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Mandaluyong

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Mandaluyong is a highly-urbanized city located in the National Capital Region of the Philippines.

Ph fil mandaluyong barangay
Ph fil mandaluyong barangay

The city occupies a heart-shaped piece of land. It sits directly east of Manila and west of Pasig. To the south, the Pasig River separates Mandaluyong from Makati.

FvfGuadalupePasigRiver0074 35
FvfGuadalupePasigRiver0074 35

Other nearby areas include San Juan to the north and Quezon City to the northeast. Taguig is located to the southeast. Mandaluyong is the fourth-smallest city in the Philippines. It covers a total land area of 35.25 square kilometers. As of the 2024 census, the city is home to 465,902 people.

The name "Mandaluyong" has several different origins. One story involves the luyong tree, now called the anahaw. These trees provided canes used for making furniture.

EDSA Ortigas (Bird's eye view), Nov 2025
EDSA Ortigas (Bird's eye view), Nov 2025

Another explanation comes from a navigator named Acapulco. He reported seeing rolling hills that looked like big waves. These waves are called daluyong in the local language. A historian named Felix dela Huerta noted that the land's topography resembled these sea waves. Locals may have described the undulating land as "madaluyong." Spanish writers later added an "n" to create the name Mandaluyong. A third legend joins the names of two lovers, Manda and Luyong.

The history of the area reaches back to ancient kingdoms. Roots can be traced to Emperor Soledan and Empress Sasaban of the Kingdom of Sapa. Around the year 1300, their son Prince Balagtas ruled as sovereign. By approximately 1470, the area became part of the Kingdom of Namayan. This kingdom was ruled by Lakan Takhan. It included many places that are now part of Manila and surrounding cities. During the Spanish colonial era, the area was a barrio of Santa Ana de Sapa. It was originally named San Felipe Neri after a patron saint of Rome. The town became a separate civil entity in 1841.

Mandaluyong played a vital role during the Philippine Revolution of 1896. It served as a territory for the Katipunan group known as "Makabuhay." This group had seventeen different branches in the area. On August 29, 1896, leaders Andres Bonifacio and Emilio Jacinto met at the house of Romualdo Vicencio. They gathered at Sitio Balakbak to prepare for the revolution against Spanish authority. Bonifacio also issued a proclamation in Barangay Hagdang Bato. This proclamation set the date for the attack on Manila. The city was also home to the revolutionary newspaper, La Republika.

During the American colonial period, the area underwent many administrative changes. In 1901, San Felipe Neri was included in the province of Rizal. By 1903, it was consolidated with San Juan del Monte. For a short time in 1904, it served as the capital of Rizal. The name was officially changed to Mandaluyong on November 6, 1931. During this era, several large government institutions were established. These included the Correctional Institute for Women and the National Center for Mental Health.

05732jfNational Center for Mental Health Mauway Pleasant Hills Mandaluyong Cityfvf 12
05732jfNational Center for Mental Health Mauway Pleasant Hills Mandaluyong Cityfvf 12

During World War II, Mandaluyong was part of the City of Greater Manila.

City of Greater Manila map
City of Greater Manila map

The city was liberated from Japanese forces on February 9, 1945.

In the decades following the war, Mandaluyong became a major economic force. It was recognized as the most developed municipality in Rizal province during the 1950s and 1960s. Industrialist Domingo M. Guevara Sr. helped drive this growth. His company, Guevara Enterprises, produced many electronic goods. He even manufactured the "Sakbayan," the first Philippine-made car. However, his business growth was interrupted during the Martial Law era. In 1975, Mandaluyong was formally moved into the new Metropolitan Manila. In 1994, it officially became a highly-urbanized city. This happened on the 49th anniversary of its liberation from the Japanese.

Today, Mandaluyong is a massive commercial and business hub. It is famous for the Ortigas Center, which it shares with Pasig.

SM Megamall, Ortigas Center, Apr 2025
SM Megamall, Ortigas Center, Apr 2025

This center hosts many important global institutions. The Asian Development Bank is located here. Large corporations like San Miguel Corporation and Banco de Oro also have headquarters in the city. Residents and visitors use massive shopping malls like SM Megamall and Shangri-La Plaza.

EDSA Ortigas (Bird's eye view), Nov 2025
EDSA Ortigas (Bird's eye view), Nov 2025

Because of its rapid economic success, the city earned the nickname "The Tiger City of the Philippines."

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🖼️ Images & Media (18)
File:City of Greater Manila map.jpg
City of Greater Manila map.jpg
File:5124Mandaluyong City Roads Landmarks Barangays 22.jpg
5124Mandaluyong City Roads Landmarks...
File:Liberation Monument, Mandaluyong.jpg
Liberation Monument, Mandaluyong.jpg
File:Ph fil mandaluyong barangay.png
Ph fil mandaluyong barangay.png
File:EDSA Ortigas (Bird's eye view), Nov 2025.jpg
EDSA Ortigas (Bird's eye view), Nov 2025.jpg
File:TV5 Media Center - reliance side (Reliance cor. Sheridan, Mandaluyong; 2017-01-06).jpg
TV5 Media Center - reliance side...
File:SM Megamall, Ortigas Center, Apr 2025.jpg
SM Megamall, Ortigas Center, Apr 2025.jpg
File:Mandaluyong City Hall (Maysilo, Mandaluyong; 06-20-2021).jpg
Mandaluyong City Hall (Maysilo,...
File:0204jfBarangays Maysilo Circle Monuments Plainview Mandaluyong Hallsfvf 18.jpg
0204jfBarangays Maysilo Circle Monuments...
File:Mandaluyong City 2.JPG
Mandaluyong City 2.JPG
File:02381jfBarangays EDSA Barangka Ilaya Boni Avenue Tunnel Mandaluyong Cityfvf 02.jpg
02381jfBarangays EDSA Barangka Ilaya Boni...
File:Hulo Bangkaan.jpg
Hulo Bangkaan.jpg

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