Pasay (pop. 440,656) is a city on Luzon Island, south of Manila in the Philippines. Pasay stands on the shore of Manila Bay and is bounded by Manila and the town of Paranaque. It forms part of the National Capital Region.
The Senate, one of the two bodies of the Congress of the Philippines, is located in Pasay. The city is home to Villamor Air Base, which shares facilities with Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Pasay’s cultural attractions include the Cultural Center of the Philippines, which features performances by dance, music, and theater groups from the Philippines and around the world.
People have lived in the Pasay region for hundreds of years. The area came under Spanish control in the 1500’s. It became an important port serving the trade route between Manila and Acapulco, Mexico. In the early 1900’s, the region came under the control of the United States. The Philippines gained independence in 1946. The city was chartered in 1947 under the name of Rizal. In 1950, it returned to its original name of Pasay.
