1981 in the Philippines
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1981 in the Philippines details events of note that happened in the Philippines in the year 1981.
Incumbents
Ferdinand E.
Marcos Sr.
Marcos Sr.
Cesar A.
Virata
Virata
Querube C.
Makalintal
Makalintal
Enrique M.
Fernando
Fernando
- President: Ferdinand Marcos (KBL)
- Prime Minister:
- Ferdinand Marcos (KBL) (until June 30)
- Cesar Virata (KBL) (starting June 30)
- House Speaker: Querube Makalintal
- Chief Justice: Enrique Fernando
Events
January
- January 5 – The Film Academy of the Philippines is founded through Executive Order 640-A issued by President Ferdinand Marcos.
- January 17 – Martial Law is lifted by President Marcos.[1]
- Until late January – Constant heavy rains that began on December 19, 1980, batter eastern Mindanao, resulting to massive flooding in several areas along Agusan River,[2][3] particularly on January 18—the worst since 1962.[2] President Marcos declares Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Davao del Sur, Misamis Oriental, Surigao del Norte, and Surigao del Sur, disaster areas. The total damage is placed at $13 million.[2] By January 29, there are 204 people reported dead.[3]
February
- February 12 – Moslem rebels attack a Philippine Army unit in Pata Island, Sulu, killing 119–124 troops in the worst outbreak of fighting since the 1974 rebel offensive of Jolo.[4][5]
- February 17–22 – First papal visit of Pope John Paul II in the country; during the visit, he beatified Lorenzo Ruiz.[6][7]
- February 26 – A U.S. Air Force C-130 plane crashes into the South China Sea, near Subic Bay Naval Base, killing 23 of 24 American, Philippine, Australian, and New Zealand military personnel aboard.[8]
April
- April 7 – National and local plebiscites are held. The majority of the Filipino people voted yes to the terms and constitutional amendments. All were in favor of the creation of the new municipalities in Bohol, South Cotabato and Zamboanga del Norte provinces.
June
- June 16 – Presidential election and referendum are held. Incumbent president Marcos of the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan is re-elected, defeating twelve other candidates in a landslide victory by obtaining 88.02% of valid votes; while 81.09% agree having a barangay election immediately thereafter.[9] Most opposition parties boycott the elections as a sign of protest over the 1978 elections for an interim Batasang Pambansa (National Assembly) which they condemned as fraudulent.[10]
July
- July 1 – Tropical Storm Kelly lashes through the islands, killing 120 people in floods and mud slides.[8]
August
- August 31 – Pirates raid trading vessel Nuria 767, with Jolo, Sulu–Labuan, Malaysia route, in the Sulu Sea off Cagayan de Tawi-Tawi, loot it and shoot to death 10–11 people; 48 passengers leap into the sea to escape, some of them are later rescued while 25 are drowned.[11]
September
- September 20 – The Philippine Navy destroyer 'Datu Kalantlaw' runs aground, killing at least 40 sailors.[8]
November
- November 17 – Manila Film Center collapses,[12] killing 169 workers.
- November 24 – Typhoon Irma batters the northern part of the island of Luzon, killing more than 50 people.[8]
December
- December 26 – Typhoon Lee sweeps across the Philippines, killing 50 people and leaving nearly 200,000 homeless.[8]
Holidays
Letter of Instruction No. 1087, issued by President Marcos in 1980 that provided revised guidelines for observation of holidays, remained in effect.[13]
Compared to the previously-repealed Letter of Instruction No. 814 issued in 1979, the letter strictly mandated that when a legal holiday fell on a Sunday, only a proclamation was required to declare the following Monday a special public holiday. Moreover, the observance of Bataan Day, from April 9, was moved to May 6, to be known collectively as Araw ng Kagitingan that commemorating as well Corregidor and Besang Pass, to be effective that year.[13][14]
Legal public holidays
- January 1 – New Year's Day
- April 16 – Maundy Thursday
- April 17 – Good Friday
- May 1 – Labor Day
- May 6 – Araw ng Kagitingan (Bataan, Corregidor and Besang Pass Day)
- June 12 – Independence Day
- July 4 – Filipino-American Friendship Day
- August 30 – National Heroes Day
- November 30 – Bonifacio Day
- December 25 – Christmas Day
- December 30 – Rizal Day
Nationwide special holidays
- April 6 – additional holiday in line with the April 7 nationwide plebiscite[15]
- June 15 – additional holiday in line with the June 16 presidential election[16]
- June 30 – additional holiday; presidential inauguration[17]
- September 11 – Barangay Day
- September 21 – Thanksgiving Day
- November 2 – in line with the All Saints Day as November 1 fell on a Sunday[18]
- December 31 – Last Day of the Year
Entertainment and culture
Sports
- December 6–15 – Philippines hosts the 11th Southeast Asian Games for the first time in Manila.[19] The country ranks third with an overall total of 187 medals.
Births
- January 5 – Kyla, actress, singer, host
- January 19:
- Paolo Bugia, basketball player
- Kerby Raymundo, basketball player
- February 1 – Jay-R, actor, singer, host
- February 26 – Assunta De Rossi, actress, model
- February 28 – Jhezarie Javier, actress
- March 4 – Carol Banawa, actress, singer, host
- March 7 – Rica Peralejo, actress
- March 22:
- Karylle, actress, host
- Mark Andaya, actor and basketball player
- April 21:
- Luis Manzano, actor, host
- Kathleen Hermosa, actress
- Cindy Kurleto, Austrian model and actress[20]
- May 5 – Paul Artadi, basketball player
- May 12 – Dennis Trillo, actor
- June 10 – Arwind Santos, basketball player
- June 15 – James Blanco, actor, model
- June 20 – Maricar Reyes, Filipina actress, endorsement
- June 23 – Mikey Bustos, singer, comedian, and YouTube content creator
- July 3 – Empoy Marquez, singer, actor, model, endorsement, comedian
- July 31 – M.C. Caceres, basketball player
- August 5 – Tanya Garcia, actress
- August 26 - Marcus Madrigal, actor
- August 30 – Antoinette Taus, actress, singer, host, model
- September 14 – Patrick Garcia, actor
- October 15 – Ronald Tubid, basketball player
- October 16 – Marc Pingris, basketball player
- October 17 – Paul Soriano, film director and producer
- October 19 – Christian Bautista, actor, singer, host
- October 20 – Isabel Oli, actress, model
- October 24 – Alfred Vargas, actor, model, politician
- October 29 – Angelika Dela Cruz, actress and politician
- November 1:
- Mark Borboran, basketball player
- Coco Martin, actor producer and VTR commercial voice endorsement
- November 13 – Mark Cardona, basketball player
- November 18:
- Gian Magdangal, singer and actor
- Dianne dela Fuente, singer and actress
- December 8 – Ranidel de Ocampo, basketball player
- December 11 – Lani Cayetano, politician
Deaths
- March 22 – Gil Puyat, Filipino businessman and politician, Senator of the Philippines and Senate President (b. 1907)[21]
- July 6 – Fort Acuña, professional basketball player and coach (b. 1948)
- July 25 – Gerardo de León, film director and actor (b. 1913)
- December 30 – Alfie Anido, actor (b. 1959)
See also
References
- ^ Dorr, Steven R. (1989). The Philippines in a Changing Southeast Asia: Conference Papers. Defense Academic Research Support Program. p. 3. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
- ^ a b c "60 die in Philippine floodwaters". The Calgary Herald. Calgary. United Press International. January 19, 1981. p. D20. Retrieved February 28, 2026 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b "In Brief — 204 die in floods". The Age. Melbourne. January 29, 1981. p. 8. Retrieved February 28, 2026 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Moro rebels kill 124 in Philippines fighting". The Bulletin. Bend, Oregon. United Press International. February 14, 1981. p. 16. Retrieved August 16, 2025 – via Google Books.
- ^ "More Massacres in Mindanao than other parts of the country". The Manila Times. December 13, 2009. Retrieved August 16, 2019 – via PressReader.
- ^ "9 Surprising Facts About Papal Visits To The Philippines" FilipiKnow. Retrieved June 26, 2022.
- ^ Information about the past visits by Pope John Paul II:
—"Pope John Paul II’s visits to PH" Inquirer.net. Apr. 26, 2014.
Information about all of the official visits:
—"In the Know: 3 papal visits in span of 25 years" Inquirer.net. July 30, 2014.
—"Looking Back at The Three Catholic Popes Who Have Visited The Philippines" Esquire Magazine (Philippines). Mar. 30, 2018.
All were retrieved June 27, 2022. - ^ a b c d e The 1982 World Book Year Book. Chicago: World Book, Inc. 1982. ISBN 0-7166-0482-5. ISSN 0084-1439.
- ^ Report of the Commission on Elections to the President of the Philippines, the Prime Minister, and the Batasang Pambansa, on the manner the election of President of the Philippines was held on June 16, 1981. Manila: Commission on Elections. 1981. Retrieved September 1, 2025 – via Google Books.
- ^ Kamm, Henry (February 6, 1981). "PHILIPPINE OPPOSITION TO BOYCOTT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION". The New York Times - Breaking News, US News, World News and Videos. Archived from the original on May 24, 2015. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
- ^ Sulu Sea attack:
- "Pirate raid toll heavy in Sulu Sea". The Bulletin. Bend, Oregon. United Press International. September 2, 1981. p. A-10. Retrieved August 16, 2025 – via Google Books.
- Elleman, Bruce (2018). Seaborne Perils: Piracy, Maritime Crime, and Naval Terrorism in Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. p. 128. ISBN 9781442260207. Retrieved August 16, 2025 – via Google Books.
- ^ del Mundo, Fernando (November 17, 1981). "26 dead in Philippines movie theater collapse". UPI. United Press International. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
- ^ a b Letter of Instruction No. 1087 (November 26, 1980), Revised Guidelines for the Observance of Special and Legal Holidays, retrieved February 21, 2026
- ^ Letter of Instruction No. 814 (February 15, 1979), Guidelines for Observation of Special Holidays and a Calendar of Special Holidays for 1979, retrieved February 21, 2026
- ^ Presidential Proclamation No. 2072 (March 31, 1981), Declaring Apr. 6, 1981 as a special non-working public holiday, retrieved February 25, 2026
- ^ Presidential Proclamation No. 2090 (June 10, 1981), Declaring June 15, 1981, as a special public holiday, retrieved February 25, 2026
- ^ Presidential Proclamation No. 2095 (June 23, 1981), Declaring June 30, 1981, as a special non-working public holiday, retrieved February 25, 2026
- ^ Presidential Proclamation No. 2130 (October 30, 1981), Declaring Nov. 2, 1981, as a special non-working public holiday, retrieved February 25, 2026
- ^ History of the SEA Games Archived August 1, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ It is unknown on what year Cindy Kurleto was born. IMDb listed her year of birth as 1981, thus making Kurleto 44 years old.
- ^ Philippines. Supreme Court (1988). Supreme Court Reports, Annotated. Central Book Supply, Incorporated. p. 655.