1986 in the Philippines

1986 in the Philippines details events of note that happened in the Philippines in the year 1986.

Incumbents

Fourth Republic ''(1984–86)''

President: Ferdinand Marcos '
President of the Philippines|Vice President]: Arturo Tolentino
Supreme Court of the Philippines|Chief Justice]: Ramon Aquino
Philippine Congress: Regular Batasang Pambansa
House Speaker''': Nicanor Yñiguez

Revolutionary Government ''(March 25 – June 2, 1986)'' and Fifth Republic ''(1986 – present)''

President: Corazon Aquino
Vice President: Salvador Laurel
Chief Justice: Claudio Teehankee ''''

Events

February

February 7 – Presidential snap elections are held. Pres. Marcos leads the tally made by the Commission of Elections, but his opponent, Corazon Cojuangco–Aquino, leads another tally by the National Movement for Free Elections.
February 9 – Thirty Comelec computer technicians walk out of their tabulation center at the PICC to protest attempts to manipulate the election results.
February 11 – Opposition Antique former Gov. Evelio Javier is assassinated in front of the provincial capitol as the canvassing is being held there.
February 15 – Pres. Marcos are declared by the Batasang Pambansa as winners in the poll canvass.
February 16 – Cojuangco–Aquino leads Tagumpay ng Bayan rally in Luneta Grandstand with over 2 million attendees; proclaims victory in spite of the previous proclamation.
February 22 – People Power Revolution : Deputy Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Lt. Gen. Fidel Ramos and Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile, backed by members of the armed forces loyal to the former, declares coup at a press conference at Camp Aguinaldo to call upon Pres. Marcos to resign and to announce their withdrawal of support; they seize key military camps; Cardinal Jaime Sin urges the public to support the troops.
February 23 – People Power Revolution : Opposition supporters, gathered around camps Crame and Aguinaldo along Epifanio delos Santos Avenue, form human barricades; targeting loyalist marine forces are stopped by them.
February 24 – People Power Revolution : Reformist rebels storm government offices, radio and television stations, Camp Aguinaldo, Villamor Airbase, and Malacañang Palace; 15th Air Force Strike Wing, with Col. Antonio Sotelo, defects to the rebels; Col. Mariano Santiago leads the soldiers who take over government-owned Channel 4.
February 25 – People Power Revolution :
* Cojuangco–Aquino swears in as the 11th and first female President of the Philippines before Chief Justice Claudio Teehankee at the ceremonies in Club Filipino in San Juan.
* Marcos also swears in as President of the Philippines at Malacañang Palace; his own inauguration ceremonies are interrupted as other television stations are destroyed by rebels.
* Ousted Marcos and his family are transported through airlift by four United States helicopters to Clark Air Base.
February 26 – From Clark Air Base, Marcoses flee to Guam and to Hawaii.
February 28:
* Presidential Commission on Good Government is formed by president Aquino.
* Investigation on Marcos' wealth.

March

March 3 – In the first major attack by the New People's Army post-revolution, about 200 rebels ambush a police truck on a bridge in Guinobatan, Albay, killing up to 17 police officers as well as four civilians aboard a minibus caught in a crossfire; 17 people are wounded.
March 5 – President Aquino frees four suspected communist leaders, including Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria Sison and alleged NPA founder Bernabe Buscayno, eventually releasing all political prisoners of the Marcos administration.
March 15 – NPA guerillas ambush a government jeep on a mountain road in Amlan, Negros Oriental, killing twelve people, most of them employees of Philippine National Oil Company.
March 17:
* The United States Court of International Trade in New York denies a petition by the lawyers of former president Marcos against the plan by the United States government to publicize documents on Marcos wealth and to turn them over to the Philippine government upon latter's request. The documents, which have been taken out by Marcos' entourage, is later seized by the Customs upon their arrival in Hawaii.
* Pilipino Star Ngayon is established as a first post-revolution tabloid newspaper.
March 25 – Pres. Aquino abolishes the national assembly and the constitution; declares an interim constitution effective until a new one would be ratified in a national plebiscite.

April

April 3 – More than 15,000 workers at the Subic Bay Naval Base return to work following a 12-day walkout.
April 18 – Twenty-one soldiers are killed by NPA insurgents in a land mine explosion and an ambush in Albay.
April 19 – A military convoy is attacked by NPA guerillas in Cagayan, killing 14 soldiers.
April 24:
* A military convoy is ambushed by NPA members in Cagayan. A Reuters chief photographer and a Manila Bulletin reporter, who are among the ten killed as the gun battle ensues, are said to be the first journalists killed while covering the communist insurgency.
* Inter-island ship MV Doña Josefina sinks off the coast of Isabel, Leyte, with 34 passengers died and more than a hundred people reported missing.

May

May 23:
* The Supreme Court declares legitimate the provisional Aquino government.
* A bus falls from a cliff in a village in Hamtic, Antique, killing 23 people and injuring 15 others.

June

June 2 – Freedom Constitution is ended to give way for the adoption of a new constitution.
June 24 - De La Salle University joining the UAAP as its eighth member.

July

July 4 – Street clashes in an anti-nuclear rally outside the US Embassy injure 14 policemen and six demonstrators.
July 6 – Former Vice Pres. Arturo Tolentino, with Marcos loyalists and more than 300 soldiers, takes over the Manila Hotel; proclaims himself as "acting president"; Tolentino leaves the hotel and begins surrender talks on the 7th; they are forced to surrender peacefully after the failure of the coup that lasted until the 8th. Col. Rolando Abadilla would be identified as the mastermind.
July 9 – Pres. Aquino prohibits rallies by Marcos supporters.
July 22 – DZMM and DWKO established as the first post-revolution radio stations.
July 28 – The Philippine Star established as the first post-revolution newspaper. Its first issue is published.

August

August 21 – A radio journalist in Albay reports that a number of children has fallen ill after being provided UNICEF's vitamin A capsules through a provincewide research program by the Ministry of Health and two United States-based groups, which has begun on July 30 to address vitamin A deficiency in the Bicol Region. The subsequent widespread panic in the region leads to the project being indefinitely postponed since August 30. By mid-September, reportedly there are 85 alleged cases of side effects and two deaths from vitamin A. The ministry, following their investigation, would later deny the accusations and affirm the safety of the capsules.

September

September 1 – Muslim rebel leader Nur Misuari returns from exile in Libya for negotiations aimed at ending Muslim conflicts.
September 2 – Typhoon Miding hits northern Luzon killing 36 people.
September 5 – Pres. Aquino and Misuari, in Jolo, agree for negotiations aimed at ending a 14-year conflict.
September 7 – City 2 Television is dissolved by Aquino.
September 12 – The Supreme Court orders a retrial for former military chief Gen. Fabian Ver, 24 other military men, and a civilian, all acquitted in 1985 regarding their involvement in the 1983 murder of Benigno Aquino Jr. and Rolando Galman, as recommended on July 31 by a commission appointed by the Supreme Court.
September 13 – The Mt. Data Peace Accord was signed between the Philippine Government and the separatist Cordillera Bodong Administration-Cordillera People's Liberation Army.
September 14 – ABS-CBN went back on the air once again as it began rebroadcast to viewers and for station ID, the network carries the first tagline Watch Us Do It Again! followed by the second tagline Sharing A New Life with You. It features the first channel 2 logo is a wing-shaped blue crest with a white curved at the top and a white line as a tail, the Broadway 2 logo was used until 1987.
September 21 – Thanksgiving Day cease to be celebrated after the EDSA Revolution and the fall of Marcos dictatorship. The tradition is no longer being celebrated.
September 29 – NPA leader Rodolfo Salas is arrested in Manila. Rebellion charges are filed by the government against him and two others, Oct. 2.

October

October 15 – Signing of the new constitution by Cecilia Muñoz-Palma and other members of the commission.
October 20 – Milk Code of 1986 is signed by Aquino in order to implement rules and regulations in the manufacture of infant formula products.

November

November 11 and 22 – A coup plot by ex-government officials loyal to former Pres. Marcos and by a military faction loyal to Defense Minister Enrile, codenamed "God Save the Queen", is foiled by the government. After a failed coup attempt, Enrile is among the cabinet officials replaced by Pres. Aquino, Nov. 23.
November 12–13 – Kilusang Mayo Uno leader Rolando Olalia and his driver, Leonor Alay-ay, are abducted by armed men in Pasig City, Nov. 12; are found dead in Antipolo, Rizal the following day. In connection with the murder, two soldiers are placed by the police under arrest as suspects, Dec. 1; a former AFP sergeant is arrested, Dec. 18. Of the 13 Reform the Armed Forces Movement members charged with the murders, Eduardo Kapunan, Jr. would be acquitted in 2016; three of them would be convicted in 2021.
November 27 – Negotiators of the national government and communist rebels, in their first public appearance together, sign a ceasefire agreement, which becomes effective on December 10. It would take 60 days, ending on February 8, 1987, six days later than scheduled.

December

December 30 – AFP orders to arrest armed guerrillas entering populous areas.

Undated

Philippines Development Assistance Program is founded.

Holidays

As per Act No. 2711 section 29, issued on March 10, 1917, any legal holiday of fixed date falls on Sunday, the next succeeding day shall be observed as legal holiday. Sundays are also considered legal religious holidays. Bonifacio Day was added through Philippine Legislature Act No. 2946. It was signed by then-Governor General Francis Burton Harrison in 1921. On October 28, 1931, the Act No. 3827 was approved declaring the last Sunday of August as National Heroes Day. As per Republic Act No. 3022, April 9 was proclaimed as Bataan Day. Independence Day was changed from July 4 to June 12 on August 4, 1964.

Entertainment and culture

December 27 – Corazon Aquino is named as Time magazine's woman of the year.

Births

January

January 4 – Katrina Halili, model and actress
January 13 – Jan Manual, comedian
January 25 – Luane Dy, Filipino showbiz television personality, host and actress
January 26:
* Sean Anthony, basketball player
* Kian Kazemi, actor and part-time model
* Ervic Vijandre, actor