§
30,000
B.C. - Ancestors of the Negritos, the first inhabitants of the Philippines,
settle on the islands.
§
3,000
- Austronesians reach the islands on outrigger canoes.
§
A.D.
8 to 1377 - The Hindu Malay Empire based in Sumatra rules most of the Philippines.
§
1250
- The Datus from Borneo arrive in the Philippines.
§
1402
- The Chinese establish trading posts on Luzon Island.
§
1450
- Muslim missionaries arrive in Sulu.
§
March
16, 1521 - Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan reaches Cebu Island and lands
at Samar.
§
1543
- Ruy López de Villalobos names the Eastern Visayas Felipinas in honor of the
future King Phillip II of Spain, and the name is later applied to the entire
archipelago.
§
April
1565 - Miguel López de Legazpi establishes a Spanish colony on the island of
Cebu.
§
1571
- Legazpi founds Manila.
§
1593
- Doctrina Christiana is the first book published in the Philippines.
§
1595
- Manila is declared the official capital city.
§
April
28, 1611 - Dominican friars establish the University of Santo Tomas in Manila.
§
September
24, 1762 - The British occupy Manila after the Spanish defeat in the Seven
Years’ War in Europe.
§
1796
- First American trading ships visit the Philippines.
§
1800
- Governor José Basco y Vargas introduces sugarcane and tobacco as cash crops.
§
August
8, 1811 - Philippines’ first newspaper, Del Superior Gobierno, is published.
§
1834
- Manila is open to world trade and foreign investment.
§
1872
- Cavite Conspiracy happens; José Rizal, a Filipino National Hero, leads the
Propaganda Movement.
§
July
3, 1892 - Rizal founds La Liga Filipina. First railroad in Philippines opens.
§
December
30, 1896 - Rizal is executed.
§
April
21, 1898 - July 17, 1898 - United States declares war against Spain to end
Spanish rule in Cuba and the Philippines; Spain cedes the Philippines to the
U.S. for US$20 million. Emilio Aguinaldo declares Filipino independence, but
the U.S. establishes a military government in Manila.
§
January
23, 1899 - Emilio Aguinaldo is inaugurated as the first president of the
Philippines.
§
August
1901 - American teachers arrive aboard the U.S. transport ship Thomas. They are
called the Thomasites.
§
1935
- The 10-year Commonwealth Era begins. General Douglas Macarthur arrives as
military advisor to the Philippine army.
§
August
18, 1920- Women were granted suffrage and allowed to hold office.
§
1937
- Tagalog is proclaimed as an official language.
§
9
April 1942 – 17 April 1942 - Manila falls to the Japanese. General Macarthur
retreats to Australia. Captured U.S. soldiers are forced on the “Bataan Death
March” to a concentration camp in Tarlac.
§
1944
- U.S. military forces led by General Macarthur return, and the Philippine
Commonwealth is reestablished.
§
July
4, 1946 - United States grants the Philippines political independence.
§
Manuel
Roxas is inaugurated as the first president of sovereign Philippines.
§
December
30, 1965 - Ferdinand Marcos is elected president.
§
September
21, 1972 - Marcos declares martial law.
§
1981
- Pope John Paul II makes his first historic visit to Asia and the Philippines.
§
February
20, 1986 - Marcos calls for snap presidential elections, and he is deposed. He
and his wife Imelda flee the country and go into exile in Hawaii. Corazon
Aquino assumes the presidency.
§
1990
- United States grants citizenship to Filipino veterans who served in World War
II.
§
June
15, 1991 - Mt. Pinatubo erupts.
§
June
30, 1992 - Fidel Ramos is elected president. The last U.S. naval vessel leaves
Subic Bay. Imelda Marcos is convicted of corruption and sentenced to 18 years’
imprisonment.
§
May
11, 1998 - Joseph Estrada is elected president.
§
2000
- Gloria Arroyo is elected president.
§
2001
- Protests spark when Joseph Estrada is arrested.
§
2004
- Gloria Arroyo is re-elected.
§
2007
- A state of emergency is announced in response to coup rumors.
§
August
23, 2010 - General elections are held, and Benigno Aquino III, the son of
Corazon Aquino, is elected president. A hostage crisis in Manila results in
eight Hong Kong businessmen being killed. Typhoon Megi causes widespread damage
in Luzon.
§
2014
- In April, the Philippines Supreme Court approved a birth control law. In
July, the Philippines marks a milestone as a baby girl born in a Manila
hospital becomes the one hundred millionth Filipino.
§
January
25, 2015 - The Mamasapano clash was a shootout that took place during a police
operation by the Special Action Force (SAF) 44 Policemen died.
§
June
30, 2016 - Rodrigo Duterte is elected President