TIMELINE OF IMPORTANT EVENTS IN THE PHILIPPINE HISTORY
40,000 TO 1941
40,000BC- 48,000BC- A human, group later called the Denisovans, lived in Asia during this period.
Then they interbred with humans expanding from Africa along the coast of South Asia. In 2010 fossil
evidence from a Siberian cave in 2008 revealed that their DNA of people from New Guinea, which
contained 4.8% Denisovan DNA 3.5% of the DNA from native people of Papua New Guinea, Australia,
the Philippines and other nearby islands came from Denisovans, who left Africa as far back as 800,000
BC.
14,500 BC- in 1962 Robert B. Fox an American antropologist of The National Museum of the Philippines
discovered fossilized fragments of the skull and jawbone of the three individuals. These were believed to
be the earliest remains known in the Philippines. Tabon man refers to these remains hat discovers in
Tabon caves in Lipuun Point in Quezon, Palawan.
1521 March 16- Ferdinand Magellan discovered the Philippine Island, where he was killed by natives on
the following Month.
1521 April 27- Ferdinand Magellan was killed in a fight with natives on Mactan Island. Juan Sebastian El
Cano, Magellan’s second returned to Spain with18 men and one ship, the Vittorio laden with spices.
1571 March 19- Spanish troops occupied Manila.
1571 May 19- Miguel Lopez de Legazpi founded the city of Manila in the Philippines and encountered
Chinese settlements.
1755 June 30- Philippines closed all non- Catholic Chinese restaurants.
1898 April 24- US fleet under commodore Dewey steamed from Hong Kong to Philippines.
1898 June 12- The Philippines gained independence from Spain. Emilio Aguinaldo, rebel leader,
proclaimed Philippine Independence. Aguinaldo served as the first president.
1898 July 8- US battle fleet under Adm. Dewey occupied Isla Grande de Manila.
1898 August 12- Fighting in the Spanish- American War came to an end. US paid Spain 520 million to
vacate Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines.
1898 December 30- The Spanish army executed nationalist author Jose Rizal for the crime of rebellion
after an anti- colonial revolution inspired in part by his writings broke out.
1901 March 23- A group of US soldier led by Brig. Gen. Frederick Funston captured Emilio Aguinaldo,
the leader of the Philippine Insurrection of 1899.
1916 August 29- The US Jones Law also known as the Philippine Autonomy Act of 1916 replaced the
Philippine Organic Act 0f 1902.
1933 January 12- US congress recognized the independence of the Philippines.
1935 November 14- Manuel Luis Quezon was sworn in as the first Filipino president, as the
Commonwealth of Philippines was inaugurated. Pres. Roosevelt proclaimed the Philippines a free
commonwealth.
1941 Dec. 8- Japanese attacked the Philippines. The United States entered World War II as Congress
declared war against Japan, a day after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
1941 December 20- Japanese troops landed on Mindanao.
1941 December 26- General Douglas Mc Arthur declared Manila an open city in the face of the crushing
Japanese army.
1941 December 27- Japanese bombers attacked Manila despite its claim as open city.
Allied Forces establish General Headquarters (GHQ), Southwest Pacific Area
April 18, 1942 (SWPA) in Melbourne, Australia. SWPA includes the Philippines. Gen. Douglas
MacArthur becomes Commander-in-Chief.
May-June U.S. Forces in the Philippines cease operations with surrender of American Forces in
1942 the Philippines.
U.S. Army Forces in Australia (part of SWPA) becomes U.S. Army Services of
July 1942
Supply (USASOS).
1943-1944
General MacArthur reconstitutes his former headquarters in the Philippines. The
February 1943 new U.S. Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) becomes responsible for all
administrative staff duties pertaining to U.S. Army units in the SWPA.
February 1943-
Filipino guerilla units are designated as USAFFE forces.
1945
A-Day (Assault Day)
October 20, 1944 U.S. forces successfully land on east coast beaches of Leyte as part of the Allied
invasion of Leyte.
General MacArthur announces the end of organized Japanese resistance on Leyte.
December 1944 Japanese defenders continue to fight as units until December 31, and some
disorganized resistance continues through May 1945.
1945
Some records that were buried underground in the Philippines are uncovered and
1945
retrieved.
A reorganization brings SWPA within the new command of Army Forces Pacific
April 6, 1945
(AFPAC), led by General MacArthur.
V-E Day (Victory in Europe Day)
May 8, 1945
Nazi Germany surrenders to the Allies, ending the war in Europe.
June 1945 Recovered Personnel Division (RPD) of the Army Forces Pacific (AFPAC) begins
the first phase of its investigations to gather information about POWs. The files
they collect will become part of the Philippine Archives Collection.
Midnight June
Luzon Campaign ends officially. The campaign in Mindanao continues until the
30 - July 1,
end of the war.
1945
August 6, 1945 U.S. drops an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan.
August 9, 1945 U.S. drops an atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan.
