Naga City officials attend a flag-raising ceremony, June 1, 2026. Photo courtesy of the Naga City Government/Facebook
MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday declared Naga City in Camarines Sur as a highly-urbanized city (HUC), after it met the minimum requirements to be prescribed under Local Government Code of 1991.
This makes Naga the 34th highly-urbanized city in the country.
The city is currently under the mayoral leadership of former vice president Leni Robredo, who was Marcos’ opponent in the 2022 presidential elections.
According to Proclamation No. 1267, Naga City currently has a population of 210,545 as certified by the Philippine Statistics Authority and an income of P298.53 million, based on the 1991 constant prices, as certified by the Department of Finance-Bureau of Local Government Finance.
The Palace said this is a "significant milestone for the major Bicol hub renowned for its participatory governance."
The proclamation was issued upon the request of the Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of Naga, through Resolution No. 2026-078.
It will take effect only upon ratification in a plebiscite by the qualified voters.
The proclamation was signed by Acting Executive Secretary Ralph Recto last May 26, 2026.
MAYOR LENI'S POST
In an earlier post, Mayor Leni Robredo said the milestone announcement coincided with the commemoration of the 68th birth anniversary of her late husband Jesse M. Robredo.
"The 15th Sangguniang Panlungsod of Naga formally initiated the city’s bid for highly urbanized city status through the adoption of Resolution No. 2026-078 on January 27, 2026, citing that the city had already met the statutory requirements, including the prescribed annual income and population threshold necessary for such classification."
Robredo said the proclamation was already announced locally in Naga.
"The conferment of HUC status marks a historic chapter for Naga City, reflecting its sustained growth and development, as well as the enduring legacy of leadership that has shaped its governance," she said.
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