All highly urbanized cities (HUCs) in the Philippines expanded in 2024, with Puerto Princesa City recording the fastest annual gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate at 9.8 percent, according to the latest Provincial Product Accounts (PPA) results.
The impressive growth rate in Puerto Princesa led a group of 10 HUCs that all registered annual increases faster than the national GDP growth rate of 5.7 percent. The fastest-growing cities included Iligan City at 8.8 percent, Butuan City at 8.7 percent, Tacloban City at 8.2 percent, Davao City at 7.9 percent, Bacolod City at 7.7 percent, Makati City at 7.35 percent, Malabon City at 7.27 percent, Iloilo City at 7.1 percent and Cebu City at 7.0 percent.
The combined GDP of all HUCs reached P9.78 trillion in 2024, representing 44.0 percent of the total national GDP. Manila joined Quezon City and Makati City to become the nation’s third city with a trillion-peso GDP.
Quezon City maintained the largest share at 6.0 percent. It was followed by Makati City with 5.4 percent and Manila City with 4.7 percent. Other major contributors completing the top 10 by share were Taguig City at 3.0 percent, Davao City at 2.6 percent, Pasig City at 2.3 percent, Parañaque City at 1.65 percent, Pasay City at 1.61 percent, Cebu City at 1.5 percent and Mandaluyong City at 1.4 percent.
The 10 HUCs collectively accounted for 30.5 percent of the national GDP.
