1983 in the Philippines details events of note that happened in the Philippines in that year.
Incumbents
Ferdinand E.
Marcos Sr.
Marcos Sr.
Cesar A.
Virata
Virata
Nicanor E.
Yñiguez
Yñiguez
Enrique M.
Fernando
Fernando
- President: Ferdinand Marcos (KBL)
- Prime Minister: Cesar Virata (KBL)
- House Speaker: Nicanor Yñiguez
- Chief Justice:
- Querube C. Makalintal (until June 30)
- Enrique Fernando (starting June 30)
Events
February
- February 6 – Fifteen workers die in a mine explosion in Danao, Cebu caused by a cigarette.[1][2][3][4]
July
- July 12–15 – Typhoon Bebeng, The monsoon spawns a tropical depression on July 12, east of the Philippines. It heads westward, strengthening to a tropical storm that night and a typhoon on the 13th. Vera makes landfall on the 14th as an 85 mph (137 km/h) typhoon in the Philippines, weakens over the islands, especially Luzon,[1] and strengthens over the South China Sea to a 100 mph (160 km/h) typhoon. Damages amounting to a total of US$9 million in the Philippines. The typhoon leaves 45[1] people dead.
August
- August 17 – An earthquake measuring 6.5 on the Richter scale strikes Luzon, the Philippines’ largest island, leaving at least 21[5] people dead.[1]
- August 21 – Former Senator Benigno Aquino Jr. and Ronaldo Galman are shot dead at Manila International Airport tarmac after his arrival. The event is cited to be a catalyst to the People Power Revolution.
September
- September 29 – Forty-six soldiers and civilians are killed when an army patrol unit is ambushed by New People’s Army guerrillas in Godod, Zamboanga del Norte; the death toll is the highest suffered by Government forces in a single attack.[6]
October
- October 3 – More than 20,000 Filipino workers at two American military bases in Clark and Subic go on strike, demanding a wage increase.[7]
November
- November 21 – The inter-island ferry MV Cassandra sinks during a storm off Cebu, killing at least 167 people.[8]
Holidays
Letter of Instruction No. 1087, issued by President Marcos in 1980 that provided revised guidelines for observation of holidays, remained in effect. 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.[9]
Legal public holidays
- January 1 – New Year’s Day
- March 31 – Maundy Thursday
- April 1 – 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 28 – National Heroes Day
- November 30 – Bonifacio Day
- December 25 – Christmas Day
- December 30 – Rizal Day
Nationwide special holidays
- September 11 – Barangay Day
- September 21 – Thanksgiving Day
- November 1 – All Saints Day
- December 31 – Last Day of the Year
Entertainment and culture
- February 13 – The launching of Ang Iglesia ni Cristo the first religious program on MBS Channel 4 (now PTV-4).
Date unknown
- The religious program Ang Dating Daan starts its television broadcast on IBC 13.[10][11]
Births
- January 3:
- Precious Lara Quigaman, actress, Miss International 2005 winner
- Jopay Paguia, dancer and actress
- January 13 – Jojo Duncil, basketball player
- January 20 – Angelica Jones, actress, singer, and politician
- February 11 – Jeff Chan, basketball player
- March 2 – Jerald Napoles, actor and comedian
- March 11 – Bianca Gonzalez, host
- March 12 – Sid Lucero, actor
- March 21 – Laura James, actress and commercial model
- April 22 – Boyet Bautista, basketball player
- May 27 – Ronjay Buenafe, basketball player
- June 14 – Yousif Aljamal, basketball player
- June 24 – John Lloyd Cruz, actor
- June 28 – Maui Taylor, actress, model, singer
- July 3 – Sunshine Dizon, actress
- July 10 – Doug Kramer, basketball player
- July 12 – Marco Alcaraz, actor, commercial model, and basketball player
- July 23 – Ping Medina, actor
- July 27 – AJ Dee, Filipino actor
- July 29 – Chad Alonzo, basketball player
- August 10 – Mark Bautista, actor and singer
- September 6 – Aira Bermudez, dancer and actress
- September 9 – Kristine Hermosa, actress
- September 17 – Ice Seguerra, singer
- November 18 – JC Intal, basketball player
- November 22 – Eduard Folayang, mixed martial artist and former MMA World Champion
Deaths
- June 2 – Julio Rosales, Cardinal
- August 21 – Ninoy Aquino, politician and senator
- November 30 – Juan Liwag, lawyer and politician
- December 5 – Felixberto Olalia, labor leader; founding chairperson of Kilusang Mayo Uno (b. 1903)[12]
References
- ^ a b c d The 1984 World Book Year Book. Chicago: World Book, Inc. (Doubleday & Company, Inc.). 1984. ISBN 0-7166-0484-1. ISSN 0084-1439.
- ^ “15 in Mine Killed” Toledo Blade. Feb. 7, 1983. Retrieved Oct. 18, 2016.
- ^ “Mine blast killed 15 Filipinos” Lakeland Ledger. Feb. 7, 1983. Retrieved Oct. 18, 2016.
- ^ “Mine blast kills 15” Star-News. Feb. 7, 1983. Retrieved Oct. 18, 2016.
- ^ “Death toll reaches 21 in Philippines quake” Spokane Chronicle. Aug. 19, 1983. Retrieved Oct. 18, 2016.
- ^ Trumbull, Robert (October 3, 1983). “46 killed by Philippine rebels in ambush of an army patrol”. The New York Times. p. A-1. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
- ^ “Workers Strike at U.S. Bases”. The New York Times. United Press International. October 3, 1983. p. A-1. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
- ^ Pareja, Jessica Ann (November 21, 2009). “Sinking of vessel in 1983 remembered”. The Philippine Star. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
- ^ Letter of Instruction No. 1087 (November 26, 1980), Revised Guidelines for the Observance of Special and Legal Holidays, retrieved February 21, 2026
- ^ “Brodkast”. Ang Dating Daan. Archived from the original on August 11, 2020. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
- ^ Esmaquel, Paterno II (February 12, 2021). “Controversial Christian preacher Eli Soriano dies”. Rappler.com. Archived from the original on February 12, 2021. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
- ^ “Felixberto Olalia, 80, Is Dead; Led a Philippine Labor Group” AP via The New York Times. Dec. 5, 1983. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
As cited by:
“Felixberto Olalia” Martial Law Files. Retrieved July 5, 2022.