Naga, Cebu
Naga | |
---|---|
City of Naga | |
Highway in Naga | |
Nickname: The Industrial Hub of Southern Cebu[1] | |
Motto(s): Naga atong garbo Service with a Heart | |
Anthem: Mahal Kong Naga (My Beloved Naga) | |
![]() Map of Cebu with Naga highlighted | |
Location within the Philippines | |
Coordinates: 10°13′N 123°45′E / 10.22°N 123.75°E | |
Country | Philippines |
Region | Central Visayas |
Province | Cebu |
District | 1st district |
Founded | 1785 |
Cityhood | September 2, 2007 (Lost cityhood in 2008 and 2010) |
Lost cityhood | 2008 and 2010 |
Affirmed cityhood | February 15, 2011 |
Barangays | 28 (see Barangays) |
Government | |
• Type | Sangguniang Panlungsod |
• Mayor | Valdemar M. Chiong (NP) |
• Vice Mayor | Virgilio M. Chiong (NP) |
• Representative | Rhea Mae A. Gullas |
• City Council | Members |
• Electorate | 86,935 voters (2025) |
Area | |
• Total | 101.97 km2 (39.37 sq mi) |
Elevation | 105 m (344 ft) |
Highest elevation | 819 m (2,687 ft) |
Lowest elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
Population (2020 census)[4] | |
• Total | 133,184 |
• Density | 1,300/km2 (3,400/sq mi) |
• Households | 32,011 |
Economy | |
• Income class | 5th city income class |
• Poverty incidence | 26.02 |
• Revenue | ₱ 1,385 million (2022) |
• Assets | ₱ 4,622 million (2022) |
• Expenditure | ₱ 1,016 million (2022) |
• Liabilities | ₱ 1,456 million (2022) |
Service provider | |
• Electricity | Visayan Electric Company (VECO) |
Time zone | UTC+8 (PST) |
ZIP code | 6037 |
PSGC | |
IDD : area code | +63 (0)32 |
Native languages | Cebuano Tagalog language |
Website | www |
Naga, officially the City of Naga (Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Naga; Filipino: Lungsod ng Naga), is a component city in the province of Cebu, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 133,184 people.[4]
Naga City is bordered to the north by the town of Minglanilla, to the west is the city of Toledo, to the east is the Cebu Strait, and to the south is the town of San Fernando. It is 21 kilometres (13 mi) from Cebu City.
It lies within the Cebu metropolitan area.[6]
It is one of the two Philippine cities named Naga, the other being Naga, Camarines Sur in Luzon.
History
Colonial Era
Naga was previously named by the first settlers as Narra due to the abundance of narra trees. The name eventually became Naga. Naga became a municipality on June 12, 1829. It was partitioned from San Nicolas, now part of Cebu City. The original barrios are Inayagan, Tinaan, Langtad, Pandan, Cantag-an, Lutac, Uling, and Alpaco.[7][8]
Soon after, Spanish authorities discovered coal in the upland barangays of Uling and Lutac. However, mines were developed intermittently.[9] In 1901, during American occupation, the Uling-Lutac coal and rail concession (also known as the Macleod concession) was identified as one of the three coal mines in Cebu that the government wanted to develop further.[10]
In 1921, the Philippine government established the first cement plant in the country in Tinaan, Naga. It was called Cebu Portland Cement Company (CEPOC). Today, the plant still exists and able to produce 3.8 million metric tons (MMT) of cement per year. It is now known as the APO Cement Plant.[11]
During World War II, around three-quarters of the town was destroyed.[12]
Post-war Era
The manufacturing and industrial sector continued to grow in Naga. The Naga Coal Plant was established in 1981. It was the first grid-connected coal plant in the country and was built for the National Power Corporation. It had a capacity of 105 MW up to its retirement in 2015.[13]
Cityhood
Cityhood was ratified in a plebiscite on September 2, 2007. The Supreme Court declared the cityhood law of Naga and 15 other cities unconstitutional after a petition filed by the League of Cities of the Philippines in its ruling on November 18, 2008. On December 22, 2009, the cityhood law of Naga and 15 other municipalities regain its status as cities again after the court reversed its ruling November 18, 2008 ruling.
On August 23, 2010, the court reinstated its ruling on November 18, 2008, making Naga and 15 other cities regular municipalities. Finally, on February 15, 2011, Naga and the other 15 municipalities declared that the conversion to cityhood met all legal requirements. In 2013, after six years of legal battle, in its board resolution the League of Cities of the Philippines acknowledged and recognized the cityhood of Naga and 15 other cities on July 19, 2013.[14][15]
Geography
Barangays
Naga is politically subdivided into 28 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
PSGC | Barangay | Population | ±% p.a. | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2020[4] | 2010[16] | |||||
0772234001 | Alpaco | 2.6% | 3,486 | 2,921 | 1.78% | |
0772234002 | Bairan | 1.6% | 2,173 | 1,772 | 2.06% | |
0772234003 | Balirong | 3.6% | 4,760 | 3,918 | 1.97% | |
0772234004 | Cabungahan | 1.0% | 1,306 | 1,176 | 1.05% | |
0772234005 | Cantao‑an | 4.4% | 5,889 | 5,133 | 1.38% | |
0772234006 | Central Poblacion | 0.7% | 896 | 933 | −0.40% | |
0772234007 | Cogon | 3.2% | 4,267 | 3,583 | 1.76% | |
0772234008 | Colon | 3.4% | 4,467 | 4,227 | 0.55% | |
0772234009 | East Poblacion | 0.5% | 636 | 544 | 1.57% | |
0772234011 | Inayagan | 6.3% | 8,342 | 7,832 | 0.63% | |
0772234010 | Inoburan | 4.5% | 6,054 | 5,104 | 1.72% | |
0772234012 | Jaguimit | 1.8% | 2,344 | 2,071 | 1.25% | |
0772234013 | Lanas | 2.2% | 2,890 | 2,374 | 1.99% | |
0772234014 | Langtad | 4.7% | 6,220 | 6,900 | −1.03% | |
0772234015 | Lutac | 3.5% | 4,603 | 3,879 | 1.73% | |
0772234016 | Mainit | 2.1% | 2,770 | 2,695 | 0.27% | |
0772234017 | Mayana | 1.0% | 1,299 | 1,295 | 0.03% | |
0772234018 | Naalad | 2.2% | 2,937 | 2,700 | 0.84% | |
0772234019 | North Poblacion | 2.3% | 3,019 | 2,866 | 0.52% | |
0772234020 | Pangdan | 3.6% | 4,730 | 4,643 | 0.19% | |
0772234021 | Patag | 1.1% | 1,419 | 1,167 | 1.97% | |
0772234022 | South Poblacion | 4.3% | 5,673 | 4,459 | 2.44% | |
0772234023 | Tagjaguimit | 1.7% | 2,317 | 2,302 | 0.06% | |
0772234024 | Tangke | 4.0% | 5,263 | 4,652 | 1.24% | |
0772234025 | Tinaan | 5.4% | 7,157 | 4,129 | 5.65% | |
0772234027 | Tuyan | 8.5% | 11,337 | 10,705 | 0.58% | |
0772234028 | Uling | 4.6% | 6,187 | 4,470 | 3.30% | |
0772234029 | West Poblacion | 2.5% | 3,309 | 3,121 | 0.59% | |
Total | 133,184 | 101,571 | 2.75% |
Climate
Climate data for Naga, Cebu | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 28 (82) |
29 (84) |
30 (86) |
31 (88) |
31 (88) |
30 (86) |
30 (86) |
30 (86) |
30 (86) |
29 (84) |
29 (84) |
28 (82) |
30 (85) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 23 (73) |
23 (73) |
23 (73) |
24 (75) |
25 (77) |
25 (77) |
25 (77) |
25 (77) |
25 (77) |
25 (77) |
24 (75) |
23 (73) |
24 (75) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 70 (2.8) |
49 (1.9) |
62 (2.4) |
78 (3.1) |
138 (5.4) |
201 (7.9) |
192 (7.6) |
185 (7.3) |
192 (7.6) |
205 (8.1) |
156 (6.1) |
111 (4.4) |
1,639 (64.6) |
Average rainy days | 13.4 | 10.6 | 13.1 | 14.5 | 24.2 | 27.9 | 28.4 | 27.7 | 27.1 | 27.4 | 22.5 | 15.9 | 252.7 |
Source: Meteoblue[17] |
Demographics


Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
---|---|---|
1903 | 16,884 | — |
1918 | 21,166 | +1.52% |
1939 | 25,850 | +0.96% |
1948 | 24,911 | −0.41% |
1960 | 32,475 | +2.23% |
1970 | 35,043 | +0.76% |
1975 | 38,242 | +1.77% |
1980 | 45,831 | +3.69% |
1990 | 60,425 | +2.80% |
1995 | 69,010 | +2.52% |
2000 | 80,189 | +3.27% |
2007 | 95,163 | +2.39% |
2010 | 101,571 | +2.40% |
2015 | 115,750 | +2.52% |
2020 | 133,184 | +2.80% |
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[18][16][19][20] |
Economy
Poverty incidence of Naga
10
20
30
40
2000
37.85 2003
19.56 2006
31.40 2009
27.10 2012
17.23 2015
21.12 2018
15.30 2021
26.02 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28] |
Naga is home to several heavy industries, and as such, the city bills itself as the Industrial City of the South. Among the industries in Naga are the Apo Cement Corporation, the largest factory in the country, producing 4,000 metric tons (3,900 long tons) per day; FSP Group; the 290-megawatt KEPCO Philippines Corporation power plant; MRC Allied Industries; Pryce Gases, Inc.; Rikio Southeast Asia; the 147-megawatt coal-fired Salcon Power Corporation plant;[1] Asian Grains Corporation, a flour milling company; Sugbo ACS Food Manufacturing Corporation, the maker of Ichipan bread; UNAHCO Feeds, Inc.; and Provera Nutritional Solutions Corp. (feedmill), among other industries.
The Naga Valley Industrial Park (NAVA) is a 36 ha (89 acres) Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA)-registered industrial park in Barangay Cantao-an. Locators in NAVA include Cebu Mitsumi, Inc., Kyocera Kinseki Philippines, Inc., and Tokyo Microshaft Corporation. The industrial park was a part of the 250 ha (620 acres) New Cebu Township One (NCTO) of MRC Allied before it was acquired by Cebu City-based developer Primary Properties Corporation.[29]
Sports venues
In December 2015, the Naga City government officially opened the Teodoro Mendiola Sports Field and Oval, located along North Poblacion. Its inauguration was in time for its usage as the main venue for the 2016 Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA) games in February. The ₱68 million project comprises a track and field oval, swimming pool (Olympic-sized), and basketball, tennis, and volleyball courts.[30]
2017 the first time a host became back-in-back in the venue for the CVIRAA again.[31]
References
- ^ a b Philippine Global 2012.
- ^ City of Naga | (DILG)
- ^ "2015 Census of Population, Report No. 3 – Population, Land Area, and Population Density" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. Quezon City, Philippines. August 2016. ISSN 0117-1453. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
- ^ a b c Census of Population (2020). "Region VII (Central Visayas)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
- ^ "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. April 2, 2024. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
- ^ sparksph (March 8, 2022). "Pasilong sa Naga: Boardwalk in Naga City". Suroy.ph. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
- ^ Oaminal, Clarence Paul (September 30, 2019). "The Mendiola Clan: Mayors of Naga, Cebu". Philstar. The Freeman. Retrieved June 1, 2025.
- ^ "About City of Naga". City of Naga Official Website. Retrieved June 1, 2025.
- ^ Becker, George. "Geology of the Philippine Islands (1901)" (PDF). United States Geological Service. Retrieved June 1, 2025.
- ^ The Coal Measures of the Philippines. A Rapid History of the Discovery of Coal In the Archipelago And Subsequent Developments, With the Full Text of the Record of the MacLeod Coal Concession In Cebu, Or the Uling-Lutac Coal And Railway Concession. Washington: Philippines. Mining Bureau, Charles H Burritt, and U.S. War dept. Division of insular affairs. 1901.
- ^ "APO Isang Siglo: 100 years of building the nation". Cemex Holdings Philippines. November 3, 2021. Retrieved June 1, 2025.
- ^ Bersales, Jobers (December 6, 2017). "The remains of war". Retrieved June 1, 2025.
- ^ Ahmed, Sarah Jane; Logarta, Jose Jr. "Carving out Coal in the Philippines: Stranded Coal Plant Assets and the Energy Transition" (PDF). Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. Retrieved June 1, 2025.
- ^ "16 new cities recognized as LCP members (Archived)". Sun Star News. July 19, 2013. Archived from the original on March 7, 2018. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
- ^ "League finally recognizes 16 'unqualified' cities". Rappler. July 19, 2013. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
- ^ a b Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region VII (Central Visayas)" (PDF). Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. National Statistics Office. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
- ^ "Naga City: Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
- ^ Census of Population (2015). "Region VII (Central Visayas)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
- ^ Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region VII (Central Visayas)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. National Statistics Office.
- ^ "Province of Cebu". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved December 17, 2016.
- ^ "Poverty incidence (PI):". Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
- ^ "Estimation of Local Poverty in the Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. November 29, 2005.
- ^ "2003 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. March 23, 2009.
- ^ "City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates; 2006 and 2009" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. August 3, 2012.
- ^ "2012 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. May 31, 2016.
- ^ "Municipal and City Level Small Area Poverty Estimates; 2009, 2012 and 2015". Philippine Statistics Authority. July 10, 2019.
- ^ "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. December 15, 2021. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
- ^ "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. April 2, 2024. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
- ^ "'Renewed interest' in Naga industrial park". SunStar Cebu. August 2, 2015. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
- ^ Sun.Star 2015.
- ^ Sun.Star 2017.
Sources
- Philippine Global, Bernard Supetran (June 25, 2012). "Economic boom brings prosperity to Cebu's new cities". Archived from the original on December 22, 2015.
- Sun.Star, Justin K. Vestil (December 14, 2015). "Naga opens P152.5M in infra, including track for runners". Archived from the original on December 14, 2015.
- Sun.Star, Richiel S. Chavez (February 11, 2017). "2017 Cviraa goes full swing today". Archived from the original on March 10, 2017.