Valenzuela, Metro Manila

Valenzuela (/ˌvælənzjuˈɛlə/, Tagalog pronunciation: [balensˈwela]; Latin American Spanish pronunciation: [balenˈswela] ^ⓘ, Spanish pronunciation: [balenˈθwela] ^ⓘ), officially the City of Valenzuela (Filipino: Lungsod ng Valenzuela), is a highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. As of the 2024 census, Valenzuela has 725,173 residents, making it one of the more densely populated cities in the Philippines.

Valenzuela ranks as the 7th-most populous city in the National Capital Region and is the 11th-most populous city in the Philippines. Located approximately 14 kilometers (8.7 mi) north of Manila, it is categorized as a highly urbanized, first-class city under the Republic Acts No. 7160 and 8526, which are based on categories of income classification and population. It is located on the island of Luzon, and is landlocked. The city is bordered to the north by the province of Bulacan; to the east by Caloocan and Quezon City; and to the southwest by Malabon. It also shares a boundary with Malabon along the Tullahan River. The city covers a land area of 45.75 km² (17.66 sq mi) and has a predominantly Tagalog population.

Valenzuela began as the town of Polo, established in 1623 following its separation from Meycauayan, Bulacan. The 1899 Battle of Malinta, during the Philippine–American War, was fought in Polo. In 1960, President Carlos P. Garcia ordered the split of Polo's southern barangays to form another town named Valenzuela, after Pío Valenzuela, a physician and member of the Katipunan, a secret society that fought against the colonial government of Spain. However, in 1963, the split was revoked by President Diosdado Macapagal after political disagreements, and the merged town retained the name Valenzuela. The modern borders of Valenzuela were established pursuant to its city charter when it became a highly urbanized city on December 30, 1998.