'Every town in the city has its own character with its unique bars, restaurants and feel. So, it does not really differ from the cities and Hotspots in Manila'

Jessica Sanchez not winning American Idol caused a stir in the Filipino community in the United States and back home in the Philippines when her rendition of The Prayer, I Have Nothing, and Change Nothing did not give her the top spot.

The Megacity Manila is home to a lot of international companies and therefore always hungry for (well-educated) professionals from all over the world. The investment climate has gradually improved in the last few years and therefore offers opportunities for international branches and start-ups as well. The two hindering factors for setting up your own company however are corruption as well as laws prohibiting foreigners to own the majority of shares in a Philippine company.

Because the Philippines is an English-speaking nation, the Megacity attracts a lot of students, lecturers, and teachers from around the world. Most students who choose to study in Metro Manila come from different parts of Southeast Asia and from South Korea, while teachers and lecturers come from different parts of the globe. The pay in education especially in private schools and universities is quite good.

Benigno Simeon Aquino III, fondly known as Noynoy or PNoy, rose to power during the 2010's elections, one year after his mother - the former president 'Cory' Aquino passed away. With the outpour of sympathy for the family because of the democracy ikon’s death and with Noynoy being the symbol of hope for the country, the unmarried Aquino won his bid for the Philippine presidency in 2010 and led the country until 2016.

The Megacity Manila is the capital of a developing country, a tropical developing country. It therefore qualifies to either a) do some volunteer work or b) take your backpack and climb the caves of Sagada, enjoy the Pristine beaches of Bohol or listen to some of the best live music on Earth in the Megacity itself. The Megacity is a hub for Backpackers and Volunteers, some of who are pursuing these tasks in the whole of Southeast Asia.

A 'Megacity' is constituted of more than 10 millions inhabitants and - most of the time - is a combination of several smaller cities that naturally or artificially grew together to one large city of cities, the Megacity. Global Cities however are subject to their political, financial, cultural et cetera value.

Megacities are geographically distributed all over the world - but united in their common appearance and the things they stand for. No matter which Megacity you enter, there are certain things that you will be able to spot in all of them. Sometimes Megacities across the globe are closer connected than a Megacity and another city in the same country are.

We haven't forgotten the locals because they are Megacitizens too! Most of the people living in Megacity Manila are locals from all over the country. You can easily identify those born in the Megacity and those from outside Manila by asking them which province they are from. If they come from the province it basically means that they were born somewhere else and moved to the capital. Locals living in Manila are in average more liberal, more open-minded and have a higher proficiency in English compared to those living in other parts of the country.

MEGACITIZENS.com covers not only qua definition 'Megacities' but the so-called 'Global Cities' as well. Megacitizens live in both, Megacities as well as Global Cities.

National Citizens & Icons is a compilation of names that you should be familiar with when living in Metro Manila. It includes national heroes and others who shaped the Megacity and the country in the past - but also those who are currently shaping the future of the Megacity: national icons in politics, sports and pop culture.

A collection of traveling-, living- and working experiences from different Megacitizens who decided to explore the Megacity Manila and everything around it.