City of Greater Manila

Greater Manila, officially the City of Greater Manila and sometimes referred to as the Greater Manila Area (GMA), was a chartered city that existed during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines in World War II. Governed by the Commonwealth of the Philippines, it served as a model for the present-day Metro Manila and the administrative functions of the governor of Metro Manila—both established three decades later during the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos.

Greater Manila was formed on January 1, 1942, by virtue of Executive Order No. 400 signed by President Manuel L. Quezon as an emergency measure. It was a merger of the cities of Manila and Quezon and the then-Rizal towns of Caloocan, Makati, Mandaluyong, Parañaque, Pasay, and San Juan. Jorge B. Vargas assumed the role of Mayor of Greater Manila in December 1941, later appointing León Guinto as his successor in January 1942.

The mayors of the constituent towns and cities became assistant mayors (equivalent to present-day vice mayors) within the consolidated city, all under the mayor of Greater Manila. The city was also represented in the National Assembly of the Japanese-sponsored Second Philippine Republic under the at-large district of Manila.

On July 26, 1945, President Sergio Osmeña signed Executive Order No. 58, leading to the reduction of territories and the eventual dissolution of Greater Manila. The order came into effect six days later, on August 1. The cities and towns that were part of the city then regained their respective pre-war status.