district]]. Was part of Rizal Province until 1975, when it was incorporated into Metro Manila.
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
! scope="row" | 6
| style="font-weight:bold;" | [[Zamboanga City]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,018,849
| [[File:ZAMBOANGA CITY Asia's Latin City City Hall and Plaza Rizal (Ayunamiento y Plaza Rizal).jpg|200px]]
| Nicknamed "City of Flowers" and marketed by its city government as "Asia's Latin City" for its substantial [[Chavacano|Spanish-derived Creole]]-speaking population. Former capital of the [[Moro Province]] and of the undivided province of [[Zamboanga Province|Zamboanga]]. Former regional center of the [[Zamboanga Peninsula]] administrative region, but remains the largest city in western [[Mindanao]]. In 2028, Zamboanga City is projected to become the Metropolitan Center of [[Zamboanga Peninsula]] after hitting the 1,200,000 population mark, which will classify the city as a [[Metropolitan municipality|Metropolitan City]] based on the [[National Economic and Development Authority|NEDA]]'s classification system.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Zamboanga Peninsula Regional Development Plan 2023–2028 |url=https://nro9.neda.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ZamPen-RDP-2023-2028-Pre-Publication-version.pdf |access-date=May 24, 2023 |website=[[Regional Development Council]] and [[National Economic and Development Authority]]}}</ref>
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
! scope="row" | 7
| style="font-weight:bold;" | [[Cebu City]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 965,332
| [[File:Cebu IT Park top view Padrigas (Lahug, Cebu City; 01-09-2024).jpg|200x200px]]
| Popularly nicknamed "The Queen City of the South". Site of the first Spanish settlement in the country. Regional center of [[Central Visayas|Region VII]], most populous city in the [[Visayas]] and core of the country's second-largest metropolitan area, [[Metro Cebu]]. It is the capital of [[Cebu|Cebu Province]] wherein it is geographically located but administratively independent of the provincial government.
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
! scope="row" | 8
| style="font-weight:bold;" | [[Antipolo]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 913,712
| [[File:Antipolo City proper, P. Oliveros, cathedral (Antipolo, Rizal; 02-06-2024).jpg|200px]]
| Nicknamed "City in the Sky" for its location on the hills immediately east of Metro Manila. Well-known pilgrimage and tourist center, being host to [[Antipolo Cathedral|a Marian shrine]] and the [[Hinulugang Taktak|Hinulugang Taktak National Park]]. Most populous component city in the country, and comprises more than a quarter of the total population of the province of [[Rizal (province)|Rizal]] and the capital of that province.
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
! scope="row" | 9
| style="font-weight:bold;" | [[Pasig]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 853,050
| [[File:Ortigas Center - buildings along Meralco Ave. (from DepED) (Pasig)(2018-04-25).jpg|200px]]
| Hosts most of the [[Ortigas Center]], one of Metro Manila's prime business districts. Located where [[Laguna de Bay]] empties into the [[Pasig River]]. Part of the province of [[Rizal province|Rizal]] until 1975, when it was incorporated into Metro Manila. Formerly hosted the capitol and other government buildings of that province.
|-style="vertical-align:top;"
! scope="row" | 10
| style="font-weight:bold;" | [[Cagayan de Oro]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 741,617
|[[File:CAG Skyline Nov 2018.jpg|alt=|200x200px]]
| Nicknamed the "City of Golden Friendship" and formerly known as ''Cagayan de Misamis''. Located at the mouth of the swift-flowing [[Cagayan River (Cagayan de Oro)|Cagayan de Oro River]], which has become a tourist draw.<ref name="Philpost 1">{{Cite web |date=June 18, 2012 |title=Cagayan de Oro's White Water Rafting |url=http://www.philpost.gov.ph/web/cagayan-de-oros-white-water-rafting/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120729194732/http://www.philpost.gov.ph/web/cagayan-de-oros-white-water-rafting/ |archive-date=July 29, 2012 |access-date=September 13, 2012 |publisher=[[Philippine Postal Corporation]]}}</ref> Regional center of [[Northern Mindanao]]. It is the capital of the province of [[Misamis Oriental]] wherein it is geographically located but administratively independent of the provincial government.
|-class="sortbottom"
|}

===Metropolitan areas===
{{main|List of metropolitan areas in the Philippines}}

===City facts===
* By [[List of Philippine cities and municipalities by population|population]] (2020 census figures)
** ''Smallest:'' [[Palayan]] (45,383)
** ''Largest:'' [[Quezon City]] (2,960,048)
* By population density (calculated using 2020 census figures):
** ''Most densely populated:'' [[Manila]], with 41,515 people per square kilometer
** ''Most sparsely populated:'' [[Puerto Princesa]], with 130 people per square kilometer
* By [[List of Philippine cities and municipalities by area|land area]]:
** ''Smallest:'' [[San Juan, Metro Manila|San Juan]], with an area of {{convert|5.94|km2}}
** ''Largest:'' [[Davao City]], with an area of {{convert|2433.61|km2}}.<ref name="PSA-CitiesList">{{Cite web |title=PSGC Interactive; List of Cities |url=http://www.nscb.gov.ph/activestats/psgc/listcity.asp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110429190752/http://www.nscb.gov.ph/activestats/psgc/listcity.asp |archive-date=April 29, 2011 |access-date=April 30, 2016 |website=Philippine Statistics Authority}}</ref> However, some sources claim that [[Puerto Princesa]] covers an area of more than {{convert|2500|km2}},<ref name="Puertoprincesaboardcom">{{Cite web |title=Puerto Princesa: The Country's Ecotourism Capital |url=http://www.puertoprincesaboard.com/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080929084658/http://www.puertoprincesaboard.com/ |archive-date=September 29, 2008 |access-date=April 29, 2016 |website=Puertoprincesaboard.com |quote=The city lies along the mid-section of the long island of the Palawan province. It has a land area totalling 253,982.00 hectares stretching to over 106 kilometers and it has the narrowest breadth which is 8.5 kilometers found in the Barangay Bahile.}}</ref> its officially recognized land area figure (according to IRA share calculation data)<ref name="DBMGovPH-CY 2008">{{Cite web |title=CY 2008 Final Internal Revenue Allotment for LGUs |url=http://www.dbm.gov.ph/irapdf08/pcm/IVB.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217061551/http://www.dbm.gov.ph/irapdf08/pcm/IVB.pdf |archive-date=February 17, 2012 |access-date=April 29, 2016 |website=Department of Budget and Management}}</ref> is {{convert|2381.02|km2}}. Contrary to popular belief within the Philippines,<ref name="dvo">{{Cite web |date=2011 |title=About Davao – Land Area |url=http://www.davaocity.gov.ph/davao/profile.aspx?id=land |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170219103959/http://www.davaocity.gov.ph/davao/profile.aspx?id=land |archive-date=February 19, 2017 |access-date=February 18, 2017 |website=The Official Website of the City Government of Davao}}</ref> Davao City does not hold the record of being the world's largest city in terms of land area.
* By elevation:
** ''Lowest:'' Most Philippine cities are located on sea level. However, some parts of [[Navotas]], South [[Caloocan]] and [[Malabon]] are below sea level, and continue to experience subsidence.<ref name="CongressGovPH-CAMANAVA">{{Cite news |date=February 21, 2005 |title=Discussion on CAMANAVA control project continues |url=http://www.congress.gov.ph/committees/commnews/commnews_det.php?newsid=218 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130518033717/http://www.congress.gov.ph/committees/commnews/commnews_det.php?newsid=218 |archive-date=May 18, 2013 |access-date=April 29, 2016 |work=Congress of the Philippines |volume=13 |issue=36 |agency=Committee Administrative Support Service, Committee Affairs Department}}</ref>
** ''Highest:'' much of [[Baguio]] is situated more than {{convert|1300|m}} above sea level. However, the peak of [[Mount Apo]], the tallest mountain in the Philippines, forms part of [[Davao City]]'s boundary with the municipality of [[Bansalan, Davao del Sur]]; the city of [[Digos]] encompasses a section of the [[Mount Apo Natural Park]] as well.<ref name="mtapo">{{Cite web |title=Map of Mount Apo Natural Park |url=http://images.summitpost.org/original/438892.jpg |access-date=February 18, 2017 |website=Summit Post}}</ref>
* Most extreme points:
** ''Northernmost:'' [[Laoag]]
** ''Southernmost:'' [[General Santos]]
** ''Easternmost:'' [[Bislig]]
** ''Westernmost:'' [[Puerto Princesa]]

===Defunct/dissolved cities===
* Legazpi City (1948–1954): Legazpi's cityhood was approved on June 18, 1948. Under Republic Act No. 306, Legazpi became a city after the President of the Philippines proclaimed its cityhood.<ref name="ChanRobles-RA306">{{Cite web |date=June 18, 1948 |title=Republic Act No. 306 – An Act Creating the City of Legaspi |url=http://www.chanrobles.com/republicacts/republicactno306.html |access-date=April 29, 2016 |website=Chan Robles Virtual Law Library}}</ref> Comprising the present-day territories of [[Legazpi, Albay|Legazpi City]] and [[Daraga, Albay|Daraga]], the city was dissolved on June 8, 1954<ref name="AngelfireCom-Legazpi">{{Cite web |title=Welcome to My City of Legazpi |url=https://www.angelfire.com/ar/Arimado/page2.html |access-date=April 29, 2016 |website=Angelfire (undefined)}}</ref> when Legazpi and Daraga were made into separate municipalities. Legazpi eventually became a city on its own on June 12, 1959.
* Basilan City (1948–1973): Formerly part of the city of [[Zamboanga City|Zamboanga]] until it was made a city on its own in 1948 through Republic Act No. 288.<ref name="ChanRobles-RA288">{{Cite web |date=June 16, 1948 |title=Republic Act No. 288 – An Act Creating the City of Basilan |url=http://www.chanrobles.com/republicacts/republicactno288.html |access-date=April 29, 2016 |website=Chan Robles Virtual Law Library}}</ref> Delimited to only the downtown area of what is now [[Isabela, Basilan|Isabela City]] upon the creation of the province of [[Basilan]] in 1973 through ''Presidential Decree No. 356'' by President [[Ferdinand Marcos]].<ref name="ChanRobles-PD356">{{Cite web |date=December 27, 1973 |title=Presidential Decree No. 356 – Creating the Province of Basilan |url=http://www.chanrobles.com/presidentialdecrees/presidentialdecreeno356.html |access-date=April 29, 2016 |website=Chan Robles Virtual Law Library}}</ref> Finally abolished and its territory annexed to the [[Isabela, Basilan|municipality of Isabela]] on November 7, 1975, through ''Presidential Decree No. 840''.<ref name="ChanRobles-PD840">{{Cite web |date=December 11, 1975 |title=Presidential Decree No. 840 – Reorganizing the political subdivision of the Province of Basilan, converting Basilan City into the Municipality of Isabela, appropriating funds therefor, and for other purposes |url=http://www.chanrobles.com/presidentialdecrees/presidentialdecreeno840.html |access-date=April 29, 2016 |website=Chan Robles Virtual Law Library}}</ref>
* Rajah Buayan City (1966): Under Republic Act No. 4413,<ref name="LawPhilNet-RA4413">{{Cite web |date=June 19, 1965 |title=Republic Act No. 4413 – An Act Creating the City of Rajah Buayan |url=http://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra1965/ra_4413_1965.html |access-date=April 29, 2016 |website=The LawPhil Project}}</ref> the then-municipality of General Santos in what was then the unified province of Cotabato was to be formally converted into a city named after a historical ruler in Mindanao on January 1, 1966, provided that majority of qualified voters in the municipality vote in favor of cityhood in a plebiscite. In December 1965 the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) proclaimed the cityhood of Rajah Buayan, with 4,422 people voting for and 3,066 voting against. However, two residents of the new city challenged this by arguing in the courts that the number of people who voted in favor of cityhood did not form a majority in light of the fact that there were 15,727 voters in the city. The court issued an injunction on January 4, 1966, restraining city officers from performing any acts authorized by or pursuant to provisions in RA 4413. The [[Supreme Court of the Philippines|Supreme Court]] unanimously upheld this decision on October 29, 1966, and declared that the city charter was not accepted by majority of voters, thus rendering RA 4413 null and void.<ref name="LawPhilNet-GRL-25469">{{Cite web |date=October 29, 1966 |title=G.R. No. L-25469 |url=http://lawphil.net/judjuris/juri1966/oct1966/gr_l-25469_1966.html |access-date=April 29, 2016 |website=The LawPhil Project}}</ref> The municipality of General Santos would later be converted into a [[General Santos|city under the same name]] in 1968.

===="League of 16" and legal battles====
{{Main|League of Cities of the Philippines vs. COMELEC}}The [[Supreme Court of the Philippines]], by a highly divided vote of 6–5, on November 18, 2008, subsequently upheld with finality on May 6, 2009, declared unconstitutional cityhood laws converting 16 municipalities into cities. The 24-page judgment of Justice Antonio T. Carpio, adjudged that the following cityhood laws violate secs. 6 and 10, Article X of the Constitution of the Philippines:{{Div col|colwidth=30em|style=font-size:95%}}
*RA No. 9389 ([[Baybay]], Leyte)
*RA No. 9390 ([[Bogo, Cebu|Bogo]], Cebu)
*RA No. 9391 ([[Catbalogan]], Samar)
*RA No. 9392 ([[Tandag]], Surigao del Sur)
*RA No. 9393 ([[Lamitan]], Basilan)
*RA No. 9394 ([[Borongan]], Eastern Samar)
*RA No. 9398 ([[Tayabas]], Quezon)
*RA No. 9404 ([[Tabuk, Kalinga|Tabuk]], Kalinga)
*RA No. 9405 ([[Bayugan]], Agusan del Sur)
*RA No. 9407 ([[Batac]], Ilocos Norte)
*RA No. 9408 ([[Mati, Davao Oriental|Mati]], Davao Oriental)
*RA No. 9409 ([[Guihulngan]], Negros Oriental)
*RA No. 9434 ([[Cabadbaran]], Agusan del Norte)
*RA No. 9435 ([[El Salvador, Misamis Oriental|El Salvador]], Misamis Oriental)
*RA No. 9436 ([[Carcar]], Cebu)
*RA No. 9491 ([[Naga, Cebu|Naga]], Cebu)
{{div col end}}

:The Court held that the foregoing cityhood laws, all enacted after RA 9009's effectivity, "explicitly exempt respondent municipalities from the increased income requirement from {{PH peso}}20 million to {{PH peso}}100&nbsp;million in Section 450 of the Local Government Code (LGC), as amended by RA 9009. Such exemption clearly violates Section 10, Article X of the Constitution and is thus patently unconstitutional. To be valid, such exemption must be written in the Local Government Code and not in any other law, including the Cityhood Laws."<ref name="gr176951">{{Cite web |date=November 18, 2008 |title=G.R. No. 176951 |url=http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2008/november2008/176951.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160508170635/http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2008/november2008/176951.htm |archive-date=May 8, 2016 |access-date=April 29, 2016 |website=Supreme Court of the Philippines}}</ref><ref name="SCJudiciaryGovPH-16Cities">{{Cite news |last=Rempillo |first=Jay B. |date=November 18, 2008 |title=SC Voids 16 Cityhood Laws |work=Court News Flash November 2008 |publisher=Supreme Court of the Philippines |url=http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/news/courtnews%20flash/2008/11/11180803.php |access-date=April 29, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090319070240/http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/news/courtnews%20flash/2008/11/11180803.php |archive-date=March 19, 2009}}</ref>

However, more than a year later, on December 22, 2009, acting on the appeal of the so-called League of 16 Cities (an informal group consisting of the sixteen local government units whose cityhood status had been reversed), the Supreme Court reversed its earlier ruling as it ruled that "at the end of the day, the passage of the amendatory law (regarding the criteria for cityhood as set by Congress) is no different from the enactment of a law, i.e., the cityhood laws specifically exempting a particular political subdivision from the criteria earlier mentioned. Congress, in enacting the exempting law/s, effectively decreased the already codified indicators."<ref name="DailyTribune-SCReversesItself">{{Cite news |last=Pulta |first=Benjamin B. |date=December 23, 2009 |title=SC reverses self, upholds creation of 16 cities |work=The Daily Tribune |url=http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20091223nat1.html |access-date=April 29, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100508210303/http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20091223nat1.html |archive-date=May 8, 2010}}</ref> As such, the cityhood status of the said 16 LGUs was effectively restored.

On August 24, 2010, in a 16-page resolution, the [[Supreme Court of the Philippines|Supreme Court]] reinstated its November 18, 2008, decision striking down the cityhood laws, reducing once more the sixteen LGUs to the status of regular municipalities.<ref name="SCJudiciaryGovPH-SCReinstates">{{Cite news |last=Rempillo |first=Jay B. |date=August 27, 2010 |title=SC Reinstates 2008 Decision Voiding 16 Cityhood Laws |work=Court News Flash August 2010 |publisher=Supreme Court of the Philippines |url=http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/news/courtnews%20flash/2010/08/08271001.php |access-date=April 29, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120318154303/http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/news/courtnews%20flash/2010/08/08271001.php |archive-date=March 18, 2012}}</ref>

The most recent development in the legal battles surrounding the League of 16 came on February 15, 2011. Voting 7–6, the Supreme Court (SC) ruled that 16 towns that became cities in 2007 can stay as cities. This was the fourth time the SC has ruled on the case, and the third reversal. It said the conversion of the 16 towns into cities met all legal requirements.<ref name="GMANews-16Towns">{{Cite news |last=Dedace |first=Sophia M. |date=February 16, 2011 |title=16 towns now cities again as SC reverses itself for 3rd time |work=GMA News |url=http://www.gmanews.tv/story/213170/16-towns-now-cities-again-as-sc-reverses-itself-for-3rd-time |access-date=April 29, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110218070316/http://www.gmanews.tv/story/213170/16-towns-now-cities-again-as-sc-reverses-itself-for-3rd-time |archive-date=February 18, 2011}}</ref>

In March 2011, the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP), while challenging a Supreme Court ruling that upheld the cityhood conversion of 16 municipalities, has expressed support for the cityhood bids of 21 towns that have fulfilled the requirements outlined in the Local Government Code. These towns have demonstrated their compliance with the eligibility criteria required for cityhood were endorsed by the LCP for cityhood conversion:<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pasaylo |first=Jun |date=March 16, 2011 |title=City mayors' league endorses cityhood bid of 21 towns |url=https://www.philstar.com/breaking-news/666420/city-mayors-league-endorses-cityhood-bid-21-towns/amp/ |access-date=October 19, 2024 |work=philstar.com}}</ref>
* [[Laguna (province)|Laguna]]: [[Cabuyao]], [[San Pedro, Laguna|San Pedro]]
* [[Rizal (province)|Rizal]]: [[Cainta]], [[Taytay, Rizal|Taytay]], [[Binangonan]]
* [[Cavite]]: [[Bacoor]], [[General Trias]], [[Imus]], [[Carmona, Cavite|Carmona]], [[Silang, Cavite|Silang]] 
* [[Nueva Ecija]]: [[Pantabangan]]
* [[Batangas]]: [[Calaca, Batangas|Calaca]], [[Santo Tomas, Batangas|Santo Tomas]], [[Bauan]], [[Nasugbu]]
* [[Quezon]]: [[Mauban]]
* [[Bulacan]]: [[Marilao]], [[Santa Maria, Bulacan|Santa Maria]], [[Norzagaray]]
* [[Bataan]]: [[Limay]]

===Rejected cityhood===
{{small|Note: This section only lists attempts that reached the stage where a Republic Act was enacted for the purpose of achieving cityhood.}}
* [[Batangas City|Batangas]] (1965): A majority of the votes cast in the then-municipality of Batangas rejected cityhood in a plebiscite conducted on the same day as the [[1965 Philippine general election]]s, as mandated by Republic Act No. 4586.<ref name="ChanRobles-RA4586">{{Cite web |date=June 19, 1965 |title=Republic Act No. 4586 – An Act Creating Laurel City |url=http://www.chanrobles.com/republicacts/republicactno4586.html |access-date=April 29, 2016 |website=Chan Robles Virtual Law Library}}</ref> The city would have been named ''Laurel City'' in honor of [[Jose P. Laurel]], the [[President of the Philippines|president]] of the [[Japan]]ese-sponsored [[Second Philippine Republic|Second Republic]]. The municipality of Batangas would later be converted into a [[Batangas City|city under the same name]] in 1969.
* [[Tarlac City|Tarlac]] (1969): The city charter of Tarlac (Republic Act No. 5907) was approved on June 21, 1969.<ref name="ChanRobles-RA5907">{{Cite web |date=June 21, 1969 |title=Republic Act No. 5907 – An Act Creating the City of Tarlac |url=http://www.chanrobles.com/republicacts/republicactno5907.html |access-date=April 29, 2016 |website=Chan Robles Virtual Law Library}}</ref> Cityhood was rejected in a plebiscite held on November 11, 1969, by a majority of the ballots cast. Tarlac became a city 29 years after, in 1998.
* [[Taguig]] (1998): Republic Act No. 8487, Taguig was supposed to be converted into a highly urbanized city but it was rejected due to lower income. More than six years later, the cityhood of Taguig was ratified with majority of the ballots cast votes in a plebiscite held on December 8, 2004.<ref name="RA08487-CongressGovPH">{{Cite web |date=February 11, 1998 |title=Republic Act No. 8487; An Act Converting the Municipality of Taguig, Metro Manila, into a Highly Urbanized City to be Known as the City of Taguig, and for Other Purposes |url=http://www.congress.gov.ph/download/ra_10/RA08487.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303172550/http://www.congress.gov.ph/download/ra_10/RA08487.pdf |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |access-date=February 23, 2016 |website=House of Representatives of the Philippines}}</ref><ref name="PSA-NSCB-2004-Oct-Dec">{{Cite news |date=January 27, 2005 |title=A City and a Barangay Were Created (October 1 – December 31, 2004) |work=Philippine Statistics Authority – National Statistical Coordination Board |url=http://www.nscb.gov.ph/factsheet/pdf05/fs1_05.asp |url-status=dead |access-date=January 22, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113191003/http://www.nscb.gov.ph/factsheet/pdf05/fs1_05.asp |archive-date=November 13, 2012 |quote=The number of cities increased to 117 in December 2004 from 116 in September of the same year due to the conversion of the municipality of Taguig in the NCR into a highly urbanized city effective December 8, 2004 pursuant to Republic Act No. 8487 dated April 25, 1998 and COMELEC Resolution on the Election Protest Case (EPC) No. 98-102 which declares and confirms the ratification and approval of the conversion.}}</ref>
* [[Ilagan, Isabela|Ilagan]] (1999): Republic Act No. 8474, which converted Ilagan to a component city of [[Isabela (province)|Isabela]], was approved on February 2, 1998.<ref name="ChanRobles-RA8474">{{Cite web |date=February 2, 1998 |title=Republic Act No. 8474 – An Act Converting the Municipality of Ilagan into a Component City of the Province of Isabela to be Known as the City of Ilagan |url=http://www.chanrobles.com/republicacts/republicactno8474.html |access-date=April 29, 2016 |website=Chan Robles Virtual Law Library}}</ref> However, majority of votes cast in the plebiscite held on March 14, 1999, rejected cityhood. Ilagan finally became a city after majority of votes cast in the August 11, 2012, plebiscite approved the Republic Act No. 10169.<ref name="SenateGovPH-RA10169">{{Cite web |date=June 21, 2012 |title=Republic Act No. 10169 – An Act Converting the Municipality of Ilagan in the Province of Isabela into a Component City to be Known as the City of Ilagan |url=http://www.senate.gov.ph/republic_acts/ra%2010169.pdf |access-date=April 29, 2016 |website=Senate of the Philippines |location=Metro Manila, Philippines}}</ref>
* [[Quezon City#Novaliches|Novaliches]] (1999): On February 23, 1998, the controversial City Charter of Novaliches (Republic Act No. 8535) was approved, which sought to create a new city out of the 15 northern barangays of [[Quezon City]].<ref name="ChanRobles-RA8535">{{Cite web |date=February 23, 1998 |title=Republic Act No. 8535 – An Act Creating the City of Novaliches |url=http://www.chanrobles.com/republicacts/republicactno8535.html |access-date=April 29, 2016 |website=Chan Robles Virtual Law Library}}</ref> Historically a separate town, Novaliches was distributed between Quezon City and northern [[Caloocan]] in 1948. In a plebiscite held on October 23, 1999, the majority of ballots cast (which included all voters of Quezon City and not just the 15 barangays) rejected the cityhood of Novaliches.
* [[Meycauayan]] (2001): Cityhood was rejected by majority of the votes cast in a plebiscite held on March 30, 2001, to ratify Republic Act No. 9021.<ref name="LawPhilNet-RA9021">{{Cite web |date=March 5, 2001 |title=Republic Act No. 9021 – An Act Converting the Municipality of Meycauayan, Province of Bulacan into a Component City to be Known as the City of Meycauayan |url=http://www.lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2001/ra_9021_2001.html |access-date=April 29, 2016 |website=The LawPhil Project |location=Metro Manila, Philippines}}</ref> Meycauayan became a city five years later with the enactment of Republic Act No. 9356<ref name="LawPhilNet-RA9356">{{Cite web |date=October 2, 2006 |title=Republic Act No. 9356 – An Act Converting the Municipality of Meycauayan in the Province of Bulacan into a Component City to be Known as the City of Meycauayan |url=http://www.lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2006/ra_9356_2006.html |access-date=April 29, 2016 |website=The LawPhil Project |location=Metro Manila, Philippines}}</ref> and its ratification through a plebiscite on December 10, 2006.<ref name="NewsFlashOrg-Bulacan">{{Cite news |last=Balabo |first=Dino |date=December 12, 2006 |title=Bulacan Now Has 3 Cities |work=NewsFlash.org |publisher=STAR |url=http://www.newsflash.org/2004/02/ht/ht006759.htm |access-date=April 29, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120607131133/http://www.newsflash.org/2004/02/ht/ht006759.htm |archive-date=June 7, 2012}}</ref>

===Former names===
{{main list|List of renamed cities and municipalities in the Philippines}}
{{small|Note: This section only lists name changes made upon or since cityhood.}}
* [[Cagayan de Oro]]: The municipality of ''Cagayan'' was converted to the city of ''Cagayan de Oro'' in June 15, 1950, through Republic Act No. 521.<ref name="ChanRobles-RA521">{{Cite web |date=June 15, 1950 |title=Republic Act No. 521 – An Act Creating the City of Cagayan de Oro |url=http://www.chanrobles.com/republicacts/republicactno521.html |access-date=April 29, 2016 |website=Chan Robles Virtual Law Library}}</ref> An earlier bill was filed by Misamis Oriental Congressman Pedro S. Baculio for the creation of the City of Cagayan, however the 1st Congress was adjourned before any readings for the bill had done. The final, and enacted, cityhood bill authored by Congressman (and later Vice President) [[Emmanuel Pelaez]] gave the city its present name.
* [[Lapu-Lapu, Philippines|Lapu-Lapu]]: The municipality of ''Opon'' was converted to a city named after ''[[Lapulapu]]'', hero of the [[Battle of Mactan]] in 1961 through Republic Act No. 3134.<ref name="ChanRobles-RA3134">{{Cite web |date=June 17, 1961 |title=Republic Act No. 3134 – An Act Creating the City of Lapu-Lapu |url=http://www.chanrobles.com/republicacts/republicactno3134.html |access-date=April 29, 2016 |website=Chan Robles Virtual Law Library}}</ref>
* [[Marawi]]: Inaugurated as the City of ''Dansalan'' in 1950, renamed to ''Marawi'' on June 16, 1956, through Republic Act No. 1552.<ref name="ChanRobles-RA1552">{{Cite web |date=June 16, 1956 |title=Republic Act No. 1552 – An Act to Amend the Charter of the City of Dansalan So as to Change Its Name to Marawi and Make Elective Its Mayor, Vice Mayor and Councilors, and for Other Purposes |url=http://www.chanrobles.com/republicacts/republicactno1552.html |access-date=April 29, 2016 |website=Chan Robles Virtual Law Library}}</ref>
* [[Ozamiz]]: The municipality of ''Misamis'' was converted to a city named after [[José Ozámiz|José ''Ozámiz'']], the first governor of [[Misamis Occidental]], in 1948 through Republic Act No. 321.<ref name="ChanRobles-RA321">{{Cite web |date=June 19, 1948 |title=Republic Act No. 321 – An Act Creating the City of Ozamiz |url=http://www.chanrobles.com/republicacts/republicactno321.html |access-date=April 29, 2016 |website=Chan Robles Virtual Law Library}}</ref>
*[[Pasay]]: Inaugurated as ''Rizal City'' in 1947, reverted to ''Pasay'' on June 7, 1950, through Republic Act No. 437.<ref name="ChanRobles-RA437">{{Cite web |date=June 7, 1950 |title=Republic Act No. 437 – An Act Changing the Name of Rizal City to Pasay City |url=http://www.chanrobles.com/republicacts/republicactno437.html |access-date=April 29, 2016 |website=Chan Robles Virtual Law Library}}</ref>
* [[Roxas, Capiz|Roxas]]: In 1951, the municipality of ''Capiz'' was converted to a city named after [[Manuel Roxas|Manuel ''Roxas'']], the first president of the Third Philippine Republic and town native through Republic Act No. 603.<ref name="ChanRobles-RA603">{{Cite web |date=April 11, 1951 |title=Republic Act No. 603 – An Act Creating the City of Roxas |url=http://www.chanrobles.com/republicacts/republicactno603.html |access-date=April 29, 2016 |website=Chan Robles Virtual Law Library}}</ref>

==Proposed cities==
The following municipalities have pending legislative bills filed in the [[20th Congress of the Philippines|20th Congress]] seeking their conversion into component cities:
* [[Bayambang]], Pangasinan – through House Bill No. 3817 filed by Maria Rachel Arena
* [[Claver, Surigao del Norte|Claver]], Surigao del Norte – through House Bill No. 68 filed by Bernadette Barbers
* [[Consolacion]], Cebu – through House Bill No. 3886 filed by Daphne Lagon, and Sonny Lagon
* [[Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay|Ipil]], Zamboanga Sibugay – through House Bill No. 173 filed by Marlesa Hofer-Hasim
* [[Isulan]], Sultan Kudarat – through House Bill No. 389 filed by Ruth Sakaluran
* [[Kalibo]], Aklan – through House Bill No. 4889 filed by Jesus R. Marquez
* [[La Trinidad, Benguet|La Trinidad]], Benguet – through House Bill No. 1328 filed by Eric Yap, and Edvic Yap
* [[Liloan]], Cebu – through House Bill No. 3305 filed by Vincent Franco Frasco
* [[Lingayen]], Pangasinan – through House Bill No. 5472 filed by Mark O. Conjuanco
* [[Malay, Aklan|Malay]], Aklan – through House Bill No. 4415 filed by Florencio Miraflores, through House Bill No. 5776 filed by James Ang Jr.
* [[San Jose, Occidental Mindoro|San Jose]], Occidental Mindoro – through House Bill No. 3602 filed by Leody Tarriela
* [[Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur|Santa Cruz]], Davao del Sur – through House Bill No. 2787 filed by John Tracy Cagas
* [[Santa Maria, Bulacan|Santa Maria]], Bulacan – through House Bill No. 3873 filed by Salvador Pleyto
* [[Sariaya]], Quezon – through House Bill No. 2023 by Ma. Cristina Lopez

===Pending ratification===
====Into a highly urbanized city====
* [[Pagadian]]: Proclamation No. 1247<ref name="Pagadian HUC proclamation">{{Cite web |date=November 8, 2021 |title=Proclamation No. 1247 s. 2021 {{!}} GOVPH |url=https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2021/11/08/proclamation-no-1247-s-2021/ |access-date=June 13, 2023 |website=[[Official Gazette (Philippines)|Official Gazette]]}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Sangguniang Panlungsod]]
* [[List of cities in the Philippines]]
* [[List of metropolitan areas in the Philippines]]
* [[List of cities and municipalities in the Philippines]]
* [[List of renamed cities and municipalities in the Philippines]]
{{div col end}}

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}


==External links==
* [http://www.lcp.org.ph League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP)]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20010201062700/http://cleancities.net/ Philippine Clean Cities Project]
* [http://www.citymayors.com/government/philippines_government.html CityMayors.com article]

{{Philippine cities}}
{{Metropolitan areas of the Philippines}}
{{Philippines political divisions}}
{{Philippines topics}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cities Of The Philippines}}
[[Category:Cities in the Philippines| ]]
[[Category:Administrative divisions in Asia|Philippines 3]]
[[Category:Subdivisions of the Philippines]]