History of Philippines in Timeline

The Philippines is a Southeast Asian archipelagic nation located in the western Pacific Ocean. Comprising 7,641 islands spread across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, its total area is approximately 300,000 square kilometers. With a population exceeding 110 million, it ranks as the world's twelfth most populous country.

1900: Forest cover

In 1900 forest cover was 70% of the Philippines total land area.

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

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

1919: Release of the first Filipino-produced feature film

In 1919, the first Filipino-produced feature film, "Dalagang Bukid (A Girl from the Country)," directed by Jose Nepomuceno, was released.

1924: Philippines participates in Summer Olympic Games

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

1933: Emergence of sound films and larger productions

In 1933, sound films and larger productions began to emerge in the Philippine film industry.

1934: Tydings-McDuffie Act Granted

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

1935: Commonwealth of the Philippines creation

In 1935, the Commonwealth of the Philippines was created with Manuel Quezon as president and Sergio Osmeña as vice president.

1935: Republic of the Philippines Official Title

In 1935, the official title "Republic of the Philippines" was included in the constitution as the name of the future independent state.

December 1941: Empire of Japan invades the Philippines

In December 1941, during World War II, the Empire of Japan invaded the Philippines.

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, the Philippine resistance and Allied troops defeated the Japanese.

October 11, 1945: Philippines founding member of United Nations

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

July 4, 1946: Philippine Independence Recognized

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

1946: Women's Suffrage in the Philippines

During the Commonwealth period of 1935-1946, women's suffrage was introduced, signifying a progressive step towards gender equality in the Philippines. This gave women the right to vote and participate in the country's political processes.

1946: Philippines becomes independent

In 1946, after being retaken from the Japanese by the United States, the Philippines became independent.

1948: Philippine population recorded

In 1948, the population of the Philippines was recorded at 19 million, marking the beginning of a significant increase.

1951: Mutual Defense Treaty signed

In 1951, a Mutual Defense Treaty between the Philippines and the United States was signed, marking a significant agreement for security cooperation between the two countries.

1962: Decline in quality films

The 1962–1971 decade saw a decline in quality films, although the commercial film industry expanded until the 1980s.

1963: Science high schools established

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

1965: Macapagal loses presidential election

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

1967: Philippines becomes largest global supplier of nurses

Since 1967, the Philippines had become the largest global supplier of nurses, with seventy percent of nursing graduates going overseas to work.

1969: Marcos reelected

In 1969, Ferdinand Marcos was reelected as president.

1971: Decline in quality films

The 1962–1971 decade saw a decline in quality films, although the commercial film industry expanded until the 1980s.

September 21, 1972: Marcos declares martial law

On September 21, 1972, Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law using the specter of communism and began to rule by decree.

1972: Martial Law Declared

In 1972, Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law, marking the beginning of a period characterized by dictatorship.

1972: Philippines debuts at Winter Olympic Games

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

1973: Oil crisis

Plans to harness nuclear energy began during the early 1970s during the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos in response to the 1973 oil crisis.

1975: Philippines values relations with China

Since 1975, the Philippines has valued its relations with China, which has become its top trading partner, leading to significant cooperation between the two countries.

1976: Earthquake in the Moro Gulf

In 1976, a major earthquake occurred in the Moro Gulf.

1979: Origin of Filipino hip-hop

Filipino hip-hop originated in 1979.

1980: Philippines supports boycott of Summer Olympics

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

1981: End of Martial Law

Martial law, which had been in place since 1972, ended in 1981, though the country remained under Ferdinand Marcos's rule.

1982: Release of critically acclaimed films

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

August 21, 1983: Assassination of Benigno Aquino Jr.

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

1984: Nuclear power plant

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

1984: Economic recession

In 1984, the economy contracted by 7.3 percent annually.

1985: Poverty rate recorded

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

1985: Economic recession

In 1985, the economy contracted by 7.3 percent annually.

1986: People Power Revolution

In 1986, the People Power Revolution forced Marcos and his allies to flee to Hawaii, and Corazon Aquino was installed as president.

1986: Return of democracy

In 1986, the return of democracy and government reforms were hampered by national debt, government corruption, and coup attempts.

1986: Chernobyl disaster

The 1986 Chernobyl disaster prevented the commissioning of the nuclear power plant in Bataan, Philippines, due to safety concerns.

1986: Democracy return

The CPP-NPA shrinking militarily and politically after the return of democracy in 1986

1987: Constitution of the Fifth Republic enacted

In 1987, after returning to democracy, the constitution of the Fifth Republic was enacted and the country has been governed as a unitary presidential republic since.

1990: Mainstream entry of Filipino hip-hop

In 1990, Filipino hip-hop entered the mainstream music scene.

1990: Earthquake on Luzon

In 1990, a major earthquake occurred on Luzon.

1990: Progress in sanitation improvement begins

The Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation noted "good progress" was being made between 1990 and 2015 in improving sanitation access in the Philippines.

June 1991: Eruption of Mount Pinatubo

In June 1991, the eruption of Mount Pinatubo occurred.

1991: Devolution of Powers

In 1991, a law devolved some powers to local governments in the Philippines, marking steps towards decentralization.

1995: Military Modernization Program

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

1996: Peace agreement with Moro National Liberation Front

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

1996: First satellite purchase

In 1996, the Philippines bought its first satellite, marking the beginning of its space program.

1997: Onset of the 1997 Asian financial crisis

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

1999: Forest cover

In 1999 forest cover was about 18.3 percent of the Philippines total land area.

1999: Visiting Forces Agreement

In 1999, the Visiting Forces Agreement supplemented the Mutual Defense Treaty between the Philippines and the United States, further enhancing their security cooperation.

2000: Jade artifacts found

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

January 20, 2001: Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's succession

On January 20, 2001, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo succeeded Joseph Estrada as president.

2003: Designated a major non-NATO ally

In 2003, the Philippines was designated a major non-NATO ally by the United States, signifying a strengthened strategic partnership.

2003: Sought observer status

Since 2003, the country has sought to obtain observer status in the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

2004: Electoral fraud allegations during the 2004 presidential election

Arroyo's nine-year administration was tainted by electoral fraud allegations during the 2004 presidential election.

2004: Alternative education offered

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

2007: SMS messages

In 2007, the Philippines sent an average of one billion SMS messages per day, demonstrating a high level of mobile communication.

2009: National Grid Corporation

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 growth

By 2010, the population of the Philippines had increased almost fivefold, reaching 92 million from 19 million in 1948.

2010: P-pop influenced by K-pop and J-pop

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

2010: Percentage of Protestants in the Philippines

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

2010: Economic Growth

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

2010: Philippines entered into the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement

The Philippines entered into the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement in 2010.

2012: Boracay named best island

In 2012, Travel + Leisure called Boracay the best island in the world.

2012: Decline in income inequality begins

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

2012: Scarborough Shoal standoff

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

2012: Military Modernization Program Expanded

In 2012, the military modernization program that began in 1995 was expanded to further develop a more capable defense system for the Philippines.

2013: Philippines has third-largest 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 with Moro Islamic Liberation Front

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

2015: Joint Monitoring Programme reports on sanitation improvements

In 2015, the Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation reported that 74% of the Philippine population had access to improved sanitation, marking "good progress" between 1990 and 2015.

2015: Gold production

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

2016: National Geographic project on Philippine genetic markers

A 2016 National Geographic project determined the genetic markers of people living in the Philippine archipelago were: 53% Southeast Asia and Oceania, 36% Eastern Asia, 5% Southern Europe, 3% Southern Asia, and 2% Native American.

2016: Household access to drinking water and toilet facilities

As of 2016, 96% of Filipino households had access to an improved source of drinking water and 92% had sanitary toilet facilities, although sewerage systems were still insufficient, particularly in poor communities.

2016: Election of Rodrigo Duterte

Growing public frustration with post-EDSA governance led to the 2016 election of populist Rodrigo Duterte.

2016: Diwata-1 launch

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

2016: Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement

In 2016, the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement supplemented the Mutual Defense Treaty between the Philippines and the United States, to further improve security.

2017: Air domestic market

The 2017 air domestic market in Philippines was dominated by Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific.

December 2018: Road network

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

2018: Establishment of 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, which it planned to expand to 244 kilometers.

2019: Higher education institutions recorded

In 2019, the Philippines had 1,975 higher education institutions, of which 246 were public and 1,729 were private.

2019: Literacy rates in the Philippines

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 enactment

In 2019, the Universal Health Care Act was enacted by President Duterte, leading to the automatic enrollment of all Filipinos in the national health insurance program.

2019: Tourism jobs

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

May 1, 2020: Philippine Population Exceeds 109 Million

As of May 1, 2020, the Philippines' population reached 109,035,343, with over 60% residing in coastal areas and 54% in urban areas.

May 2020: Philippine government denial of ABS-CBN franchise renewal

In May 2020, the Philippine government denied the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN, which had been the country's largest television network.

2020: Census data on religious affiliation in the Philippines

According to the 2020 census, 78.8 percent of the Philippine population identified as Roman Catholic.

2020: Islam as the second-largest religion

According to the 2020 census, Islam is the second-largest religion in the Philippines, with 6.4 percent of the population.

2020: Census data on ethnic groups in the Philippines

According to 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), Bikol (6.5 percent), and Waray (3.8 percent).

2020: Population Statistics

As of 2020, Calabarzon was the region with the greatest population in the Philippines, while the National Capital Region (NCR) was the most densely populated.

2020: Main export/import markets

As of 2020, the country's main export markets were China, the United States, Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Its primary import markets that year were China, Japan, South Korea, the United States, and Indonesia.

2020: Languages spoken at home in the Philippines

As of 2020, the most commonly spoken languages at home in the Philippines are Tagalog, Binisaya, Hiligaynon, Ilocano, Cebuano, and Bikol.

2020: P-pop influenced by K-pop and J-pop

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

2020: COVID-19 pandemic

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

2021: Household electrification level

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

2021: Poverty rate decreases

By 2021, the Philippines had reduced its poverty rate to 18.1 percent, a significant decrease from 49.2 percent in 1985.

2021: Philippines wins first Olympic gold medal

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

2021: Power capacity

In 2021, the Philippines had a total installed power capacity of 26,882 MW, with a significant portion generated from coal, oil, hydropower, natural gas, and geothermal sources.

2021: Dito Telecommunity Entry

In 2021, the entry of Dito Telecommunity improved the Philippines' telecommunications service, which had been dominated by the PLDT-Globe Telecom duopoly for more than two decades.

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: Water withdrawals

In 2021, the total water withdrawals in Philippines was 89 billion cubic meters.

2021: Tourism contribution to GDP

In 2021, tourism contributed 5.2 percent to the Philippine GDP, which was lower than the 12.7 percent in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic.

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

In January 2022, the Philippines women's national football team 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: Government owned airports

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

2022: Election of Bongbong Marcos

In 2022 Bongbong Marcos won the election.

2022: Second biggest exporter of nickel ore

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

2022: Philippines listed as 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: Per-capita health expenditure

In 2022, the per-capita health expenditure in the Philippines was ₱10,059.49, with health expenditures accounting for 5.5 percent of the country's GDP.

2022: Water withdrawals increased

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

2023: Forest cover in the Philippines

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

2023: Labor force and unemployment rate

As of 2023, the Philippine labor force was around 50 million, and its unemployment rate was 3.1 percent.

2023: Average life expectancy in the Philippines

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

2023: Education budget allocation

As of 2023, the education sector in the Philippines was allocated ₱900.9 billion from the ₱5.268 trillion national budget. Also, the country had 1,640 public libraries affiliated with the National Library of the Philippines.

2023: American citizens living in the Philippines

As of 2023, there are almost 300,000 American citizens living in the Philippines.

2023: Military Spending

In 2023, US$477 million (1.4 percent of GDP) was spent on the Philippine military, primarily focused on the Philippine Army's operations against internal threats.

2023: Protected areas

In 2023, protected areas were expanded to 7,790,000 hectares.

2023: Overseas remittances

In 2023, remittances from overseas Filipinos reached a record US$37.20 billion, accounting for 8.5 percent of the Philippine GDP.

2023: International visitors

In 2023, the Philippines attracted 5.45 million international visitors.

2023: Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership FTA

In 2023, the Philippines entered into the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership free trade agreement (FTA).

2023: Budget allocation for healthcare

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

2023: Women's national football team participates in World Cup

The Philippines women's national football team participated in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, their first World Cup.

January 2024: Gross International Reserves

As of January 2024, the Philippines' gross international reserves totaled US$103.406 billion.

2024: Global Peace Index Ranking

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

2025: Estimated Nominal GDP

The Philippines' estimated 2025 nominal gross domestic product is US$507.7 billion, making it the world's 34th largest economy.

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