Municipal cities constitute the third and most localized level of administrative governance in the Philippines, with 1,633 such units across the country. These municipalities and cities serve as the primary interface between national government and local communities, handling essential public services including local infrastructure maintenance, public markets, health centers, and barangay coordination. Municipal governments are responsible for implementing national policies at the grassroots level, collecting local taxes and fees, issuing business permits, managing local planning and zoning, and delivering basic services such as waste management and local road maintenance. Led by elected mayors and supported by municipal councils, these administrative units exercise autonomy over local affairs within the framework of national law, making them critical to decentralized governance in the Philippine political system.