Titles of Philippine Places

What's in a Name?


The Department of Tourism (DoT) has the habit of using titles as a way of endorsing tourist destinations in the country. However, other countries are also using similar titles. Aside from Filipinos, the Japanese also use the phrase "Pearl of the Orient" to refer to their country. While Filipinos describe the Banaue Rice Terraces as the eighth wonder of the world, the Chinese use the same title for the Great Wall of China and the Cambodians for Angkor Wat. According to Filipinos, Mount Mayon has the most beautiful cone figure among all volcanoes in the world, the same way the Japanese view Mount Fuji and Costa Ricans view Arenal volcano. Davao City is reportedly the world's largest city but other cities in the world protest, including Puerto Princesa City of Palawan. Boracay Island is sold as the world's most beautiful beach resort, but Thailand, Indonesia, Latin American countries and several Pacific islands are ready to contest this title.


Aklan - oldest province


Angono, Rizal - town of artists


Antipolo City - picnic area


Apalit, Pampanga - tapayan capital


Baclayon Church, Bohol - oldest stone church


Bacolod City - city of smiles


Bacolor, Pampanga - country's capital in 1762-1763


Baguio City - summer capital


Balabac Island, Palawan - land of Philippine mouse deer


Baliuag, Bulacan - the first town to have election


Banaue Rice Terraces - stairways to the sky


Barasoain Church - headquarters of the Malolos Congress


Basey, Samar - town of mat festival


Batanes - smallest province; northernmost province


Bataan - last stronghold during Japanese occupation


Biak na Bato, San Miguel, Bulacan - site of the Biak na Bato republic


Binondo - known for Chinatown district


Bocaue, Bulacan - firecrackers' capital


Bohol - land of chocolate hills


Boracay Island - world's finest beach resort


Bulacan - land of heroes and beautiful women


Bukidnon - pineapple country


Calamba, Laguna - birthplace of Jose Rizal


Calamian Islands - land of Calamian deer


Calauit Island, Palawan - animal sanctuary


Camiguin - land of volcanoes


Capiz - seafood capital


Catanduanes - land of howling winds


Cebu City - premiere city in the south


Central Luzon - rice bowl


Corregidor Island - island fortress; the rock


Crisologo Street, Vigan - kamestizoan district


Davao City- world's largest city; durian capital


Davao Oriental - easternmost province


Divisoria - bargain capital


Donsol, Sorsogon - sanctuary of whale sharks


Gapan, Nueva Ecija - newest city


General Santos City - most competitive city; tuna capital


Guiginto, Bulacan - cutflower capital


Guimaras - mango capital


Hundred Islands, Pangasinan - actually composed of 400 islets


Iligan City - land of waterfalls


Intramuros, Manila - walled city


Kabayan, Benguet - land of mummies


Kalibo, Aklan - land of ati-atihan


Kawit, Cavite - first independent town


Laguna - resort province


Laguna de Bay - largest lake


Lanao del Sur - center of Islam


Las Pinas City - land of the bamboo organ


Lipa, Batangas - coffee capital


Lubao, Pampanga - the birthplace of Diosdado Macapagal


Lucban, Quezon - Pahiyas town


Luzon - world's 17th largest island


Magallanes, Agusan del Norte - site of the oldest tree


Makati City - financial center


Malolos, Bulacan - site of the First Philippine Republic


Manila - capital city


Maria Cristina Falls, Iligan City - mother of industry


Marikina City - shoe capital


Mexico, Pampanga - formerly known as Masicu


Meycauayan, Bulacan - jewelry capital


Miag-ao Church, Iloilo - fortress church


Mindanao - world's 19th largest island


Mindoro - land of the tamaraws


Mount Apo - highest peak


Mount Arayat - legendary home of Mariang Sinukuan


Mount Mayon - a volcano with nearly perfect cone


Nayong Pilipino - Philippines in miniature. (The theme park was opened in 1972 and closed on June 25, 2002.)


Negros Occidental - sugar capital; sports capital


Pagsanjan Falls - Philippines' el dorado


Palawan - the last frontier; largest province; westernmost province


Pampanga - culinary capital of Luzon


Paete, Laguna - town of wood carvers


Paoay Church, Ilocos Norte - earthquake baroque


Paombong, Bulacan - vinegar capital


Philippine Deep - world's second deepest spot


Philippines - pearl of the orient


Rio Grande de Cagayan - longest river


Romblon - marble country

San Agustin Church, Intramuros - oldest church in Luzon


San Fernando, Pampanga - lantern capital of the world


San Juanico Bridge - longest suspension bridge


San Sebastian Church - the only steel church in Asia


Siargao Island - perfect waves island


Spratleys - the islands claimed by six countries


Sta. Maria, Bulacan - egg nest of the Philippines


Sta. Maria Church, Ilocos Sur - outstanding example of Spanish baroque architecture


Subic Freeport - American town


Taal Volcano - world's smallest volcano


Tagaytay City - the next summer capital


Tangub City - Christmas symbol capital


Tawi-Tawi - southernmost province


Trinidad Valley - land of strawberry and vegetables


Tubbataha Marine Park - world's richest bio-geographic area


Unisan, Quezon - oldest town


University of San Carlos, Cebu City - oldest university


Vigan, Ilocos Sur - Spanish colonial town


Zamboanga Sibugay - newest province