Did you know that right here in our homeland, the Philippines, there are places that bear names that perfectly capture their essence.

Let’s set aside the dictionary for a moment.

A “moniker” is a nickname or a brief name used in place of the formal name of a person, location, or object. It’s often employed to convey affection, humor, a characteristic trait, or even a bit of playful teasing. While similar to a pseudonym, stage name, or title, monikers have their unique role.

It’s high time we become acquainted with the endearing nicknames our very own towns, cities, and provinces are lovingly associated with. Some of these monikers may have eluded our awareness until now.

As we venture into this treasure trove of information, you might be surprised to learn that the Philippines’ largest island, Samar, is also known as the “Spelunking Capital” of the country. San Juan is recognized as the “Tiangge Capital,” and San Fernando in Pampanga proudly bears the title of “Lantern Capital” and so on.

Now, let’s explore and discover the most intriguing monikers of local government units that may have remained hidden from our knowledge until today:

𝗖𝗲𝗯𝘂 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 ↦ Oldest City in the Philippines
𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗼 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 ↦ Largest City in the Philippines
𝗧𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗺 ↦ Music Capital of the South
𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗹 ↦ Phil. Island Garden City
𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲 ↦ Banana Capital
𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗶 ↦ Coconut City of the South
𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗼𝘀 ↦ Clay Capital of Mindanao
𝗠𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮 ↦ Banana Capital of Davao
𝗞𝗶𝗱𝗮𝗽𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗻 ↦ City at the foot of Mt Apo
𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗼 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 ↦ Durian Capital, Cacao Capital
𝗞𝗼𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗹 ↦ Ilonggo City of the South
𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗦𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 ↦ Tuna Capital
𝗕𝘂𝗸𝗶𝗱𝗻𝗼𝗻 ↦ Pineapple Capital
𝗠𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘆 ↦ Summer Capital of the South
𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗼 ↦ Fruit Basket and King City of the South
𝗖𝗮𝗴𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗲 𝗢𝗿𝗼 ↦ City of Golden Friendship
𝗜𝘀𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗻 ↦ Oil Palm Capital of the Philippines
𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗻 ↦ Island Born of Fire
𝗦𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗸𝗮𝗶, 𝗧𝗮𝘄𝗶 𝗧𝗮𝘄𝗶 ↦ Venice of the South
𝗖𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗮𝘁𝗼 ↦ Land of Mightiest Mountain
𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗦𝘂𝗿 ↦ Cradle of Muslim Art
𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗮𝘁𝗼 ↦ Conference Capital of Mindanao
𝗗𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗮𝘁 𝗜𝘀𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 ↦ Mystical Province of Love
𝗦𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗮𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲 ↦ Surfing Capital
𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲 ↦ Land of Beauty and Bounty
𝗢𝗿𝗼𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗲𝘁𝗮 ↦ City of Good Life
𝗭𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲 ↦ Province of South’s Twin City
𝗠𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗼 ↦ Seat of Muslim Mindanao
𝗠𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗶𝘀 𝗢𝗰𝗰 ↦ Christmas Capital of Mindanao
𝗔𝗴𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲 ↦ Land of Antiquated Finds
𝗕𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗻 ↦ Timber City of the South
𝗚𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗴 ↦ City of Good Luck
𝗗𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗻 ↦ Shrine and Historic City of the South
𝗣𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 ↦ Little Hong Kong of the South
𝗭𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 ↦ Asias Latin City, Sardines Capital, City of Flowers
𝗦𝘂𝗹𝘂 ↦ Land of Exotic Fruits
𝗜𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗮𝗻 ↦ industrial City of the South
𝗗𝗶𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴 ↦ The Phil. Orchid City
𝗟𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗻, 𝗕𝘂𝗸𝗶𝗱𝗻𝗼𝗻 ↦ Vegetable Basket of Mindanao
𝗔𝗸𝗹𝗮𝗻 ↦ Oldest province in the Philippines
𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 ↦ Province where the mountain meets the sea
𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗼 ↦ City in the Sky
𝗔𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗿𝗮 ↦ Land of Golden Sunrise
𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻, 𝗜𝗹𝗼𝗶𝗹𝗼 ↦ Banana Capital of Panay
𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗿 ↦ Band Capital of the Philippines
𝗕𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗼 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 ↦ Summer Capital/ City of Pines
𝗕𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗮𝗻 ↦ History Hub of Central Luzon
𝗕𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮𝘀 ↦ Diving and Shipping Capital
𝗕𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗲𝘀 ↦ Land of True Insulars
𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗱 ↦ City of Smiles
𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗿𝗮𝗻 ↦ Shipyard of Antiquity
𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘁 ↦ Salad Bowl of the Philippines
𝗕𝗼𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗻 ↦ King City of the East
𝗕𝗼𝗵𝗼𝗹 ↦ Calamay Capital of the Philippines
𝗕𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗮𝗻 ↦ Manila’s Gateway to the North
𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗯𝗮𝘆𝗼𝗴 ↦ City of Waterfalls
𝗖𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗮, 𝗥𝗶𝘇𝗮𝗹 ↦ Bibingka Capital
𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗮 ↦ Hot Spring Capital
𝗖𝗮𝗺 𝗦𝘂𝗿 ↦ Wakeboarding Capital
𝗖𝗮𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗲 ↦ Cradle of Phil. Revolution
𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗮𝗻 ↦ City of Captivating Contrast
𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗮𝗻𝗲𝘀 ↦ Land of the Howling Wind
𝗖𝗮𝘂𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗻, 𝗜𝘀𝗮𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗮 ↦ Mushroom City of the North
𝗖𝗲𝗯𝘂 ↦ Gateway to a Thousand Journeys
𝗗𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘁𝗲 ↦ City of Gentle People
𝗗𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗽𝗮𝗻 ↦ Bangus Capital
𝗗𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗹, 𝗦𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗴𝗼𝗻 ↦ World’s Whale Shark Capital
𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗿 ↦ Gateway to Phil. Discovery
𝗘𝗹 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝘃𝗮𝗱𝗼𝗿, 𝗠𝗶𝘀 𝗢𝗿 ↦ City of Divine Mercy
𝗘𝗹 𝗡𝗶𝗱𝗼 ↦ Heaven on Earth
𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘀 ↦ Mango County of Visayas
𝗚𝘂𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗰, 𝗭𝗮𝗺𝗯. 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲 ↦ Pebble Capital
𝗜𝗹𝗼𝗶𝗹𝗼 ↦ Province with most number of barangays
𝗜𝗹𝗼𝗶𝗹𝗼 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 ↦ The First Queen City of the South, City where the Past is always present
𝗜𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗼𝘀 𝗦𝘂𝗿 ↦ Heritage Haven of the Far North
𝗜𝗺𝘂𝘀 ↦ The Philippine Flag Capital
𝗜𝘀𝗮𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗮 ↦ Rice Granary of the North
𝗞𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗮 ↦ White Rafting Capital of the North
𝗟𝗮 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻 ↦ Surfing Capital of the North
𝗟𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗻𝗮 ↦ The Silicon Valley
𝗟𝗮 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗱𝗮𝗱, 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘁 ↦ Strawberry Capital
𝗟𝗮𝘀 𝗣𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘀 ↦ Salt Center of Metro Manila
𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘇𝗽𝗶 ↦ City of Fun and Adventure, ATV capital
𝗟𝗶𝗽𝗮, 𝗕𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮𝘀 ↦ City of Pride
𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗻 ↦ The Most Romantic Place
𝗟𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗻𝗮, 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘇𝗼𝗻 ↦ Biofuel & Biopalm City
𝗠𝗮𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗦. 𝗟𝗲𝘆𝘁𝗲 ↦ The Religious City
𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗮𝘁𝗶 ↦ Manhattan of the Philippines
𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗮 ↦ Shoe Capital of the Philippines
𝗠𝗮𝘀𝗯𝗮𝘁𝗲 ↦ Great Wild West of Phil.
𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗹𝗮 ↦ Ever Distinguished Loyal City
𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗾𝘂𝗲 ↦ Heart of the Philippines
𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘂𝗲 ↦ Furniture Capital
𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗹𝘂𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗴 ↦ Shopping Capital
𝗠𝗶𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗼, 𝗜𝗹𝗼𝗶𝗹𝗼 ↦ Municipality with most number of barangays, Onion Capital of Visayas
𝗠𝗼𝗹𝗼, 𝗜𝗹𝗼𝗶𝗹𝗼 ↦ Athens of the Philippines
𝗠𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗹𝘂𝗽𝗮 ↦ The Emerald City
𝗡𝗮𝗴𝗮 ↦ Bicols Queen City
𝗡𝗮𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗮𝘀 ↦ Fishing Capital of Greater Manila
𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘀 𝗢𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 ↦ Sugar Bowl
𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘀 𝗢𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 ↦ Province with most number of cities
𝗡𝗲𝗴. 𝗢𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 ↦ Whale and Dolphin Haven
𝗡𝘂𝗲𝘃𝗮 𝗘𝗰𝗶𝗷𝗮 ↦ Rice Granary of the Philippines
𝗡𝘂𝗲𝘃𝗮 𝗩𝗶𝘇𝗰𝗮𝘆𝗮 ↦ Watershed Haven of Cagayan Valley
𝗢𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗿𝗼 ↦ Harbor Gateway to the South
𝗣𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗻 ↦ Largest Province in the Philippines
𝗣𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗻 ↦ Philippines’ Last Frontier
𝗣𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮 ↦ Culinary Capital of the Philippines
𝗣𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻 ↦ Saltmaking Capital
𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘀 ↦ Balut Capital
𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗾𝘂𝗲 ↦ Fashion Capital
𝗣𝗮𝘀𝗮𝘆 ↦ Travel Capital
𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶 ↦ Sweet City at the Heart of Panay
𝗣𝗼𝘁𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗻, 𝗜𝗹𝗼𝗶𝗹𝗼 ↦ Christmas Capital of Visayas
𝗣𝘂𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗼 𝗚𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗮 ↦ Mini Boracay
𝗣𝘂𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀𝗮 ↦ EcoTourism Capital
𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘇𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 ↦ City of Stars and New Horizons
𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗼 ↦ Forest Heartland of Cagayan Valley
𝗥𝗶𝘇𝗮𝗹 ↦ Cradle of Philippine Arts
𝗥𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗻 ↦ Marble Capital
𝗥𝗼𝘅𝗮𝘀 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 ↦ Seafood Capital of the Philippines
𝗦𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗻, 𝗢𝗰𝗰. 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗿𝗼 ↦ Largest Municipality in the Philippines
𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗿 ↦ Spelunking Capital
𝗦𝗮𝗻 𝗝𝘂𝗮𝗻 ↦ Tiangge Capital
𝗦𝗮𝗻 𝗙𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼 ↦ Lantern Capital
𝗦𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗷𝗼𝗿 ↦ Island of Fire
𝗧𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗮𝗰 ↦ Melting Pot of Central Luzon
𝗧𝗮𝗰𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 ↦ City of Hope
𝗧𝗮𝗴𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗻 ↦ City of Peace and Friendship
𝗧𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗴 ↦ The ProvinSyudad
𝗧𝘂𝗴𝘂𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗼 ↦ Premier Ybanag City
𝗩𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘇𝘂𝗲𝗹𝗮 ↦ The Only Divided City
𝗩𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘇𝘂𝗲𝗹𝗮 ↦ Vibrant City of Discipline
𝗭𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 ↦ Chromite Capital

Source: @Travel Box Ticketing Office/JTours Adventures 

(By Jr Amigo/ai/mnm)