Quezon, << KAY sawn, >> City (pop. 2,960,048) is the largest city in the Philippines. It lies just northeast of Manila. It is named for Manuel Luis Quezon, first president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines. As a whole, Quezon City has one of the lowest poverty levels in the Philippines. Ateneo de Manila University and the main campus of the University of the Philippines are in the city.
The Philippine government purchased the land where Quezon City now stands in 1939. The land was part of a private estate and was bought chiefly to serve as a residential area. Many Filipinos moved to the city from Manila after World War II ended in 1945. In 1948, the government officially transferred the capital from Manila to Quezon City. But Manila again became the official capital in 1976. Quezon City is part of the Manila metropolitan area, which in turn is part of the National Capital Region (NCR). Several federal government agencies are in Quezon City.
