Metropolitan Manila (Filipino: Kalakhang Maynila , Kamaynilaan) or the National Capital Region (NCR) (Filipino: Pambansang Punong Rehiyon) is the metropolitan region encompassing the City of Manila and its surrounding areas in the Philippines. It is composed of 16 cities—namely Manila itself, Caloocan, Las Piñas, Makati, Malabon, Mandaluyong, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Navotas, Pasay, Pasig, Parañaque, Quezon City, San Juan, Taguig, Valenzuela—and the municipality of Pateros.

The region is the political, economic, social, cultural, and educational center of the Philippines. As proclaimed by Presidential Decree No. 940, Metro Manila as a whole is the Philippines' seat of government but the City of Manila is the capital.

Luzon was once split among Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms, Muslim principalities, and ethnoreligious tribes, who had trading connections with Borneo, Malaya, Java, Indochina, India, Okinawa, Japan and China before the Spanish established their rule. From just before the first millennium, the Tagalog and Kapampangan peoples of south and central Luzon had established several Indianized kingdoms, notably among them those of Tundok, Namayan and Maynila.

Luzon's area is 104,688 square kilometers, making it the world's 17th largest island. It is the fourth most populated island in the world. Located on Luzon are the country's capital, Manila, and its most populated city, Quezon City. The island is very mountainous and is home to Mount Pulag, the third highest mountain in the country and Mount Pinatubo, Mayon, and Taal Volcano, Luzon's most famous volcanoes. To the west of Luzon island is the South China Sea (Luzon Sea in Philippine territorial waters), to the east is the Philippine Sea, and to the north is Luzon Strait containing Babuyan Channel and Balintang Channel.

Introduction text here.

Alphabetical Listing of Provinces of the Philippines

1. * Abra
2. * Agusan del Norte
3. * Agusan del Sur
4. * Aklan
5. * Albay
6. * Antique
7. * Apayao
8. * Aurora
9. * Basilan
10. * Bataan
11. * Batanes
12. * Batangas
13. * Benguet
14. * Biliran
15. * Bohol
16. * Bukidnon
17. * Bulacan
18. * Cagayan
19. * Camarines Norte
20. * Camarines Sur
21. * Camiguin
22. * Capiz
23. * Catanduanes
24. * Cavite
25. * Cebu
26. * Compostela Valley
27. * Cotabato
28. * Davao del Norte
29. * Davao del Sur
30. * Davao Oriental
31. * Eastern Samar
32. * Guimaras
33. * Ifugao
34. * Ilocos Norte
35. * Ilocos Sur
36. * Iloilo
37. * Isabela
38. * Kalinga
39. * La Union
40. * Laguna
41. * Lanao del Norte
42. * Lanao del Sur
43. * Leyte
44. * Maguindanao
45. * Marinduque
46. * Masbate
47. * Misamis Occidental
48. * Misamis Oriental
49. * Mountain Province
50. * Negros Occidental
51. * Negros Oriental
52. * Northern Samar
53. * Nueva Ecija
54. * Nueva Vizcaya
55. * Occidental Mindoro
56. * Oriental Mindoro
57. * Palawan
58. * Pampanga
59. * Pangasinan
60. * Quezon
61. * Quirino
62. * Rizal
63. * Romblon
64. * Samar
65. * Sarangani
66. * Siquijor
67. * Sorsogon
68. * South Cotabato
69. * Southern Leyte
70. * Sultan Kudarat
71. * Sulu
72. * Surigao del Norte
73. * Surigao del Sur
74. * Tarlac
75. * Tawi-Tawi
76. * Zambales
77. * Zamboanga del Norte
78. * Zamboanga del Sur
79. * Zamboanga Sibugay

Mindanao

Zamboanga Peninsula (Region IX)

Regional center: Pagadian City

Component local government units

• Isabela City^[5]
• Zamboanga City^[2]
• Zamboanga del Norte
• Zamboanga del Sur
• Zamboanga Sibugay

Northern Mindanao (Region X)

Regional center: Cagayan de Oro City

Component local government units

• Cagayan de Oro City^[2]
• Camiguin
• Iligan City^[2]
• Lanao del Norte
• Misamis Occidental
• Misamis Oriental

Davao Region (Region XI)

Regional center: Davao City

Component local government units

• Compostela Valley
• Davao City^[2]
• Davao del Norte
• Davao del Sur
• Davao Oriental

SOCCSKSARGEN (Region XII)

Regional center: Koronadal City

Component local government units

• Cotabato<socsargen>
• Cotabato City^[4]
• General Santos City^[2]
• Sarangani
• South Cotabato
• Sultan Kudarat

Caraga Region

Regional center: Butuan City

Component local government units

• Agusan del Norte
• Agusan del Sur
• Butuan City^[2]
• Dinagat Islands
• Surigao del Norte
• Surigao del Sur

Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)

Regional center: Cotabato City

Component local government units

• Basilan (excluding Isabela City)
• Lanao del Sur
• Maguindanao
• Sulu
• Tawi-Tawi

Visayas

Western Visayas (Region VI)

Regional center: Iloilo City

Component local government units

• Aklan
• Antique
• Bacolod City^[2]
• Capiz
• Guimaras
• Iloilo
• Iloilo City^[2]
• Negros Occidenta

Central Visayas (Region VII)

Regional center: Cebu City

Component local government units

• Bohol
• Cebu
• Cebu City^[2]
• Lapu-Lapu City^[2]
• Mandaue City^[2]
• Negros Oriental
• Siquijor

Eastern Visayas (Region VIII)

Regional center: Tacloban City

Component local government units

• Biliran
• Eastern Samar
• Leyte
• Northern Samar
• Ormoc City^[4]
• Samar
• Southern Leyte
• Tacloban City^[2]

Luzon. . From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Luzon is the largest and most economically and politically important island in the Philippines and one of the three island groups in the country, with Visayas and Mindanao being the other two. Luzon as an island group includes the island of Luzon itself, plus the Batanes and Babuyan groups of islands to the north, and the main and outlying islands of Catanduanes, Marinduque, Masbate, Romblon, and Mindoro in the south.^[3]. It is home to the capital city, Manila.