Philippines

Republic of the Philippines
Flag
Location  Southeast Asia
Capital  Manila
Area  300,000 sq km
Population  105,893,381

"All things come to those that wait"
(Proverb/Quote of the Week)

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January

January 1 January 2 January 3 January 4 January 5 Filipino mountain climber Romi Garduce officially set foot atop Mt. Vinson Massif in the Antarctic Region on January 5, 2012 and officially completed his Seven Summits climb - the highest mountains of each of the seven continents. January 6 January 7 January 8 January 9 January 10 January 11 January 12 Filipino chef Margarita Fores was named Asia's Best Female Chef for 2016 by internationally recognized Asia's 50 Best Restaurants. January 13 January 14 Rose Fostanes of the Philippines won Israel's X-Factor song contest on 14 January 2014. An international team of researchers, that also includes researchers from the Philippines, found links between Indians and Aboriginal Australians. The study, published in US journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on 14 January 2013, found genetic links between Aborigines from the Northern Territory and Indians that pre-dated European arrival in Australia – going back between 4000 and 5000 years. January 15 January 16 January 17 A birth control law came into effect in the Philippines on 17 January 2013. The law requires government health centers to hand out free condoms and birth control pills, benefiting the country's poor who would not otherwise have access, and mandates that sex education be taught in schools. January 18 January 19 January 20 Maria Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, second female President of the Philippines, served from 20 January 2001 until her term ended on 30 June 2010. January 21 January 22 January 23 January 24 January 25 January 26 January 27 January 28 January 29 January 30 The Department of International Relations and Cooperation on 30 January 2013 hosted the inaugural meeting of the Philippines-South Africa Bilateral Consultative Forum (BCF). The BCF serves as an instrument for structured bilateral consultations with the aim of advancing cooperation between the two countries. January 31

February

February 1 February 2 Current Constitution of the Philippines, known as 1987 Constitution, was approved on February 2, 1987. The Constitution establishes the Philippines as a “democratic and republican State”, where “sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them”. February 3 February 4 February 5 February 6 February 7 February 8 February 9 February 10 February 11 February 12 February 13 February 14 February 15 February 16 February 17 February 18 February 19 February 20 February 21 Filipino drama film A Lullaby to the Sorrowful Mystery won the Silver Bear Alfred Bauer prize at the 66th Berlin International Film Festival on 21 February 2016. February 22 February 23 February 24 February 25 Corazon Aquino became the first woman President of the Philippines on February 25, 1986. She was considered an icon of democracy. February 26 February 27 February 28 February 29

March

March 1 March 2 March 3 March 4 March 5 March 6 March 7 March 8 March 9 March 10 March 11 March 12 March 13 March 14 March 15 March 16 The Philippines opened a $1.2 billion giant casino on 16 March 2013 that is expected to jumpstart Philippine tourism industry that lags behind its neighbors. March 17 March 18 Filipino Nora Aunor won the Best Actress award for her performance in Thy Womb and Eddie Garcia won the Best Actor award for Bwakaw at the 7th Asian Film Awards in Hong Kong on 18 March 2013. March 19 Albay in the Philippines, the biosphere reserve that covers some 250,000 hectares, was added to the list of UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves on 19 March 2016. The list recognizes regions that have maintained a healthy economy while hanging on to significant environmental values. Filipino actress Shamaine Buencamino was named Best Supporting Actress at the 6th Asian Film Awards for her performance in the movie Niño. The awards ceremony took place on 19 March 2012 in Hong Kong. March 20 March 21 March 22 March 23 March 24 March 25 March 26 March 27 The Philippines qualified for the Asian Cup men's football championship finals for the first time on 27 March 2018 with a 2-1 win over Tajikistan. Filipino actress Eugene Domingo won the award for Best Actress at the 8th annual Asian Film Awards in Macau on 27 March 2014. Credit rating agency Fitch Ratings raised the Philippines' credit rating to investment grade on 27 March 2013, a first for the Southeast Asian nation, in a move expected to boost investment and lift the country's long-term growth potential. March 28 Filipino producer Marty Syjuco’s Give Up Tomorrow, a documentary based on one of the most infamous criminal cases of the ’90s in the Philippines, was presented with the Audience Choice VARA Award at the 2012 Movies That Matter Film Festival held in The Hague, Netherlands. March 29 March 30 March 31

April

April 1 April 2 April 3 April 4 April 5 April 6 April 7 April 8 April 9 April 10 The United States aviation regulator upgraded the civil aviation status of the Philippines on 10 April 2014 to let its airlines operate new direct flights to the United States while the European Union partially lifted a ban on the entry of Philippine planes after aviation authorities in Manila addressed safety concerns. The decisions removed obstacles to a robust flow of tourists and trade between the US and Europe and the Philippines. April 11 April 12 April 13 April 14 April 15 April 16 Edwin Gariguez from the Philippines won the 2012 Goldman Environmental Prize, considered as the Nobel Prize for grassroots environmentalism, on 16 April 2012. Edwin was awarded for leading a grassroots movement against a large-scale nickel mine to protect Mindoro Island’s biodiversity and its indigenous people. April 17 April 18 April 19 Elisea Bebet Gillera Gozun from Philippines was named one of the recipients of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Champions of the Earth Award on 19 April 2007. Gozun was awarded for pushing forward the environmental agenda at different levels in Philippines. She was also committed to better solid waste management system in the Philippines. April 20 April 21 Four new species of freshwater crab, bright purple in color, were discovered in the biologically diverse but ecologically-threatened Philippines, according to an announcement on 21 April 2012. April 22 April 23 Manny Calonzo of the Philippines was named as the winner of the 2018 Goldman Prize Islands and Island Nations for spearheading an advocacy campaign that persuaded the Philippine government to enact a national ban on the production, use, and sale of lead paint. April 24 April 25 April 26 April 27 April 28 April 29 April 30

May

May 1 May 2 Filipino actor Jericho Rosales bagged the Best Actor/Outstanding Acting Achievement award at the Newport Beach Film Festival 2013 for "Alagwa" ("Breakaway"), a film about human trafficking which he also co-produced. May 3 Information and Communications Technology Office of the Philippines won the 2016 WSIS Prize for its project Technology for Education, Employment, Entrepreneurs, and Economic Development Project. May 4 May 5 May 6 May 7 May 8 May 9 Twenty-six Philippine hotels, resorts, and various tourism industry associations have received skills development grants, administered by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and funded by the Government of Canada, to upgrade the quality of services of their respective tourism workers. May 10 Domyson Dulay Abuan and Ysabel Victoriano of the Philippines won the first and second prizes respectively at the 2017 Global Education Monitoring Report's youth photo competition. Filipinos witnessed a new page in the Philippines' history following the successful completion of the country's first computerized general election on May 10, 2010. May 11 May 12 May 13 May 14 Telecentre.org Foundation from the Philippines won a World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Project Prize in Geneva, Switzerland, for their project Telecentre.org Community Learning Programme in the category of Cultural diversity and identity, linguistic diversity and local content at a prize ceremony held on 14 May 2012. May 15 The Philippines signed a defense deal with Germany to expand their cooperation in weapons, logistics and cybersecurity, Manila’s defence ministry announced on 15 May 2025. The San Carlos Solar Energy Inc. (Sacasol), the first large-scale commercially financed and commissioned solar power plant in the Philippines, officially started operations on 15 May 2014. May 16 May 17 May 18 Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte on 18 May 2017 signed an executive order banning smoking in public in the Philippines. May 19 May 20 May 21 May 22 Veteran actress Jaclyn Jose became the first Filipino to win the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival for her performance in Ma' Rosa on 22 May 2016. May 23 May 24 May 25 May 26 May 27 The United Nations awarded one fallen peacekeeper from the Philippines posthumously with the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal on 27 May 2021. May 28 May 29 May 30 May 31

June

June 1 June 2 June 3 June 4 June 5 June 6 The Philippines and East Timor signed three agreements on education, infrastructure development and defense following a visit by East Timor’s Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao to Philippine President Benigno Aquino III on 6 June 2013 in Manila. June 7 June 8 June 9 June 10 June 11 The WHO on 11 June 2021 declared the Philippines polio-free once again as no cases of polio have been detected for 16 months, following a massive immunisation campaign. June 12 June 13 June 14 June 15 June 16 June 17 June 18 June 19 June 20 The Philippines financial capital Makati City imposed ban on disposable plastic shopping bags and Styrofoam food containers in 2013, as part of escalating efforts across the nation's capital to curb rubbish that exacerbates deadly flooding. June 21 The Philippines destroyed five tonnes of elephant tusks on 21 June 2013 in a landmark event aimed at shedding its image as one of the world's worst hotspots for illegal African ivory trading. The Philippines became the first in Asia to eliminate its multi-million-dollar stockpile. June 22 June 23 June 24 June 25 Filipino movie Pedicab, directed by Paolo Villaluna from the Philippines, was named as the winner of the Golden Goblet trophy for Best Film at the 2017 Shanghai International Film Festival. June 26 Online news website Rappler from the Philippine was awarded the Most bizarre fact-check award by the Poynter Institute for Media Studies' International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) on 26 June 2020 for debunking a video that falsely claimed to suggest a novel remedy for treating COVID-19. June 27 June 28 June 29 June 30

July

July 1 July 2 July 3 In the Philippines, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) on 3 July 2012 signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) to ensure the participation of country’s indigenous peoples in electoral processes particularly in next year’s national and local elections. July 4 Journalist Patricia Evangelista from the Philippines on 4 July 2014 won the Agence France Presse (AFP)'s Kate Webb Prize for her compelling reports on conflict and disaster in her native Philippines. July 5 July 6 July 7 July 8 July 9 July 10 July 11 A team of international scientists, including researchers from the Philippines, has developed the world's first vaccine against dengue fever seen to provide moderate protection in large-scale trials. Their study was published in the Lancet journal on 11 July 2014. July 12 July 13 Filipino students won four medals, 1 Silver and 3 Bronzes, and two honorable mentions in the prestigious 2014 International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) held in Cape Town, South Africa. July 14 July 15 The Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on 15 July 2019 signed into law a bill which will impose heftier penalties for gender-based sexual harassment including catcalling and wolf-whistling in public spaces. Gloria Diaz from the Philippines won the 1969 Miss Universe contest at the age of 18. Gloria became the first Philippine and the third Asian to win the Miss Universe title. July 16 July 17 July 18 July 19 Xavier University from the Philippines with their I am Mindanao campaign won the fourth prize at the Peer to Peer: Facebook Global Digital Challenge spring 2017 in Washington. July 20 July 21 The 40-year-old Filipino boxing star Manny Pacquiao beat Keith Thurman on points to win WBA world welterweight title on 21 July 2019 and became the oldest welterweight champion in history. Margarita Moran from the Philippines won the Miss Universe title in 1973 at the age of 19. Margarita was the second Miss Universe from the Philippines. July 22 July 23 July 24 July 25 Ernesto Domingo from the Philippines was announced as of one of the recipients of the prestigious 2013 Ramon Magsaysay Award for his exemplary embrace of the social mission of medical science and his profession, his steadfast leadership in pursuing ‘health for all’ as a shared moral responsibility of all sectors, and his groundbreaking and successful advocacy for neonatal hepatitis vaccination, thereby saving millions of lives in the Philippines. The Ramon Magsaysay Award is often considered Asia's Nobel Prize. The Philippines and the Czech Republic signed a Cultural Agreement on 25 July 2013 at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila. The Agreement aims to develop cooperation between the two states in the fields of Culture, Education, Science and Sports. July 26 Filipino weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz won the first Olympic gold medal for the Philippines on 26 July 2021, ending the country's 97-year Olympic drought with her win at the Tokyo Olympic. Romulo Davide from the Philippines was announced as of one of the recipients of the prestigious 2012 Ramon Magsaysay Award for his steadfast passion in placing the power and discipline of science in the hands of farmers in the Philippines, who have consequently multiplied their yields, created productive farming communities, and rediscovered the dignity of their labor. The Ramon Magsaysay Award is often considered Asia's Nobel Prize. July 27 Conchita Carpio Morales of the Philippines won the prestigious 2016 Ramon Magsaysay Award for her fight against corruptions. July 28 July 29 Ligaya Fernando-Amilbangsa of the Philippines was announced as of one of the recipients of the prestigious 2015 Ramon Magsaysay Award for her single-minded crusade in preserving the endangered artistic heritage of southern Philippines, and in creatively propagating a dance form that celebrates and deepens the sense of shared cultural identity among Asians. July 30 July 31 Irene Santiago from the Philippines was announced as one of the winners of the N-Peace Awards on 31 July 2013 for her works with women from poor communities in Davao City. N-Peace is a multi-country network of peace advocates in Asia seeking to advance Women, Peace & Security (WPS) issues.

August

August 1 August 2 August 3 August 4 Alexandra Eala became the first Filipino tennis player to win a WTA singles title as she beat top seed Jessica Pegula 4-6 6-4 6-0 at the 2026 Washington Open final. August 5 August 6 The Philippines on 6 August 2013 added a new warship to its fleet, a decommissioned U.S. Coast Guard cutter renamed Philippine navy frigate BRP Ramon Alcaraz. August 7 August 8 August 9 The BluBLOC Varsity Team of the Ateneo de Manila Junior High School in the Philippines won the Think Award in the Future Innovators – Junior High School category at the World Robot Olympiad (WRO) Korea 2026 in Cheongju. August 10 August 11 August 12 August 13 August 14 August 15 August 16 August 17 August 18 August 19 A new species of tarsier is discovered on the small island of Dinagat in the Philippines, as revealed on 19 August 2014. August 20 August 21 Hidilyn Diaz of the Philippines won gold in Women's 53kg Weightlifting at the 18th Asian Games in Indonesia on 21 August 2018. August 22 August 23 August 24 August 25 August 26 Yuka Saso of the Philippines won gold in Women's Individual Golf at the 18th Asian Games in Indonesia on 26 August 2018. August 27 August 28 August 29 August 30 August 31 Roberto Ballon, a isherman from Southern Philippines who has led a community in restoring their rich aquatic resources and their primary source of livelihood, won the prestigious 2021 Ramon Magsaysay Award, regarded as Asia's equivalent to Nobel Prize.

September

September 1 September 2 Filipino biologists have discovered a new species of freshwater crab, named Sundathelphusa miguelito, in a lake in Mindanao island in the southern Philippines, as revealed on 2 September 2017. September 3 September 4 September 5 September 6 September 7 September 8 September 9 September 10 The Woman Who Left, a revenge drama from the Philippines, won the Golden Lion award for Best Film at the 73rd Venice Film Festival on 10 September 2016. September 11 September 12 Director Lav Diaz from the Philippines won the Orizzonti Award for Best Director at the 77th Venice Film Festival on 12 September 2020 for the film GENUS PAN. September 13 September 14 September 15 September 16 September 17 September 18 September 19 Cris Kesz Valdez, a young Filipino who lived off a rubbish dump and slept in an open tomb, won the 2012 International Children’s Peace Prize for the work of his "Championing Community Children" charity to improve the rights of his fellow street kids. September 20 September 21 September 22 September 23 September 24 September 25 September 26 Joan Carling, an indigenous rights activist and environmental defender from the Philippines, was recognised with the lifetime achievement award at the the 2018 UN Champions of the Earth Awards for her work as one of the world’s most prominent defenders of environmental and indigenous rights. September 27 September 28 Miss Philippines, Megan Young, was crowned Miss World 2013 in a glittering finale on the Indonesian resort island of Bali. It was the first ever Miss World title for the Philippines. September 29 September 30

October

October 1 Daniel Patrick Caluag of the Philippines won gold in the Cycling BMX event at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games. October 2 October 3 October 4 October 5 October 6 October 7 The Philippine government and the country's largest Muslim rebels agreed on a deal on 7 October 2012 to end a 40-year conflict that has killed more than 120,000 people, paving the way for a political and economic revival of the country's troubled south. October 8 The Nobel Peace Prize 2021 was awarded jointly to Maria Ressa of the Philippines and Dmitry Andreyevich Muratov of Russia for their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace. October 9 October 10 October 11 October 12 October 13 October 14 October 15 October 16 October 17 October 18 October 19 October 20 October 21 The Philippines took eighth spot at the Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2015 list, as announced on 21 October 2014. October 22 Ms. Nora Aunor of the Philippines won the prestigious 2015 Gusi Peace Prize in the International Excellence in Performing Arts & Cinema category. October 23 October 24 “Reel Time: Bone Dry”, a documentary made by GMA News TV of the Philippines highlighting child malnutrition in Philippines - where 2 out of 10 children are undernourished, won the 2013 UNICEF Asia-Pacific Child Rights Award for broadcasting. October 25 October 26 October 27 Deo Florence Onda of the Philippines was awarded the 2016 Green Talent prize by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research for his research focus on marine microbial ecology, with emphasis on elucidating eukaryotic microbial diversity, biogeography and their potential roles in different ecological processes.. Filipino model Kylie Verzosa was crowned Miss International 2016 in the coronation held at Tokyo Dome City Hall in Tokyo, Japan on 27 October 2016. The Philippines was elected as a council member of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) on 27 October 2014 for four years from the East Asia & Australasia region. ITU is the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies. October 28 October 29 October 30 Mayor Josefina Belmonte of Quezon City, Philippines, was honoured with the 2023 Champions of the Earth award in the Policy Leadership category, for driving environmental and social action through a raft of policies to combat the climate crisis, end plastic pollution and green the urban enclave. October 31

November

November 1 November 2 The Philippines was ranked as the world‘s tenth most gender-equal country, according to the World Economic Forum‘s Global Gender Gap index published on 2 November 2017. November 3 November 4 The Philippines signed an agreement with Spain on the mutual protection of classified information in the field of defense, Manila’s Department of National Defense announced on 4 November 2021. November 5 November 6 November 7 Hadja Giobay Diocolano of the Philippines won the 2017 N-Peace Award in Untold Stories category for her determination to highlight the importance of women’s participation in peace-keeping. November 8 Filipino journalist Inday Espina-Varona won the Reporters Without Borders’ 2018 Prize for Independence for her extensive reporting on sensitive issues. November 9 Karla Henry from the Philippines won the Miss Earth 2008 and became the first Philippine representative and the first in the Asian region to win that title. November 10 November 11 Filipino singer and TV personality Sarah Geronimo was awarded the Best Asian Performer prize at the 2016 Classic Rock Awards in Japan. November 12 Binalot Fiesta Foods Inc. from the Philippines was presented with the Green Apple Awards 2012 for Environmental Best Practice in the Far East Islands category. November 13 Filipino author Miguel Syjuco was named the winner of the 2008 Man Asian Literary Prize for his novel Ilustrado, a fictional account of a young Filipino caught within a notorious scandal spanning over the Philippine history. The Man Asian Literary Prize was established in 2006 to bring greater worldwide attention to Asian writing and authors. November 14 The Philippines ranked 13th at the Freedom on the Net 2016 index compiled by Freedom House. This index is compiled based on the extent of freedom the citizens of 65 countries experienced on the Internet. November 15 The Philippines and 14 other countries on 15 November 2020 agreed to form the world’s largest free trade bloc, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), at a virtual ASEAN Summit. November 16 November 17 November 18 November 19 November 20 November 21 November 22 November 23 November 24 November 25 November 26 November 27 November 28 November 29 After three decades of hard work and collaboration with partners, the Philippines, has achieved Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Elimination (MNTE) status, as announced on 29 November 2017. November 30

December

December 1 December 2 December 3 African and Asian states, including the Philippines, reached a deal in Botswana on 3 December 2013 to crack down on the illegal ivory trade. The agreement was reached at the African Elephant Summit convened by the government of Botswana and IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). December 4 Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is located in the Philippines was included as World Heritage Site by UNESCO on December 4, 1999. The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park features a spectacular limestone karst landscape with its underground river. December 5 The Philippines and Myanmar on 5 December 2013 signed agreements on bilateral cooperation in food security, renewable energy, visa exemption for Filipinos to Myanmar, trade, and investment during the state visit of Myanmar President Thein Sein in the Philippines. The Philippines has already extended the same visa exemption arrangement to citizens of Myanmar ahead of the signing of the agreement. December 6 December 7 December 8 December 9 December 10 December 11 December 12 December 13 December 14 December 15 December 16 The Philippines secured a $300 million loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on 16 December 2014 in order to support sweeping reforms to the school system, with a focus on the addition of two years of senior high school. December 17 Catriona Gray of the Philippines was crowned Miss Universe 2018 at the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand. Bea Rose Santiago of the Philippines was crowned the Miss International title at the 53rd edition of the Miss International beauty pageant on 17 December 2013. December 18 December 19 December 20 Miss Philippines Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach was crowned as the 2015 Miss Universe at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. December 21 The President of the Philippines Benigno Aquino on 21 December 2012 signed a law imposing up to life imprisonment for state agents convicted of being involved in enforced disappearances. December 22 December 23 December 24 December 25 December 26 December 27 December 28 December 29 December 30 December 31

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