▁the ▁city ▁was ▁, ▁making ▁it ▁by ▁far ▁the ▁most ▁popul ous ▁city ▁in ▁the ▁Philippines . ▁This ▁figure ▁is ▁higher ▁by ▁more ▁than ▁ 1 . 1   mill ion ▁from ▁Man ila , ▁the ▁country ' s ▁second - most ▁popul ous ▁city . ▁ ▁The ▁increase ▁in ▁the ▁population ▁of ▁the ▁city ▁has ▁been ▁dram atic ▁considering ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁only ▁founded / con sol id ated ▁( and ▁sp ars ely ▁populated ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 9 . ▁Que zon ▁City ▁became ▁the ▁biggest ▁city ▁in ▁terms ▁of ▁population ▁in ▁the ▁Philippines ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁when ▁it ▁finally ▁sur pass ed ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁inhabitants ▁of ▁the ▁dens ely ▁populated ▁City ▁of ▁Man ila . ▁Que zon ▁City ' s ▁population ▁continued ▁to ▁increase ▁and ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁become ▁the ▁first ▁Philipp ine ▁city ▁( and ▁as ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁the ▁only ▁city ) ▁to ▁reach ▁ 2 ▁million ▁people ▁( in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ). ▁The ▁population ▁is ▁project ed ▁to ▁reach ▁ 3   mill ion ▁people ▁between ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁and ▁ 2 0 2 0 ▁census ▁years ▁and ▁ 4   mill ion ▁people ▁between ▁the ▁ 2 0 2 5 ▁and ▁ 2 0 3 0 ▁census ▁years . ▁ ▁The ▁tr end ▁is ▁also ▁seen ▁in ▁the ▁significant ▁increase ▁in ▁the ▁percentage ▁share ▁of ▁Que zon ▁City ▁to ▁the ▁total ▁population ▁of ▁what ▁is ▁now ▁called ▁Metro