History of Philippines in Timeline

The Philippines is an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia, situated in the western Pacific Ocean. It comprises approximately 7,641 islands, covering a total area of about 300,000 square kilometers. These islands are geographically divided into three main regions: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, from north to south. With a population exceeding 114 million, the Philippines ranks as the world's twelfth-most-populous country.

1900: Forest cover was 70 percent of the Philippines' total land area in 1900

Forest cover was 70 percent of the Philippines' total land area in 1900. Logging had been systemized during the American colonial period and deforestation continued after independence.

1902: American civilian government established

After the fall of the First Philippine Republic in 1902, an American civilian government was established with the Philippine Organic Act.

1911: Wettest recorded typhoon to hit the Philippines

The wettest recorded typhoon to hit the Philippines dropped 2,210 millimeters in Baguio from July 14 to 18, 1911.

1919: First Filipino-produced feature film

In 1919, the first Filipino-produced feature film, Dalagang Bukid, directed by Jose Nepomuceno, was released, marking the beginning of local film-making.

1924: Participation in Summer Olympic Games

Since 1924, the Philippines has participated in every Summer Olympic Games, except for the 1980 boycott.

1933: Emergence of sound films

In 1933, sound films and larger productions emerged in the Philippines, following the silent film era.

1934: Tydings–McDuffie Act granted a ten-year transition to independence

In 1934, the Tydings–McDuffie Act granted a ten-year transition to independence through the creation of the Commonwealth of the Philippines.

1935: Commonwealth of the Philippines creation; Quezon president

In 1935, the Commonwealth of the Philippines was established with Manuel Quezon as president and Sergio Osmeña as vice president. Filipino became the national language, women's suffrage was introduced, and land reform was considered.

December 1941: Empire of Japan invaded the Philippines

In December 1941, during World War II, the Empire of Japan invaded the Philippines, and the Second Philippine Republic was established as a puppet state governed by Jose P. Laurel.

1942: Japanese occupation of the Philippines

Beginning in 1942, the Japanese occupation of the Philippines was opposed by large-scale underground guerrilla activity.

1944: Philippine resistance and Allied troops defeated the Japanese

In 1944 and 1945, the Philippine resistance and Allied troops defeated the Japanese.

October 11, 1945: The Philippines became a founding member of the United Nations

On October 11, 1945, the Philippines became a founding member of the United Nations.

July 4, 1946: Philippine independence recognized by the United States

On July 4, 1946, during the presidency of Manuel Roxas, the country's independence was recognized by the United States with the Treaty of Manila.

1946: Women's suffrage introduced

During the Commonwealth period in 1946, the introduction of women's suffrage signifies a progressive step towards gender equality in the Philippines.

1946: Philippines became independent

In 1946, after the United States retook the Philippines from the Japanese after World War II, the Philippines became independent.

1948: Philippine Population Size

In 1948, the population of the Philippines was 19 million.

1951: Mutual Defense Treaty signed with the United States

In 1951, the Philippines and the United States signed a Mutual Defense Treaty, highlighting the strong security relationship between the two countries.

1962: Decline in quality films

The decade from 1962 saw a decline in quality films in the Philippines, despite the commercial film industry expanding.

1963: Establishment of Science High Schools

In 1963, science high schools for talented students were established in the Philippines.

1965: Macapagal lost the presidential election to Ferdinand Marcos

In 1965, Macapagal lost the presidential election to Ferdinand Marcos.

1967: Global Supplier of Nurses

Since 1967, the Philippines had become the largest global supplier of nurses.

1969: Marcos reelected in 1969

Early in his presidency, Marcos began infrastructure projects funded mostly by foreign loans and that contributed to his reelection in 1969.

1971: Decline in quality films

The decade until 1971 saw a decline in quality films in the Philippines, despite the commercial film industry expanding.

September 21, 1972: Marcos declared martial law

Near the end of his last constitutionally-permitted term, Marcos declared martial law on September 21, 1972, using the specter of communism and began to rule by decree.

1972: Debut at Winter Olympic Games

In 1972, the Philippines debuted at the Winter Olympic Games, becoming the first tropical nation to compete.

1973: Plans to harness nuclear energy began

In 1973, during the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos, plans to harness nuclear energy began in the Philippines in response to the oil crisis.

1975: Philippines valued its relations with China

Since 1975, the Philippines has valued its relations with China, its top trading partner, and cooperates significantly with the country.

1976: Earthquake in the Moro Gulf

The Philippines has frequent seismic and volcanic activity. The last major earthquakes were in 1976 in the Moro Gulf and in 1990 on Luzon.

1979: Filipino Hip-Hop Origin

Filipino hip-hop originated in 1979.

1980: Boycott of Summer Olympics

In 1980, the Philippines supported the American-led boycott of the Summer Olympics.

1982: Release of critically acclaimed films

In 1982, critically acclaimed Philippine films, including Himala (Miracle) and Oro, Plata, Mata (Gold, Silver, Death), were released.

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August 21, 1983: Benigno Aquino Jr. assassinated

On August 21, 1983, opposition leader Benigno Aquino Jr. was assassinated on the tarmac at Manila International Airport.

1984: Completion of Bataan Nuclear Power Plant

In 1984, the Philippines completed Southeast Asia's first nuclear power plant in Bataan.

1984: Economy contracted by 7.3 percent annually

Marcos's heavy borrowing early in his presidency resulted in economic crashes, exacerbated by an early 1980s recession where the economy contracted by 7.3 percent annually in 1984 and 1985.

1985: Poverty Rate

In 1985, the Philippines had a poverty rate of 49.2 percent.

1985: Economy contracted by 7.3 percent annually

Marcos's heavy borrowing early in his presidency resulted in economic crashes, exacerbated by an early 1980s recession where the economy contracted by 7.3 percent annually in 1984 and 1985.

1986: Shrinking militarily and politically of CPP-NPA

After the return of democracy in 1986, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its military wing, the New People's Army (NPA), experienced shrinking militarily and politically.

1986: Chernobyl disaster

In 1986, the Chernobyl disaster and political issues after Marcos's ouster prevented the Bataan nuclear plant from being commissioned.

1986: People Power Revolution forces Marcos to flee

Marcos called a snap presidential election in 1986 which proclaimed him the winner, but the results were widely regarded as fraudulent. The resulting protests led to the People Power Revolution, which forced Marcos and his allies to flee to Hawaii.

1986: Return of democracy and government reforms

The return of democracy and government reforms which began in 1986 were hampered by national debt, government corruption, and coup attempts.

1990: Sanitation Progress

Between 1990 and 2015 there has been good progress regarding improved sanitation.

1990: Hip-Hop Mainstream

In 1990, Filipino hip-hop entered the mainstream.

1990: Earthquake on Luzon

The Philippines has frequent seismic and volcanic activity. The last major earthquakes were in 1976 in the Moro Gulf and in 1990 on Luzon.

June 1991: Eruption of Mount Pinatubo

In June 1991, the Aquino administration faced a series of disasters, including the eruption of Mount Pinatubo.

1991: Law devolved some powers to local governments

In 1991, a law was enacted in the Philippines that devolved some powers to local governments as part of steps towards decentralization.

1995: Military modernization program began

In 1995, a military modernization program began in the Philippines to build a more capable defense system.

1996: Peace agreement signed with Moro National Liberation Front

In 1996, the Moro National Liberation Front, one of Bangsamoro's largest separatist organizations, signed a final peace agreement with the Philippine government.

1996: Philippines bought its first satellite

In 1996, the Philippines bought its first satellite as part of its space program.

1997: Onset of the 1997 Asian financial crisis

Ramos's economic gains were overshadowed by the onset of the 1997 Asian financial crisis.

1999: Forest cover declined to about 18.3 percent in 1999

Forest cover declined from 70 percent of the Philippines' total land area in 1900 to about 18.3 percent in 1999.

1999: Visiting Forces Agreement signed with the United States

In 1999, the Philippines and the United States supplemented their defense treaty with the Visiting Forces Agreement, strengthening military cooperation.

2000: Jade artifacts dated to 2000 BC

Jade artifacts have been dated to 2000 BC, with lingling-o jade items made in Luzon with raw materials from Taiwan.

January 20, 2001: Arroyo succeeds Estrada after 2001 EDSA Revolution

Joseph Estrada faced corruption allegations which led to his overthrow by the 2001 EDSA Revolution on January 20, 2001, and the succession of Vice President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

2003: Philippines designated a major non-NATO ally by the United States

In 2003, the Philippines was designated a major non-NATO ally by the United States, underscoring its importance to U.S. security interests.

2003: Sought to obtain observer status in the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation since 2003

The Philippines has sought to obtain observer status in the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation since 2003.

2004: Electoral fraud allegations during the 2004 presidential election

Arroyo's nine-year administration was marked by economic growth but was tainted by corruption and political scandals, including electoral fraud allegations during the 2004 presidential election.

2004: Alternative Education

In 2004, the government began offering alternative education to out-of-school children, youth, and adults to improve literacy; madaris were mainstreamed in 16 regions that year.

2007: Average of one billion SMS messages per day

In 2007, the Philippines sent an average of one billion SMS messages per day, highlighting its high level of cellular-phone use and mobile commerce.

2009: National Grid Corporation of the Philippines manages the country's power grid

Since 2009, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines manages the country's power grid and provides overhead transmission lines across the country's islands.

2010: Philippine Population Size

By 2010, the population of the Philippines had increased to 92 million.

2010: P-pop Influence

From 2010 to 2020, Pinoy pop (P-pop) was influenced by K-pop and J-pop.

2010: Protestant Population

In 2010, Protestants made up about 5% to 7% of the population in the Philippines.

2010: Philippines entered into the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement

In 2010, the Philippines entered into the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement as part of its economic liberalization and free trade efforts.

2010: Economic Growth Rate

Since around 2010, the Philippines has experienced an average annual growth rate of six to seven percent, making it one of the world's fastest-growing economies.

2012: Boracay called the best island in the world by Travel + Leisure

In 2012, Travel + Leisure called Boracay the best island in the world, highlighting the Philippines' appeal as a tourist destination.

2012: Decline in Income Inequality

In 2012, income inequality in the Philippines began to decline.

2012: Military modernization program expanded

In 2012, the Philippines expanded its military modernization program to further develop a more capable defense system.

2012: Scarborough Shoal standoff between Philippines and China

In 2012, the Scarborough Shoal standoff occurred after China seized the shoal from the Philippines, leading to an international arbitration case.

2013: Roman Catholic Population

As of 2013, the Philippines had the world's third-largest Roman Catholic population and was Asia's largest Christian nation.

2014: Peace agreement signed with Moro Islamic Liberation Front

In 2014, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, one of Bangsamoro's largest separatist organizations, signed a final peace agreement with the Philippine government.

2015: Sanitation Progress

In 2015, the Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation noted that 74 percent of the Philippine population had access to improved sanitation, showing good progress between 1990 and 2015.

2015: The country's gold production in 2015

The country's gold production in 2015 is 21 metric tonnes.

2016: Genetic Markers Project

A 2016 National Geographic project concluded that people living in the Philippine archipelago carried genetic markers in the following percentages: 53 percent Southeast Asia and Oceania, 36 percent East Asia, 5 percent Southern Europe, 3 percent Southern Asia, and 2 percent Native American (from Latin America).

2016: Household Access to Water and Sanitation

As of 2016, 96 percent of Filipino households had an improved source of drinking water, and 92 percent had sanitary toilet facilities, though connections to proper sewerage systems remained insufficient.

2016: Election of Rodrigo Duterte

Growing public frustration with post-EDSA governance led to the 2016 election of populist Rodrigo Duterte, whose presidency saw the decline of liberalism in the country.

2016: Diwata-1 micro-satellite launched

In 2016, Diwata-1, the Philippines' first micro-satellite, was launched on the United States' Cygnus spacecraft.

2016: Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement signed with the United States

In 2016, the Philippines and the United States signed the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, further enhancing their defense cooperation.

2017: Air domestic market

In 2017, the air domestic market in the Philippines was dominated by Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific.

December 2018: Kilometers of roads in the country

As of December 2018, there were 210,528 kilometers of roads in the Philippines, carrying 98 percent of people and 58 percent of cargo.

2018: Malasakit Centers

Since 2018, Malasakit Centers (one-stop shops) have been set up in several government-operated hospitals to provide medical and financial assistance to indigent patients.

2019: Railway Footprint

As of 2019, the Philippines had a railway footprint of only 79 kilometers.

2019: Higher Education Institutions

As of 2019, the Philippines has 1,975 higher education institutions, of which 246 are public and 1,729 are private.

2019: Literacy Rate

In 2019, the Philippines had a basic literacy rate of 93.8 percent of those five years old or older, and a functional literacy rate of 91.6 percent of those aged 10 to 64.

2019: Universal Health Care Act

In 2019, the Universal Health Care Act was enacted, facilitating the automatic enrollment of all Filipinos in the national health insurance program.

2019: Tourism provided jobs

In 2019, the tourism sector in the Philippines provided 5.7 million jobs.

May 2020: ABS-CBN Franchise Denial

In May 2020, the Philippine government denied ABS-CBN's franchise renewal, ending its run as the country's largest network.

2020: Population of Calabarzon region

As of 2020, Calabarzon was the region in the Philippines with the greatest population.

2020: Main export and import markets

As of 2020, the Philippines' main export markets were China, the United States, Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore, while its primary import markets were China, Japan, South Korea, the United States, and Indonesia. The Philippines was also the biggest importer of copra in 2020.

2020: Census Data on Religion

Census data from 2020 found that 78.8 percent of the population in the Philippines professed Roman Catholicism.

2020: P-pop Influence

From 2010 to 2020, Pinoy pop (P-pop) was influenced by K-pop and J-pop.

2020: Urban Population

In 2020, 54 percent of the population in the Philippines lived in urban areas.

2020: Languages Spoken at Home

In 2020, the top languages generally spoken at home in the Philippines were Tagalog, Binisaya, Hiligaynon, Ilocano, Cebuano, and Bikol.

2020: COVID-19 pandemic reached the Philippines

In early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic reached the Philippines, necessitating nationwide lockdowns that caused a brief but severe economic recession.

2020: Ethnic Groups Census

In the 2020 census, the largest ethnic groups in the Philippines were Tagalog (26.0 percent), Visayans (14.3 percent), Ilocano and Cebuano (both eight percent), Hiligaynon (7.9 percent), Bicolano (6.5 percent), and Waray (3.8 percent).

2021: Household electrification level

As of end-2021, the Philippines' household electrification level was about 95.41%.

2021: Poverty Rate

By 2021, the Philippines had reduced its poverty rate to 18.1 percent.

2021: First-ever Olympic gold medal

In 2021, Hidilyn Diaz won the Philippines' first-ever Olympic gold medal in weightlifting at the Tokyo Olympics.

2021: Entry of Dito Telecommunity improved the country's telecommunications service

In 2021, the entry of Dito Telecommunity improved the Philippines' telecommunications service, breaking the duopoly of PLDT-Globe Telecom.

2021: Leading Causes of Death

In 2021, the leading causes of death in the Philippines were ischaemic heart diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, COVID-19, neoplasms, and diabetes.

2021: Tourism Contribution to GDP

In 2021, tourism contributed 5.2 percent to the Philippine GDP, which was lower than the pre-pandemic level of 12.7 percent in 2019.

January 2022: Women's national football team qualified for FIFA Women's World Cup

In January 2022, the women's national football team of the Philippines qualified for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, marking their first World Cup appearance.

2022: AFP Manpower

As of 2022, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) had a total manpower of around 280,000, including active military personnel, reserves, and paramilitaries.

2022: National government-owned airports

As of 2022, the Philippines had 90 national government-owned airports, of which eight are international.

2022: Philippines listed as seventh-most-dangerous country for journalists

In 2022, the Philippines was listed as the seventh-most-dangerous country for journalists by the Committee to Protect Journalists due to 13 unsolved murders of journalists.

2022: Second biggest exporter of nickel ore

In 2022, the Philippines was the world's second biggest exporter of nickel ore.

2022: Increase in Water Withdrawals

In 2022, the total water withdrawals in the Philippines increased to 91 billion cubic meters, and total expenditures on water amounted to ₱144.81 billion.

2022: Bongbong Marcos won the 2022 election

Under a promise of continuing Duterte's policies, Marcos's son, Bongbong Marcos, ran with Duterte's daughter, Sara, and won the 2022 election.

2023: The Philippines had 7,000,000 hectares of forest cover in 2023

According to official estimates, the Philippines had 7,000,000 hectares of forest cover in 2023.

2023: American Citizens Living in the Philippines

As of 2023, almost 300,000 American citizens live in the Philippines.

2023: Average Life Expectancy

As of 2023, average life expectancy in the Philippines is 70.48 years (66.97 years for males, and 74.15 years for females).

2023: Education Budget

As of 2023, ₱900.9 billion was allocated to education from the Philippines' ₱5.268 trillion budget. The country has 1,640 public libraries affiliated with the National Library of the Philippines.

2023: Remittances from overseas Filipinos

In 2023, remittances from overseas Filipinos reached a record US$37.20 billion, contributing significantly to the country's economy.

2023: International Visitors in the Philippines

In 2023, the Philippines attracted 5.45 million international visitors, which was still lower than the pre-pandemic record of 8.26 million in 2019.

2023: Philippines entered into the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership free trade agreement (FTA)

In 2023, the Philippines entered into the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership free trade agreement (FTA) to further spur foreign direct investment.

2023: Philippine military spending

In 2023, the Philippines spent US$477 million, which is 1.4 percent of its GDP, on the military.

2023: Debt-to-GDP ratio decreased

In 2023, the Philippines' debt-to-GDP ratio decreased to 60.2 percent, indicating economic resiliency.

2023: Healthcare Budget Allocation

In 2023, the budget allocation for healthcare in the Philippines was ₱334.9 billion.

2023: Women's national football team qualified for FIFA Women's World Cup

In January 2022, the women's national football team of the Philippines qualified for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, marking their first World Cup appearance.

2023: Expanded to 7,790,000 hectares of protected areas in 2023

The Philippines has more than 200 protected areas, which was expanded to 7,790,000 hectares as of 2023.

July 2024: Philippine Population

In July 2024, the Philippines had a population of 112,729,484, with over 60 percent living in the coastal zone.

2024: Philippines ranked in Global Peace Index

In 2024, the Philippines ranked 104th out of 163 countries in the Global Peace Index.

2024: Per-capita Health Expenditure

In 2024, the per-capita health expenditure in the Philippines was ₱12,751, and health expenditures were 5.9 percent of the country's GDP.

October 2025: IMF Update

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its October 2025 update, the Philippines is the world's 33rd largest economy with a nominal gross domestic product (GDP) of $494.16 billion.