List of cities in the Philippines

There are 121 cities in the Philippines as of November 26, 2009. Thirty-eight cities are independent: 33 are classified as "highly urbanized" and 5 as "independent component;" the rest are component cities of the provinces in which they are geographically located. For more information on city and income classifications, please see classification of Philippine cities.

Notes:
a. ^  Highly urbanized cities (HUCs) and independent component cities are legally independent from any province, although they are often grouped with the province to which they belonged prior to becoming cities. The province indicated for such cities, as grouped by the National Statistical Coordination Board, will be in italics.
b. ^  Population figures are from 2007 Census Website.

b1. ^ Land area and population figures for Makati exclude Brgys. Post Proper Northside and Post Proper Southside, which are still administered by the City of Makati, but ruled in court to be part of Taguig in 2003.

b2. ^ Population figure for Pasig City excludes the 24,789 persons residing in areas disputed between this city and the municipality of Cainta, Rizal.

b3. ^ Land area and population figures for Taguig include Brgys. Post Proper Northside and Post Proper Southside, which are still administered by the City of Makati, but ruled in court to be part of Taguig in 2003.

b4. ^ Population figure for Palayan City excludes the 716 persons residing in Brgy. Palale which has been transferred to the municipality of General Tinio, Nueva Ecija.

b5. ^ Population figure for Angeles City excludes the 2,905 persons residing in areas disputed between this city and the municipality of Mabalacat, Pampanga.

c. ^ Land area figures taken from 2007 IRA Computation Factors, except for Metro Manila (NCR) LGUs, which are taken from the Metro Manila Development Authority website.
d. ^  Information on income class and legal class are from the National Statistical Coordination Board.
e. ^  Some of these city charters have been replaced, revised, or amended since. The link to the text of the original city charter will be given if available online.
f. ^  Most city charters were approved after being signed by the president. However, some were approved only after they lapsed into law, i.e. becoming law without the president's signature, which is possible if 30 days after being sent to the president's office for approval the act has remained unsigned.
g. ^  Before 1987, most municipalities gained cityhood immediately after the enactment or approval of their city charters. Only few pre-1987 city charters had a set date of effectivity (such as Tagbilaran's and Dipolog's) or required a plebiscite for the city to acquire corporate existence (such as Caloocan's or Laoag's). However, since 1987 city charters require ratification through a plebiscite, with a majority of votes cast by city residents affirming the charter. If not enough information is available, a charter's date of approval will be assumed as its date of effectivity, and the date will be in italics.
h. ^  Prior to receiving their charters, Quezon City, Caloocan and Pasay were part of the province of Rizal, and remained only nominally so until the organization of Metro Manila in 1975.
i. ^  Prior to the organization of the Metropolitan Manila Area in 1975, the then-municipalities of Mandaluyong, Pasig, Malabon, Makati, Muntinlupa, Las Piñas, Parañaque, Taguig, Navotas and San Juan were part of the province of Rizal.
j. ^  Prior to the organization of the Metropolitan Manila Area in 1975, the then-municipality of Valenzuela was a part of the province of Bulacan.

Dates of inauguration/organization:
Many pre-1987 cities had set dates of inauguration (where the president or a high-ranking government official participates in ceremonies marking the attainment of cityhood) or had set dates of organization (where the newly-converted city officially starts to fully function as expected). These dates may be set by the President, city officials or Congress.

1. ^ Executive Summary of the 1999 Annual Audit Report on the City Government of Pasay. Pasay City was formally inaugurated as Rizal City, but renamed back to Pasay by virtue of RA 437 on June 7, 1950.
2. ^ Butuan City. Butuan City was formally inaugurated on August 2, 1950.
3. ^ Modern Times. Lipa City was formally inaugurated on August 31, 1947.
4. ^ Iriga City Profile. Iriga City was formally organized and inaugurated on September 3, 1968.
5. ^ Roxas City now 56 years old. Roxas City was formally organized on May 12, 1951, by virtue of President Elpidio Quirino's Executive Order No. 438.
6. ^ Implementation and Replication of the Sustainable Cities Programme Process at City and National Level. Cavite City was formally inaugurated on September 9, 1940.
7. ^ The Law Creating the City of Cebu. Cebu City was formally inaugurated on February 24, 1937.
8. ^ History of the City. The town of Opon was formally inaugurated as Lapu-Lapu City on December 31, 1961.
9. ^ Mantawi: A Festival of History. Mandaue City was formally inaugurated on August 30, 1969.
10. ^ Davao City History. Davao City was formally inaugurated on March 1, 1937.
11. ^ Iloilo Trivia. Iloilo City was formally inaugurated on August 25, 1937.
12. ^ San Pablo City - History. San Pablo City was formally inaugurated on March 30, 1941.
13. ^ Marawi City: The Least Populated Highly Urbanized City. Formally inaugurated as the City of Dansalan only on September 30, 1950, ten years after it gained cityhood. The city was renamed to Marawi on June 16, 1956 by virtue of R.A. 1552.
14. ^ Ormoc City Profile. Ormoc City was formally inaugurated on October 20, 1947.
15. ^ National Historical Institute - Today in History. Tacloban City was formally organized and inaugurated on June 12, 1953.
16. ^ REGION 10 - CAGAYAN DE ORO TOURISM SITUATIONER 06. The town of Misamis was formally inaugurated as Ozamiz City on July 16, 1948.
17. ^ Tangub - Brief History. Tangub City was formally inaugurated on February 28, 1967.
18. ^ A brief history of Cagayan de Oro. Prior to gaining cityhood, Cagayan de Oro was named Cagayan de Misamis.
19. ^ Barangay Alangilan. Bacolod City was formally inaugurated on October 12, 1938.
20. ^ Bago City Profile. Bago City was formally inaugurated on February 19, 1966.
21. ^ Cadiz City - Brief History. Cadiz City was formally inaugurated on July 4, 1967.
22. ^ Dumaguete City Profile. Dumaguete City was inaugurated on November 24, 1948.
23. ^ Implementation and Replication of the Sustainable Cities Programme Process at City and National Level. Puerto Princesa was formally inaugurated on January 1, 1970.
24. ^ Dagupan becomes a city. Dagupan City was formally inaugurated on January 1, 1948.
25. ^ Lucena City History. Lucena City was formally inaugurated on August 19, 1962 to coincide with the late Manuel L. Quezon's birthday.
26. ^ Calbayog: Its History and Religion. Calbayog City was formally inaugurated on October 16, 1948.
27. ^ Zamboanga City - Political and Cultural History. Zamboanga City was formally inaugurated on February 26, 1937.