Immortalized in bronze,General
MacArthur wades ashore at Palo
Leyte, to drive out the Japanese
President Ferdinand Marcos,
seen here in the province of
Iloilo, some time between 1965
and 1967, sought to gain the
trust of local politicians.
- 50,000 B.C - 150 B.C, Negroid and Malay People migrate to the Philippines.
- 1150 - 1475, Islam reaches the Philippines via Borneo.
- 1521, Ferdinand Magellan lands on Samar. He brings the Catholicism to the archipelago and is killed in a battle with Lapu-lapu, cheftain of Mactan Island, Cebu.
- 1543, The archipelogo is named Las Philipinas in honor of King Philip II of Spain.
- 1565, Miguel Lopez de Legaspi arrives and 333 years of Spanish colonial rule begin.
- 1898, The U.S declares war against Spain and attacks Manila Bay with heavily armed ships. The American government collaborates with Emilio Aguinaldo and promises American support for Filipino independence. On June 12, the Philippines is proclaimed independent from Spain by Aguinaldo. Spain sells the Philippines to the U.S for $20 million.
- 1901, Aguinaldo is captured and takes an oath of allegiance to the U.S. A civil government is established with William Howard Taft as the first American Governor - General.
- 1907, The first congressional election is held.
- 1916, The Jones Law promises independence and the establishment of a stable government. Manuel Quezon is elected President of the Senate and Sergio Osmena, speaker of the House of Representative.
- 1917, The first Philippine cabinet under the American regime is organised.
- 1934, U.S President Roosevelt approves the Philippines Independence Law. It provides for the establishment of the Commonwealth of the Philippines under a constitution to be drafted by a constitution convention.
- 1935, The constitution is approved by the Constitutional Convention and Roosevelt and ratified by the Philippine electorate. Manuel Quezon is the Philippines’ first elected President.
- 1941, Quezon and Osmena are re-elected in the Philippines 2nd Presidental election. Japanese bombers attack the Philippines and force Douglas MacArthur, the Commander of the U.S Armed Forces in the Far East to retreat to Bataan. President Quezon moves to Corregidor. MacArthur declares Manila an open city, virtually capitulating to the Japanese
- 1942, The Japanese occupy the Philippines, impose martial law and install their educational system. President Quezon and the war cabinet leave for the U.S. The Hukbalahap, an anti-Japanese guerilla unit is formed. The cruel Death March of 36,000 American and Filipino soldiers follows the surrender of Bataan.
- 1943, A puppet government is inaugurated with Jose P.Laurel as president.
- 1944, MacArthur, Osmeno and American troops
lands in Leyte, redeeming his promise, " I shall return",. The Commonweath government is re-established. - 1945, American troops regain Manila. MacArthur cedes Malacanang palace to Osmena and announces the liberation of the Philippines.
- 1946, The U.S administration declares the Philippines independent. Manuel Roxas becomes the first President of the Republic, Elpidio Quirino is elected the Vice President.
- 1965, Ferdinand Marcos wins the presidential election.
- 1972, Marcos declares Martial Law, Senator Benigo Aquino Jr. and other opposition leaders are arrested. A curfew is imposed and Congress is suspended.
- 1980, Aquino is released from jail and leaves for the US for heart surgery.
- 1983, Aquino is assassinated at the airport on August 21. Demonstrations and waves of protest roll over the country.
- 1986. Aquino’s widow, Corazon runs in a "snap" election against Marcos. Corazon wins but Marcos tries to rig the vote counting. Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile and Deputy Chief of Staff of the Amred Forces, general Fidel Ramos stage a coup d’etat. The rebellion is given support by Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin and "people power". Marcos flees for Honolulu.
- 1989, The most serious coup d’etat against the Aquino administration is staged by rebel soldiers and fails.
- 1992, Fidel V. Ramos is elected the President.
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