Metro Manila Study Guide Flashcards

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering geography, history, LGU nicknames, tourist landmarks, traditional dishes, festivals, and cultural practices across Metro Manila (NCR).

National Capital Region (NCR)

The center of government, business, education, and culture in the Philippines, formally established in 1976 during the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA)

A national government agency headed by a chairperson appointed directly by the president, coordinating integrated development across Metro Manila's 17 LGUs.

Capital District

The 1st geographic district of Metro Manila, centered on the city of Manila.

Pearl of the Orient

The official moniker for Manila, the capital city of the Philippines located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay along the deltaic plain of the Pasig River.

Caloocan

A landlocked city covering 53.334 square kilometers divided into South Caloocan (13.625 sq. km.) and North Caloocan (39.709 sq. km.), nicknamed the "Motorcycle Capital of the Philippines".

Navotas

A coastal city nicknamed the "Fishing Capital of the Philippines", housing the third largest fish port in Asia.

Financial Capital of the Philippines

The official nickname for Makati, a highly urbanized city covering 18.17 square kilometers.

Taguig

A city on the northwestern shores of Laguna de Bay covering 47.28 square kilometers, recorded as the 5th most populous city in the Philippines with 1,308,085 people in the 2024 census.

Shoe Capital of the Philippines

The official nickname for Marikina, the main gateway of Metro Manila to Rizal and Quezon through the Marikina–Infanta Highway.

Tiger City

The official nickname for Mandaluyong, a heart-shaped city covering 21.26 square kilometers at the center of Metro Manila.

Pateros

The smallest administrative division in Metro Manila by population and smallest municipality by land area in the country, remaining the region's only municipality.

San Juan

The country's smallest city by land area, situated at Metro Manila's approximate geographical center.

Home of Entertainment City

The official moniker of Parañaque, bordered by Pasay, Taguig, Muntinlupa, Las Piñas, and Manila Bay.

City of Stars

The official nickname for Quezon City, bounded by Rodriguez, San Jose del Monte, Marikina, San Mateo, Pasig, Mandaluyong, San Juan, Manila, Caloocan, and Valenzuela.

Greenhills

A 16-hectare mixed-use development in San Juan featuring a shopping complex with over 2,000 stores, established by Ortigas and Company in the 1970s.

Bamboo Organ

A 19th-century organ located at the Diocesan Shrine and Parish of Saint Joseph in Las Piñas, famous for having 902 of its 1,031 pipes crafted from bamboo.

Ortigas CBD

A major central business district located in Pasig, known for prominent commercial and residential developments.

SM Megamall

The fourth largest shopping mall in the Philippines located in Mandaluyong, occupying 10 hectares of land with a total floor area of 474,000 square meters.

Museo Valenzuela

A historical center and museum in Valenzuela housing city artifacts and serving as a venue for seminars and artistic presentations.

Bonifacio Monument

A landmark in Caloocan designed by National Artist Guillermo Tolentino to honor Katipunan founder Andrés Bonifacio.

Navotas Fishport

The Commercial Fishing Hub of the Philippines, featuring the 3rd largest fish port in Asia and the largest in Southeast Asia.

Shoe Museum

A museum in Marikina showcasing footwear products, international footwear cultures, and shoes worn by prominent celebrities and politicians.

San Roque Parish

A Pateros church declared a diocesan shrine for Saint Martha, used by Emilio Aguinaldo as temporary headquarters during the Philippine Revolution.

Art in Island

The largest mixed-media digital art museum in the Philippines, located in Quezon City and formerly known as The Media Square.

Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP)

A government-owned corporation established in Pasay to preserve, develop, and promote Philippine arts and culture.

Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA)

The primary international gateway for travelers to the Philippines, located in Pasay.

Binondo Chinatown

The world's oldest Chinatown, established by Spanish authorities in 1594 as a settlement for Chinese-Catholic immigrants.

San Agustin Church

The oldest stone church in the Philippines, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1976 under Baroque Churches of the Philippines.

Quiapo Church

Canonically named the Parish of Saint John the Baptist, famous as the home shrine of the miraculous Black Nazarene statue.

Manila Cathedral

Known as the Minor Basilica and Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, recognized as the main Roman Catholic church in the Philippines.

Intramuros

The historic historic district in Manila known as the "Walled City", reflecting Spanish colonial heritage.

Rizal Park

A 58-hectare historic urban park in Manila, formerly known as Bagumbayan during the Spanish period and also referred to as Luneta Park.

Cemetery of Heroes

A national cemetery established in May 1947 at Fort Bonifacio as the official resting place for Philippine military personnel, deceased presidents, and national heroes.

Venice Grand Canal Mall

A lifestyle development by Megaworld Corporation inside McKinley Hill in Taguig, inspired by the Grand Canal in Venice.

Bonifacio Global City (BGC)

A 240-hectare financial district in Taguig that serves as home to the Philippine Stock Exchange.

Siopao

A popular Binondo steamed bun made from flour, yeast, and pork or chicken filling, taking its name from the Chinese term for steamed bun.

Adelina's Ham

A famous sweet Christmas ham made from pork, sugar, and salt, originating in Mandaluyong and named after its founder.

Waknatoy

A specialty Marikina fiesta dish prepared with beef, tomato sauce, and potatoes.

Tinolang Manok

A traditional comforting Pasig soup made with chicken, ginger, and papaya.

Pares

A sweet beef stew meal from Quezon City cooked with soy sauce and garlic, served alongside rice and soup.

Rellenong Bangus

A Spanish-inspired festive dish from San Juan consisting of stuffed milkfish prepared with pork and egg.

Lechong Silog

A popular Caloocan breakfast dish combining roasted pork (lechon), garlic fried rice (sinangag), and egg (itlog).

Pancit Malabon

A signature Malabon noodle dish made with thick rice noodles and seafood sauce containing shrimp and squid.

Putong Polo

A native steamed rice cake delicacy from Polo, Valenzuela, made with rice flour and topped with cheese.

Inutak

A soft and chewy traditional Taguig rice cake made from glutinous rice, coconut milk, and ube.

Lavandero Festival

A cultural festival in Mandaluyong celebrating the historic tradition of washerfolk washing clothes along the Pasig River.

Sapatos Festival

A Marikina festival celebrating local shoemaking craftsmanship and footwear products.

Itik-Itik Festival

A week-long Pasig festival in Barangay Kalawaan honoring St. Martha and remembering the community's historic duck-raising livelihood.

La Loma Festival

A Quezon City celebration established in 2000 featuring the Parada ng mga Lechon, where decorated roasted pigs are displayed on floats.

Pamaypay Festival

An annual February foundation festival in Caloocan featuring street dancing competitions using hand-held fans (pamaypay).

Luglugan Pancit Malabon Festival

A culinary-religious celebration in Malabon featuring massive bilao displays of Pancit Malabon during the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

Pangisdaan Festival

An annual festival celebrating Navotas' historic fishing sector and fisherfolk.

Feast of San Diego de Alcala

A Valenzuela parish festival observed every November 12 featuring boat racing and street dancing in Polo.

Baile delos Arcos

A traditional dance performed by young women in Makati using decorated arches to honor Saints Peter and Paul.

Dinagsa Festival

A religious-cultural event in Muntinlupa honoring patron Sto. Niño de Muntinlupa through community street dancing.

Grand Sunduan Festival

A Parañaque celebration held around February 13 based on the traditional courtship custom of fetching a lady (sunduan).

Talulot Festival

A Pasay festival honoring St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, named after the word for petal (talulot).

Balut sa Puti Festival

A Pateros town fiesta event featuring cooking competitions centered on balut production.

Sta. Anang Banak Taguig River Festival

A river heritage festival in Taguig honoring St. Anne, culminating in a fluvial procession on July 26.

San Juan Festival

A celebration in San Juan honoring St. John the Baptist, famous for its water-splashing tradition.

Simbang Gabi

A series of nine consecutive dawn masses celebrated prior to Christmas across historic churches.

Flores de Mayo & Santacruzan

May Marian floral traditions followed by a pageant-style parade reenacting Queen Helena's search for the Holy Cross.

Holy Week Devotions

Lenten practices in historic Manila involving processions, pasyon chanting, Visita Iglesia, and passion reenactments.