Pasay
city of the Philippines in Metro Manila
Pasay, officially the City of Pasay (Filipino: Lungsod ng Pasay; IPA: [ˈpaː.saɪ̯]), is a highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 453,186 people.
Due to its location just south of Manila, Pasay quickly became an urban town during the American colonial period. It is now best known for being the site of most of Ninoy Aquino International Airport and of complexes such as Newport City and the SM Central Business Park.
Etymology
There are several explanations as to the city's name:
A legend suggests it may have been named after Dayang-dayang Pasay, a princess of the Kingdom of Namayan and daughter of Rajah Sulayman of the Kingdom of Maynila. She had inherited half her father's dominion, which encompasses the present city, which she donated to Spanish friars at her deathbed.
Another legend suggests the namesake Pasay was instead a prince, whose father was Lakan Tagkan of Namayan. He inherited territories that included the area of the city.
A romantic tale has a man named José loudly wailing "¡Paz-ay!" at the grave of his wealthy lover, Paz. She had died from loneliness after their love was forbidden, and in her memory her parents named their hacienda Paz-ay, later spelt Pasay.
“Pasay” enters the record as city of the Philippines in Metro Manila. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Pasay, city and Philippines can confirm, complicate or overturn.
Why this record matters
“Pasay” is worth following because a concise public description often conceals a longer documentary argument. Here, Pasay, city and Philippines provides the most credible route into that argument.
Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 21, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q17189. VIAF identifies the subject as 136165462. The Library of Congress control number is n89220126. Authority coordinates are 14.544, 120.995. 3 of 6 selected statements include explicit references; 1 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 2024.
A single description cannot reconcile every naming convention, rebuilding phase or administrative transfer associated with a place. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Pasay”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Pasay primary sources, Pasay archive and Pasay research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Pasay”?
- Which authority defined the place, boundary or structure at the relevant date?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Pasay” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.