January 7 – A Presidential citation is given to Rhona Mahilum, who was noted for rescuing her siblings from their burning house in
Negros Occidental.[1]
February 8 – Republic Act No. 8180, the law
deregulating the oil industry, takes effect, ending twenty years of government control of oil companies and removing subsidies. As early as
February 5, several
protest rallies, demanding the repeal of the said law, have been conducted.[7]
February 14 – A Beechcraft RPC 1919 crashes upon takeoff at
an airport in
Jolo, Sulu, killing retired
Cotabato City auxiliary bishop Antonino Nepomuceno and 3–4 other individuals. The plane crash is initially believed caused by either being shot or a pilot error.[1][9]
April 9 – President Ramos orders the release of ₱595 million, which is intended for the partial payment for pension adjustment of the
World War II veterans.[1]
April 16 – As part of the government campaign to prevent
polio in the country, five million children are given free anti-polio vaccines.[1]
April 27 – MILF confirms that five thousand
Moro National Liberation Front rebels have been defected to their side, citing the allegedly slow implementation of the government's livelihood programs.[1]
April 29–
30 – The military dispatches marine reinforcements to the
disputedSpratly Islands following reports that three armed
Chinese Navy warships have been deployed there. Jet fighters are deployed the following day to augment the contingent, at the same time of
Manila's protest demanding
Beijing's explanation. On
May 3,
China, stressing its sovereignty over the area, insists of legal rights to dispatch their vessels.[1]
May 9 – The
World Bank approves new loans, worth about $1 billion, to the country, which will cover programs on poverty alleviation, infrastructure, and natural resources, for the next three years.[1]
May 11 – Military personnel in election duty are attacked in
Lantawan, Basilan by thirty
Abu Sayyaf members, with seven from the latter killed in the gunfight.[1]
May 20 – The Philippines rejects the proposed exploration with China on
the disputedScarborough Shoal. Eight days later, President Ramos favors the agreement on the countries' joint development of the area.[1]
May 21 – The
Philippine Coast Guard arrests twenty-one
Chinese fishermen at the Scarborough Shoal. On
May 30,
Taiwan, claiming that the area is part of their sovereign territory, complains the said arrest. On
May 26, foreign ministry officials of the Philippines and China meet in
Beijing, in an attempt to de-escalate tension caused by conflicting claims in the area.[1]
May 31 – Sandiganbayan dismisses graft charges against former First Lady
Imelda Marcos on the allegations of receiving bribes while she was the minister
of human settlements, citing insufficient evidence.[1]
June
June 4 – Vice president Estrada resigns as chairperson of the Presidential Anti-Crime Commission, reportedly to prepare
for his presidential bid.[1]
June 14 –
FVR declares that he had authorized the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC), to expedite a bill on people's initiative based on the reasons provided by the Supreme Court in rejecting the petition.[13]
Some 110 active law enforcement personnel are placed by the Intelligence community on a
wanted list for alleged role in
kidnapping activities.[1]
Two passenger buses are hijacked by some 200 Moro rebels, who also take some sixty commuters as hostages.
Army troops pursue the hostage-takers; ten people would be killed.[1][where?]
July
July 11 – The Philippines begin to experience the effect of the
Asian financial crisis; the
peso devalues by 11.5% with the peso-dollar rate recorded at
₱29.45. Further depreciation causes the
Philippine Stock Exchangecomposite index to go down, and mainly affects the country's economic growth, with annual nominal
GDP per capita drops by 12.5% from the previous year.[14][15] The crisis affects numerous countries in
East and
Southeast Asia.
July 16 – Sisters
Marijoy and Jacqueline Chiong were abducted and killed in
Cebu City, the suspects were later sentenced to death, which in turn would lead to the abolition of death penalty in 2006.
August
August 2 –
Kabankalan becomes a city in the province of Negros Occidental through ratification of Republic Act 8297 which was approved in June 6.
August 19 – Agila-2 communications satellite was launched from China and began commercial service. It is the first satellite of the country not acquired while in orbit.
September 21 – The new presidential pronouncement is released which prompts anti-charter change groups led by the
Catholic Church and former President
Cory Aquino's allies to step up their campaign, culminating in an indignation rally at
Rizal Park in
Manila, during 25th anniversary of former President
Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. declaring martial law in the country.[13]
September 23 – The
Supreme Court en banc unanimously rejects PIRMA's effort, with eight justices claiming there was no enabling law and six others saying the group's petition was faulty.[19]
October 6 –
MILF conducts an execution of two individuals, who had been "sentenced to death" for multiple criminal charges, in
Masiu, Lanao del Sur, said to be done by the virtue of the Islamic laws, causing public criticisms.[23]
October 27 – Pres.
Ramos signs a law (RA 8368), repealing the Anti-Squatting Law (Presidential Decree 772); decriminalizing squatting but maintaining sanctions against professional squatters and squatting syndicates.[21][24]
October 28 – Pres. Ramos signs a law (RA 8369) creating special courts for the cases involving children and family relations.[25]
November 5 – The
Supreme Court votes, 9–2, to declare a law (RA 8180) ending government regulatory control of the oil industry as unconstitutional.[27]
November 12 – A clash between MILF rebels and armed guards of a coconut plantation in
Maguindanao ends with the deaths of Amin Cusain, an MILF leader, seven rebels and two civilians.[28][clarification needed]
December
December 22 – Pres. Ramos signed seven social reform bills into law, including computerization of the electoral process in the
next year and subsequent general elections (RA 8436) and
autonomy for
the Cordilleras.[29][30]
December 26 – Heavy rains cause the collapse of the gold mine tunnels in
Mount Diwata,
Monkayo, then part of
Davao del Norte; five are rescued; later reports confirm that 80 miners are killed.[31]
As per Executive Order No. 292, chapter 7 section 26, the following are regular holidays and special days, approved on July 25, 1987.[32] Note that in the list, holidays in bold are "regular holidays" and those in italics are "nationwide special days".
"Transcript — The final solution". The World Tonight; ABS-CBN News. January 28, 1997. Retrieved June 26, 2024 – via Philippine Network Foundation, Inc.
"Transcript — Oil deregulation". TV Patrol; ABS-CBN News (in Filipino). February 4, 1997. Retrieved June 26, 2024 – via Philippine Network Foundation, Inc.
"Transcript — Solido gang lider, pumuga". TV Patrol; ABS-CBN News (in Filipino). February 24, 1997. Retrieved June 26, 2024 – via Philippine Network Foundation, Inc.
^Maragay, Fel V. (12-23-1997). "'Xmas basket' of laws, including poll computerization, signed" Manila Standard, pp. 1, 4. (
Link) Retrieved 02-18-2022.
January 7 – A Presidential citation is given to Rhona Mahilum, who was noted for rescuing her siblings from their burning house in
Negros Occidental.[1]
February 8 – Republic Act No. 8180, the law
deregulating the oil industry, takes effect, ending twenty years of government control of oil companies and removing subsidies. As early as
February 5, several
protest rallies, demanding the repeal of the said law, have been conducted.[7]
February 14 – A Beechcraft RPC 1919 crashes upon takeoff at
an airport in
Jolo, Sulu, killing retired
Cotabato City auxiliary bishop Antonino Nepomuceno and 3–4 other individuals. The plane crash is initially believed caused by either being shot or a pilot error.[1][9]
April 9 – President Ramos orders the release of ₱595 million, which is intended for the partial payment for pension adjustment of the
World War II veterans.[1]
April 16 – As part of the government campaign to prevent
polio in the country, five million children are given free anti-polio vaccines.[1]
April 27 – MILF confirms that five thousand
Moro National Liberation Front rebels have been defected to their side, citing the allegedly slow implementation of the government's livelihood programs.[1]
April 29–
30 – The military dispatches marine reinforcements to the
disputedSpratly Islands following reports that three armed
Chinese Navy warships have been deployed there. Jet fighters are deployed the following day to augment the contingent, at the same time of
Manila's protest demanding
Beijing's explanation. On
May 3,
China, stressing its sovereignty over the area, insists of legal rights to dispatch their vessels.[1]
May 9 – The
World Bank approves new loans, worth about $1 billion, to the country, which will cover programs on poverty alleviation, infrastructure, and natural resources, for the next three years.[1]
May 11 – Military personnel in election duty are attacked in
Lantawan, Basilan by thirty
Abu Sayyaf members, with seven from the latter killed in the gunfight.[1]
May 20 – The Philippines rejects the proposed exploration with China on
the disputedScarborough Shoal. Eight days later, President Ramos favors the agreement on the countries' joint development of the area.[1]
May 21 – The
Philippine Coast Guard arrests twenty-one
Chinese fishermen at the Scarborough Shoal. On
May 30,
Taiwan, claiming that the area is part of their sovereign territory, complains the said arrest. On
May 26, foreign ministry officials of the Philippines and China meet in
Beijing, in an attempt to de-escalate tension caused by conflicting claims in the area.[1]
May 31 – Sandiganbayan dismisses graft charges against former First Lady
Imelda Marcos on the allegations of receiving bribes while she was the minister
of human settlements, citing insufficient evidence.[1]
June
June 4 – Vice president Estrada resigns as chairperson of the Presidential Anti-Crime Commission, reportedly to prepare
for his presidential bid.[1]
June 14 –
FVR declares that he had authorized the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC), to expedite a bill on people's initiative based on the reasons provided by the Supreme Court in rejecting the petition.[13]
Some 110 active law enforcement personnel are placed by the Intelligence community on a
wanted list for alleged role in
kidnapping activities.[1]
Two passenger buses are hijacked by some 200 Moro rebels, who also take some sixty commuters as hostages.
Army troops pursue the hostage-takers; ten people would be killed.[1][where?]
July
July 11 – The Philippines begin to experience the effect of the
Asian financial crisis; the
peso devalues by 11.5% with the peso-dollar rate recorded at
₱29.45. Further depreciation causes the
Philippine Stock Exchangecomposite index to go down, and mainly affects the country's economic growth, with annual nominal
GDP per capita drops by 12.5% from the previous year.[14][15] The crisis affects numerous countries in
East and
Southeast Asia.
July 16 – Sisters
Marijoy and Jacqueline Chiong were abducted and killed in
Cebu City, the suspects were later sentenced to death, which in turn would lead to the abolition of death penalty in 2006.
August
August 2 –
Kabankalan becomes a city in the province of Negros Occidental through ratification of Republic Act 8297 which was approved in June 6.
August 19 – Agila-2 communications satellite was launched from China and began commercial service. It is the first satellite of the country not acquired while in orbit.
September 21 – The new presidential pronouncement is released which prompts anti-charter change groups led by the
Catholic Church and former President
Cory Aquino's allies to step up their campaign, culminating in an indignation rally at
Rizal Park in
Manila, during 25th anniversary of former President
Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. declaring martial law in the country.[13]
September 23 – The
Supreme Court en banc unanimously rejects PIRMA's effort, with eight justices claiming there was no enabling law and six others saying the group's petition was faulty.[19]
October 6 –
MILF conducts an execution of two individuals, who had been "sentenced to death" for multiple criminal charges, in
Masiu, Lanao del Sur, said to be done by the virtue of the Islamic laws, causing public criticisms.[23]
October 27 – Pres.
Ramos signs a law (RA 8368), repealing the Anti-Squatting Law (Presidential Decree 772); decriminalizing squatting but maintaining sanctions against professional squatters and squatting syndicates.[21][24]
October 28 – Pres. Ramos signs a law (RA 8369) creating special courts for the cases involving children and family relations.[25]
November 5 – The
Supreme Court votes, 9–2, to declare a law (RA 8180) ending government regulatory control of the oil industry as unconstitutional.[27]
November 12 – A clash between MILF rebels and armed guards of a coconut plantation in
Maguindanao ends with the deaths of Amin Cusain, an MILF leader, seven rebels and two civilians.[28][clarification needed]
December
December 22 – Pres. Ramos signed seven social reform bills into law, including computerization of the electoral process in the
next year and subsequent general elections (RA 8436) and
autonomy for
the Cordilleras.[29][30]
December 26 – Heavy rains cause the collapse of the gold mine tunnels in
Mount Diwata,
Monkayo, then part of
Davao del Norte; five are rescued; later reports confirm that 80 miners are killed.[31]
As per Executive Order No. 292, chapter 7 section 26, the following are regular holidays and special days, approved on July 25, 1987.[32] Note that in the list, holidays in bold are "regular holidays" and those in italics are "nationwide special days".
"Transcript — The final solution". The World Tonight; ABS-CBN News. January 28, 1997. Retrieved June 26, 2024 – via Philippine Network Foundation, Inc.
"Transcript — Oil deregulation". TV Patrol; ABS-CBN News (in Filipino). February 4, 1997. Retrieved June 26, 2024 – via Philippine Network Foundation, Inc.
"Transcript — Solido gang lider, pumuga". TV Patrol; ABS-CBN News (in Filipino). February 24, 1997. Retrieved June 26, 2024 – via Philippine Network Foundation, Inc.
^Maragay, Fel V. (12-23-1997). "'Xmas basket' of laws, including poll computerization, signed" Manila Standard, pp. 1, 4. (
Link) Retrieved 02-18-2022.