1970 in the Philippines

1970 in the Philippines details events of note that happened in the Philippines in the year 1970.

← 1969 1968 1967 1970 in the Philippines → 1971 1972 1973
Decades:	1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s
See also:	List of years in the Philippines films

Incumbents

Former President Ferdinand Marcos at the White House in 1966.

• President: Ferdinand Marcos (Nacionalista Party)
• Vice President: Fernando Lopez (Nacionalista Party)
• House Speaker: José Laurel, Jr.
• Chief Justice: Roberto Concepcion
• Congress: 7th (starting January 26)

Events

• January to March – The First Quarter Storm was a period of leftist unrest in the Philippines, composed of a series of heavy demonstrations, protests, and marches against the government.
  • January 26 – Pres. Marcos delivers his State of the Nation Address at the Legislative Building, Manila. Student groups, led by the National Union of Students of the Philippines and Kabataang Makabayan, conducts a rally outside the building, in which, are confronted by the riot police as they march to Malacañang, leaving many injuries.[1]
  • January 30 – Another confrontation between riot police and about 2,000 demonstrators, mostly students, outside the Malacañang Palace, kills six people in what would be called the "Battle of Mendiola," and marks the beginning of the First Quarter Storm.[1]
  • February 18 – United States Embassy in Manila is attacked by an estimated 2,000-3,000 youths, who had broken from a massive peaceful demonstrations,[2] after holding a People's Congress in Plaza Miranda.[1]
  • March 3 – A People's March is organized by the Movement for a Democratic Philippines, and the group marches from Welcome Rotonda in Quezon City to Post Office Building in Plaza Lawton, Manila.[1]
• April 5–7 – Demonstrations and strikes against oil price and transportation cost increases, and violent anti-American riots break out.[1]
• April 7 – Destructive earthquake shook the Manila area, killed 15 persons and injured 200 others.[2]
• April 21 – Philippine twin-engine Hawker Siddeley, ripped by an explosion in the tail section, fell near the village of Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija, all 36 aboard died.[2]
• May 20 – Another protest actions against Marcos government and the involvement of United States in Vietnam War are held.[1]
• June 12 – Philippine fishing boat "Baby Princess" capsized in a violent storm 300 miles southwest of Manila, 22 persons were rescued, 22 others were devoured by sharks.[2]
• August 24-September 4 – The Philippines participated in the 1970 Asian Games held in Bangkok, Thailand. It ranked 11th with 1 gold medal, 9 silver medals and 12 bronze medals with a total of 22 over-all medals.[3]
• October 13 – Super Typhoon Sening landfalls on Lagonoy Gulf with sustained winds of 280 km/h. Sening left over 80,000 people homeless, in addition to killing 575 people (193 people were unaccounted for, and have since been declared dead, bringing the total toll to 768) and injuring nearly 1600.[4] US$74 million (1970 US$, $373 million 2005 USD) of damage was estimated.
• November 10 – The Constitutional Convention was called to change the existing Philippine Constitution which was made during the Commonwealth of the Philippines. Special elections for the CON-CON Delegates who will represent the various provinces of the country were held. From among more than 2,000 candidates, 320 delegates are elected.[1]
• November 19 – Philippine military officials denied charges made by Senator Stuart Symington (Democratic; Missouri) that the United States had provided cash assistance to the Philippine contingent in Vietnam.[2]
• November 20 – Violent typhoon (Typhoon Patsy or Yoling) with winds of (more than) 125 mph raged through the heavily populated (Luzon) island, wrecking the harbor and airport facilities at Manila.[2] Typhoon Patsy was one of the deadliest typhoons to strike the Philippines in its history. 611 people were killed (with 351 missing) on the island, and 135 people were killed at sea due to shipping failures. In Manila, 120 persons died, 60 others were missing, and more than 1,000 injured; property damage reached $80 million.[2]
• November 27 – Pope Paul VI visits the Philippines for his first Papal Visit, for three days,[1] but survived assassination attempt by Benjamín Mendoza y Amor Flores (a knife-wielding assailant dressed as a priest[2]) at Manila International Airport in the Philippines.
• December 29 – The New People's Army conducts a raid in the armory of the Philippine Military Academy, with Lt. Victor Corpuz, academy's constabulary officer, as its accomplice.[1]

Television

• June 1 - NewsWatch, the longest-running newscast premiered on KBS-9 (now RPN-9 until 2012).

Unknown

• Sesame Street, premiered on KBS-9 (now RPN-9 until 1980).

Births

• January 2 – Ogie Diaz,actor, comedian, and talent manager
• January 5 – Mitoy Yonting, singer and comedian
• February 1:
  • Albert Garcia, politician
  • Michael Teruel, olympian
• February 25 – Maricel Laxa, actress
• March 6 – Gretchen Barretto, actress
• March 15 – Joy Belmonte, politician
• March 20 – Josephine Medina
• March 21 – Jaya, Filipino soul music, singer, rapper, dancer, record producer, TV host, and actress
• April 3 – Ace Durano, politician
• April 6 – Angelica Amante, politician
• April 9 – Bing Loyzaga, actress and singer
• April 17 – Carlo Katigbak, president and CEO of ABS-CBN Corporation
• April 22 – Regine Velasquez, singer and actress
• May 1 – Cristina Gonzales, actress and politician
• May 6 – Dennis Pineda, politician
• May 27 – Cherry Pie Picache, actress
• May 30 – Manolo Quezon, writer and host
• May 31 – Berwin Dy
• June 6 – Kristine Garcia
• June 11 – Pinky Webb, TV newscaster
• July 17 – Johnny Abarrientos, basketball player
• August 2 – Marcelino Teodoro, politician
• August 7 – Gerardo Espina Jr., politician
• August 27 – Pokwang, comedian
• September 24 – Keanna Reeves, comedian
• October 28 – Alan Peter Cayetano, politician, diplomat, and Speaker of the House of Representatives
• October 30 – Christine Bersola-Babao, host
• November 1 – Olsen Racela, basketball player
• November 2 – Ely Buendia, vocalist of Eraserheads
• November 21 – Karen Davila, TV newscaster
• November 25 – Vince Hizon, basketball player

Deaths

• January 26 – Basilio J. Valdes, Spanish-Filipino doctor, general, and minister

References

1. "Kasaysayan: The Story of the Filipino People, Volume 10: Timeline of Philippine History" (PDF).
2. Encyclopædia Britannica Book of the Year (1971). Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. 1971.
3. 1970 Asian Games medal tally Archived October 8, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
4. Joint Typhoon Warning Center (1970). "J. TYPHOON JOAN" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on June 7, 2011. Retrieved May 25, 2006.