2016 in the Philippines

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2016 in the Philippines details events that occurred in the Philippines in the year 2016.

Incumbents

For the current incumbents of the Executive Cabinet under the current administration, see Cabinet of the Philippines. For the current leaders in the Congress of the Philippines, see Senate of the Philippines and the House of Representatives of the Philippines. For the complete list of the current Justices of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, see Current Justices of the Supreme Court of the Philippines.

Benigno S.
Aquino III

Jejomar C.
Binay, Sr.

Franklin M.
Drilon

Feliciano R.
Belmonte, Jr.

Maria Lourdes
P.A. Sereno

• President:
  • Benigno S. Aquino III (Liberal) (until June 30)
  • Rodrigo R. Duterte (PDP–Laban) (starting June 30)
• Vice President:
  • Jejomar C. Binay, Sr. (UNA) (until June 30)
  • Leni Robredo (Liberal) (starting June 30)
• Congress:
  • Senate President:
    • 16th Congress: Franklin M. Drilon (Liberal) (until June 30)
    • 17th Congress: To be determined (starting June 30)
  • House Speaker:
    • 16th Congress: Feliciano R. Belmonte, Jr. (Liberal) (until June 30)
    • 17th Congress: To be determined (starting June 30)
• Chief Justice: Maria Lourdes P.A. Sereno

Events

January

File:JfCiudadINC9725PhilArenafvf 22.JPG

Philippine Arena

• January 1 – The Iglesia ni Cristo claims three new Guinness world records during the "Countdown to 2016" grand New Year event at the Ciudad de Victoria in Bocaue, Bulacan.
• January 4 – The Sandiganbayan Special Second Division has finally ordered Alfonso Lim Sr., a crony of the late president Ferdinand Marcos to return to the government all properties he acquired.
• January 7 – The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division has denied the bail petition of Senator Jinggoy Estrada in connection with his alleged involvement in the PDAF scam.

File:Fiery Cross Reef LANDSAT 2000.jpg

A satellite captured image of the Kagitingan Reef, internationally known as Fiery Cross Reef.

• January 8 – The Department of Foreign Affairs files a diplomatic protest against China's test flights in the Kagitingan Reef located across the disputed West Philippine Sea.
• January 12 – The Supreme Court upholds the constitutionality of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement between the Philippines and the United States signed in 2014.
• January 13 – Zamboanga City declared a state of calamity due to the onslaught of El Niño phenomenon and its negative effects to the farmlands.
• January 14 – President Aquino vetoes House Bill No. 5842, which intends to increase the pension of the members of Social Security System.
• January 15 – Munap Saimaran, one of the bandits in the 2000 Sipadan kidnappings, is arrested in Sulu.
• January 19
  • President Aquino approves Republic Act 10742 or the SK Reforms Act of 2016 that will enable reforms in strengthening the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) political system.
  • North Cotabato declares a state of calamity after damages due to the 2016 El Niño reached over ₱200 million, including damage due to drought and rats.
• January 20
  • Former Iglesia ni Cristo evangelical worker Lowell Menorca II is arrested by Manila Police District policemen in civil clothes without any warrant of arrest showed due to libel charges filed by SCAN International Lanao del Norte chapter while he trying to attend a hearing in Court of Appeals. The INC categorily denied the involvement in commotion between the policemen and Menorca. (see 2015 Iglesia ni Cristo leadership controversy)
  • The Office of the Ombudsman orders effectively the dismissal in service of Quezon City District 2 Councilor Roderick Paulate and District 1 Councilor Francisco Calalay and two city liaison officials on the hiring of "ghost employees" in 2010.
• January 22
  • Justice Secretary Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa is appointed as the new Associate Justice of Supreme Court, replacing retired justice Martin Villarama, Jr.
  • Lt. Col. Ferdinand Marcelino, a former official of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency's Special Enforcement Service, is arrested in a buy-bust operation in a shabu laboratory in Sta. Cruz, Manila.

51st International Eucharistic Congress' official logo

• January 24-31 – The 51st International Eucharistic Congress is held in Cebu.
• January 26 – The Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee concludes its hearings on the corruption allegations against Vice President and UNA presidential candidate Jejomar Binay.
• January 27 – The Bangsamoro Basic Law supposed to be passed on its final reading in the House of Representatives before January. But due to no proper quorum in the Congress, the bill had no chances to pass in the House of Representatives in the 16th Congress. Aside from the BBL, Aquino administration's priority bills, the Anti-Dynasty, Anti-Discrimination and the Freedom of Information bills, "killed" in the 16th congress as the Session will temporarily adjourned in preparation for the 2016 elections.
• January 31 – In the latest report by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the Philippines places second in the list of most dangerous places for journalists.

February

File:Antonio F. Trillanes IV.jpg

Senator Antonio F. Trillanes.

• February 1 – The Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 142 issues a warrant of arrest against Senator and Vice Presidential candidate Antonio Trillanes IV over the libel case filed by disqualified Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, Jr.. On February 9, Trillanes posted bail.
• February 3 – The COMELEC 1st Division denied all the disqualification cases against PDP–Laban presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.
• February 5
  • The Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) files the usurpation case against former PNP Chief Alan Purisima due to usurping his role in his involvement in the Mamasapano clash.
  • Maguindanao suffers from the effects of the 2014-2016 El Niño, destroying rice and corn crops on the drought caused, and the provincial government declares a state of calamity in response to residents experiencing food shortage.
• February 9 – The AFP and PNP operatives arrest Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) top leader Hassan Indal a.k.a. Abu Hazam in a joint operation in Cotabato City.
• February 10 – The National Mapping and Resource Information Authority announces that it has documented more than 400 additional islands, mostly in the Mindanao group, using the Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar. The islands were previously thought to be part of a bigger island. The previous official count was 7,107 by the Gazetteer of the Philippine Islands in 1945.
• February 16 – Six policemen killed and eight wounded in a clash with New People's Army members in Barangay Sta. Margarita, Baggao, Cagayan.
• February 18 – The Department of Transportation and Communications and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board launches the P2P or Point to Point Premium Bus, the first bus service in the country accessible for the Persons with Disabilities sector.
• February 19
  • President Aquino signs Executive Order 201 (under the proposed Salary Standardization Law of 2015) that increases the salaries of government agency workers and adding additional benefits to civilian and military uniformed personnel.
  • The Office of the Ombudsman files graft and documents falsification charges before the Sandiganbayan against former Makati City mayor Junjun Binay and 22 others over the alleged overpriced construction of the Makati City Hall Parking Building II.
• February 26 – At least 60 are killed in a encounter in Butig, Lanao del Sur. Among them were suspected members of Maute Terrorist Group and three soldiers.

Former President Elpidio R. Quirino.

• February 29
  • The Philippines and Japan signs an agreement on the transfer of the Japanese defense and surveillance equipment to the country's military.
  • The remains of the late President Elpidio Quirino, the sixth president of the Philippines, are transferred from the Manila South Cemetery in Makati to the Heroes' Cemetery in Taguig to mark his 60th death anniversary.

March

• March 1 – Aid al-Qarni, a Islam preacher, and a diplomat from Saudi Arabian embassy was shot by a gunman after a lecture in the Western Mindanao State University in Zamboanga City.
• March 3 – The Office of the Ombudsman files charges against five former Representatives including former Muntinlupa congressman Ruffy Biazon, in connection with the PDAF scam.
• March 5
  • The Ombudsman has ordered the dismissal of Valenzuela City Mayor Rex Gatchalian and 6 others over the deadly blaze that hit footwear factory Kentex Manufacturing Corporation, killing at least 72 people in May last year. On March 15, The Ombudsman also ordered the filing of graft charges against Gatchalian and seven other individuals in connection with this case.
  • The Philippine government orders to impound a cargo ship from North Korea in the Subic port, in response to tighter sanctions by United Nations against North Korea due to its nuclear and ballistic missile tests. On March 24, the North Korean freighter M/V Jin Teng has left the country, after no contraband was found onboard and the ship was cleared by the United Nations.

Senator and Presidential candidate Grace Poe-Llamanzares was filed with disqualification cases due to allegations of not meeting the requirements provided by the Constitution.

• March 8 – Voted 9-6, the Supreme Court has affirms Grace Poe's natural-born status and declares she is qualified to run based on her 10-year residency.
• March 15
  • The Supreme Court dismisses several petitions by several party-list groups to issue a TRO to stop the implementation of the K+12 education program of the Department of Education.
  • The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee has begin its inquiry into the alleged money laundering of $100 million that has dragged into this one of the country's leading financial institutions.
• March 16
  • BIR employee Rhodora Alvarez, who blew the whistle on the alleged anomalous deal, filed a plunder complaint against Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin over a P1.2 billion helicopter deal in 2013.
  • Disqualified Laguna Governor Emilio Ramon “ER” Ejercito and eight other individuals were charged with graft before the Sandiganbayan over an alleged anomalous insurance deal entered in 2008.
• March 18 – Former Camarines Norte Governor Roy Padilla Jr., is arrested over his failure to return a firearm issued to him in 1992.
• March 21 – The UNESCO has added Albay in the Philippines as one of the 20 additions to its network of protected biosphere nature reserves.
• March 22
  • The Sandiganbayan Second Division has dismissed the graft case against Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) former president and general manager Winston Garcia on the alleged anomalous awarding of a multimillion-peso electronic membership card (e-Card) project in 2004.
  • The Court of Appeals (CA) has junked dismissed Makati mayor Junjun Binay's contempt charges against former interior secretary Mar Roxas, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, former justice Secretary Leila de Lima, and 5 others.

Diwata-1, the first Philippine satellite built and designed by Filipino scientists.

• March 23
  • Diwata-1 was launched to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the Cygnus spacecraft on a supply mission. Cygnus itself will be launched using the Atlas V rocket. The satellite was deployed into orbit from the ISS on April 27. Diwata-1 is the country's first micro-satellite and the first satellite to be built and designed by Filipinos.
  • The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (under the Memorandum Circular 94) that aimed at "achieving unified action" as part of efforts to find a resolution to the country's territorial dispute with China on the West Philippine Sea is created.
• March 25 – Customs at the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen destroyed 34.78 tons of "substandard bananas" imported from the Philippines due to excessive pesticide use.
• March 26 – A raging fire on the Philippines highest mountain, Mt. Apo, forced hundreds of people to flee from the peak by foot.
• March 27 – Anonymous Philippines has hacked the website of Commission on Elections to force them to place security features on Vote Counting Machine (VCM). Soon, the LulzSec Pilipinas leaked sensitive information of voters all over the Philippines from the COMELEC website, and the incident has been called the "biggest government data breach in history". On April 21, one of the hackers involved in the recent defacement and supposed leak of data from the Commission on Elections' official website has been arrested in Sampaloc, Manila. On April 29, another hacker allegedly responsible for leaking the information of voters from the Comelec website was arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation.
• March 28
  • Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) general manager Neric Acosta has been sentenced to a maximum of 10 years of imprisonment after being found guilty of one count of graft by the Sandiganbayan Fourth Division in connection with the misuse of his pork barrel funds as district representative of Bukidnon.
  • None of the three pre-qualified bidders have submitted offers for the largest Private-Public Partnership (PPP) project to date, the Laguna Lakeshore Expressway estimated to cost around P123 billion.
  • Several piles of license plate sheets were stolen from the Quezon City central office of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) during the Holy Week break.
• March 29
  • Ten Indonesian crew members on board a tugboat were kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf militants in the Philippines. On May 1, ten Indonesian sailors who had been held hostage by Islamist militant group were released in Jolo.
  • President Aquino has signed Republic Act No. 10754 into law a bill authored by Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez granting persons with disabilities (PWDs) exemption from the 12-percent value-added tax (VAT) on certain goods and services.
  • The Commission on Elections has decided not to stop the broadcast of senatorial candidate Manny Pacquiao's boxing match on April 9.
• March 30 – The Office of the Ombudsman filed graft and technical malversation cases against Sen. JV Ejercito, before the Sandiganbayan over the alleged anomalous purchase of high-powered firearms worth P2.1 million during his term as mayor of San Juan City.

File:33 Liberty Street IMG 9062 stitched.jpg

Five transactions issued by hackers, worth $101 million and withdrawn from a Bangladesh Bank account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, succeeded, with $20M traced to Sri Lanka (since recovered) and $81M to the Philippines.

• March 31
  • The camp of businessman Kim Wong handed over to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the $4.6 million he volunteered to return to the Bangladesh government, supposedly after learning that the money was part of the $81-million money laundering scheme. On April 4, Wong turned over an additional P38.28 million to the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) office. On April 19, Eastern Hawaii Leisure Co. Ltd., has turned over P200 million to the AMLC.
  • Addong Salahuddin, suspect in the bombing incident at the Zamboanga City Airport on August 5, 2010, where two people were killed and 28 others injured, including former Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan has surrendered to the National Bureau of Investigation.
  • For failure to exhaust all available administrative remedies, the Court of Appeals has dismissed the Philippine Heart Center's (PHC) bid for exemption from payment of real property tax.

April

• April 1
  • At least 3 are killed and several others were wounded when police dispersed a farmers' protest action in Kidapawan demanding relief from the provincial government due to a drought caused by El Nino affecting the province since November 2015.
  • The Department of Education in partnership with Stairway Foundation launches CyberSafe Project Manuals, which contain individual lesson plans targeting Grades 5 to 6 and junior high students to prevent internet-related child abuse.
• April 2 – A power outage hits the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 in Pasay City causing a disruption in the processing of passengers.
• April 4 – The Olongapo Regional Trial Court Branch 74 denies the petition of US Marine Joseph Scott Pemberton to reverse his conviction for his homicide case of Filipino transgender Jennifer Laude.

The Cebu International Convention Center was the subject of the graft charges filed by Third District of Cebu Representative Gwendolyn Garcia.

• April 5
  • The Office of the Ombudsman finds probable cause to file charges against former PNP chief Alan Purisima and former SAF director Getulio Napeñas for the Mamasapano operation that saw 44 SAF troopers killed, the biggest loss of the police in recent history.
  • The Ombudsman orders the filing of graft charges against re-electionist Cebu 3rd District Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia and 11 other former officials over the alleged anomalous construction of the P833-million Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) in 2006.
• April 6 – A group calling itself iBalik ang Bilyones ng Mamamayan (iBBM) filed a complaint for plunder against Senator Bongbong Marcos for his alleged involvement in the PDAF scam.
• April 7 – Neil Llamanzares, the husband of presidential candidate and senator Grace Poe, formally renounces his American citizenship before a barangay chairman in San Juan City. Neil Llamanzares' American citizenship has been a subject of controversy among Grace Poe's critics.
• April 8
  • Italian national Rolando Del Torchio is released after being kidnapped at his pizza parlor in Dipolog on October 7, 2015.
  • Memorandum Order No. 90 was signed by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. directs the abolition of the 42-year-old Armed Forces of the Philippines–Retirement and Separation Benefits System (AFP–RSBS).
  • Bohol declares state of calamity due to the 2016 El Niño.
• April 9
  • The Supreme Court declares that their vote on Grace Poe's natural-born status and 10-year residency is final and executory and she is eligible to become president.
  • 18 soldiers and 5 Abu Sayyaf bandits including a suspected foreign terrorist, Moroccan national Mohammad Khattab, and Ubaida Hapilon, the son of senior leader Isnilon Hapilon are killed during a clash in Tipo-Tipo, Basilan.

File:Clark Green City groundbreaking.jpg

President Aquino in the groundbreaking ceremony of Clark Green City.

• April 11
  • The groundbreaking rites for the Clark Green City, a sustainable city located in the Clark Freeport Zone in Angeles, Pampanga, is conducted and led by President Aquino.
  • Cebu province is placed under state of calamity due to the 2016 El Niño.
• April 13 – The Sandidganbayan Fifth Division grants the petitions for bail of former APEC party-list Representative Edgar Valdez, former Masbate Representative Rizalina Lanete and Janet Lim Napoles who were facing plunder charges in connection with the PDAF scam.
• April 14 – Former Davao del Sur Rep. Marc Douglas Cagas IV and former Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) chairperson Zenaida Ducut, along with 23 other individuals, are charged with graft and malversation of public funds in connection with their alleged involvement in the PDAF scam.
• April 17 – Presidential frontrunner Rodrigo Duterte causes controversy when a video of him making a joke about the rape of a murdered Australian missionary goes viral.
• April 19 – Lester Ivan Rivera, a former bank security guard was found guilty of three counts of rape with homicide with theft and sentenced to three life imprisonment terms in connection with the 2011 rape-slay case of University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) student Given Grace Cebanico.
• April 20
  • The Sandiganbayan Special Fourth Division has acquitted former Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) chairman Camilo Sabio from graft and malversation of public funds cases, which stemmed from his alleged misuse of almost P12 million worth of recovered ill-gotten wealth of the Marcoses.
  • The groundbreaking rites for the ₱69.3-billion Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT-7) project, marking the start of the construction of the 23-kilo-meter elevated railway from North Avenue, Quezon City to San Jose del Monte in Bulacan, is conducted and led by President Aquino.
• April 22 – President Aquino appoints Lt. Gen. Glorioso Miranda as the new chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), replacing Gen. Hernando Iriberri who left the service upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56.
• April 25 – John Ridsdel, a Canadian taken hostage by the Abu Sayyaf in Samal Island, is beheaded on Jolo, Sulu.
• April 27 – Voted 4-3, the COMELEC en banc has officially cancelled the voting on the selected malls scheduled on May 9.

May

• May 2 – Vice presidential candidate and senator Antonio Trillanes IV and Atty. Sal Panelo, lawyer of presidential frontrunner and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, visits the Bank of the Philippine Islands branch along Julia Vargas Avenue in Pasig, in a bid to settle the lawmaker's allegations of hidden wealth against the mayor.
• May 5 – A negative advertisement, paid by Antonio Trillanes IV, targets presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte using children was aired, causing dismay among netizens. A 72-hour TRO was issued by Regional Trial Court in Taguig to stop any TV stations from airing the negative advertisement.
• May 6 – Mario Reyes, former mayor of Coron, Palawan and one of two brothers accused of masterminding the 2011 murder of journalist and good governance advocate Gerry Ortega is granted bail by the court trying the case.

Provincial and city breakdown of presidential race 2016.

• May 9 – The 2016 National and Local elections are held.
• May 11 – The Sandiganbayan absolves former Commission on Elections chairman Benjamin Abalos' graft charges over the botched $329-million ZTE-National Broadband Network (NBN) deal in 2007.
• May 14 – Special elections are held in select villages in Visayas and Mindanao, where the Commission on Elections declared failure of elections.
• May 18 – President Benigno Aquino III signed Republic Act 10821 or the Children’s Emergency Relief and Protection Act which seeks to provide children with comprehensive relief and protection in the aftermath of disasters.
• May 23
  • The historic San Pedro bell is finally returned and displayed at the Bauang Church in La Union, more than a hundred years after it was taken by American soldiers as a war booty during the Philippine-American War.
  • President Benigno Aquino III signed Republic Act 10844 into law creating the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).
• May 25 – Arianwen Rollan's research on Malunggay seed extract that may help hamper the growth of tumors, bagged the Qatar Foundation's First Award for Research and Development in Medical Science at year’s Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.
• May 30 – The Congress proclaims Rodrigo Duterte and Leni Robredo as President-elect and Vice President-elect of the Philippines, respectively, based on the canvassing of votes by the National Board of Canvassers for President and Vice President from May 25 to 27.

Scheduled events

Date unknown

Planned events with no specific date:

• June – The Permanent Court of Arbitration will decide on the arbitration case filed by the Philippines regarding the legality of China's "nine-dotted line" claim over the South China Sea under the UNCLOS.

Holidays

On August 26, 2015, the government announced at least 19 Philippine holidays for 2016 as declared by virtue of Proclamation No. 1105, series of 2015. Note that in the list, holidays in italics are "special non-working holidays," those in bold are "regular holidays," and those in non-italics and non-bold are "special holidays for schools."

In addition, several other places observe local holidays, such as the foundation of their town. These are also "special days."

• January 1 – New Year's Day
• January 2 – Special non-working holiday
• February 8 – Chinese New Year
• February 25 – 1986 EDSA Revolution
• March 24 – Maundy Thursday
• March 25 – Good Friday
• March 26 – Black Saturday
• April 9 – Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor)
• May 1 – Labor Day
• May 9 – Election Day
• June 12 – Independence Day
• August 21 – Ninoy Aquino Day
• August 29 – National Heroes Day
• November 1 – All Saints Day
• November 30 – Bonifacio Day
• December 24 – Special non-working holiday (in observance of the Christmas season)
• December 25 – Christmas Day
• December 30 – Rizal Day
• December 31 – Last day of the year (in observance of New Year's celebrations)

Business and economy

• January 4 – The Philippine Stock Exchange is named the "Best Stock Exchange in Southeast Asia" by the Marquee Awards of the Alpha Southeast Asia magazine.
• January 28 – The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) report states that the Philippine economic growth for the year 2015 grew to 5.8%.
• February 1 – Following complaints that the P100 and P1,000 bills seem to look alike, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has released new 100-peso bank notes with a stronger mauve or violet color.
• February 3 – The Philippines jumps to 70th place, leaped by six places from last year's 76th in the Index of Economic Freedom 2015 by the Heritage Foundation.
• February 4
  • President Aquino III signs Executive Order 198 on the merger between two government-owned banks, The Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) and The Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP).
  • Hackers transferred funds from the Bangladesh Bank's account with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York to Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation which was later transferred to Philippine-based casinos. The money laundering case may potentially be the biggest documented case of money laundering the country if proven.
• February 18 – Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines Inc. inaugurates its manufacturing plant for its snacks line including Cheetos, located in Cabuyao, Laguna.
• March 2 – SM Supermalls owner Henry Sy still holds the #1 position as the Philippine's richest billionaire in the country by Forbes Magazine.
• May 25 – President Benigno Aquino III signed Republic Act 10846 amending the charter of the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. (PDIC) or the deposit insurance law.
• May 30 – PLDT, Inc. and Globe Telecom announces the acquisition of telecomunications business and assets of San Miguel Corporation, following the SMC's failed partnership attempt with Australia-based telecom company Telstra.
• May 31 – President Benigno Aquino III has signed Republic Act 10863 into law known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA).

Health

• March 3 – President Aquino signs the Rare Disease Act, that aims for the persons who have rare diseases to have access to better and comprehensive healthcare.
• March 6 – The Department of Health confirms that an American tourist was tested positive with Zika virus after staying for four weeks in the Philippines. A widespread Zika virus outbreak in the Americas was ongoing at the time.
• April 4 – The Department of Health has launched its school-based dengue immunization program. On April 25, over 200,000 students have been already received by the DOH, the first ever vaccine against dengue since the vaccination program started on April 4.
• May 21 – Five concertgoers are found dead on the Close-Up Forever Summer concert at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay. Authorities suspect that the deaths are due to use of ecstasy. Then Presumptive president-elect Rodrigo Duterte blamed the concert deaths on lack of security to prevent illegal drugs from entering the concert.

Sports

For the full list of events related to Philippine sports in 2016, see 2016 in Philippine sports.

File:SanMiguelBeermenWinningVictory.jpg

The San Miguel Beermen huddle after Game 6 of the 2015–16 PBA Philippine Cup Finals.

• February 3, Basketball – The San Miguel Beermen claim the 2015–16 PBA Philippine Cup title after beating the Alaska Aces in the finals. The Beermen is the first PBA team to come back from a 0–3 deficit.
• February 13 – Filipino boxing champions Nonito Donaire and Donnie Nietes and golfer Miguel Tabuena receive the Athlete of the Year award in the 2015 PSA Annual Awards held in One Espanade, Pasay.
• March 7–11, Multisport – The Philippine National Games are held in Pangasinan.
• March 17–20, Cycling – Tagaytay hosts the World University Cycling Championship.
• April 9–16, Multisport – The Albay province hosted the 2016 Palarong Pambansa.

Manny Pacquiao

• April 10, Boxing – Filipino boxing champion and United Nationalist Alliance senatorial candidate Manny Pacquiao defeats Timothy Bradley for the third time. It was Pacquiao's last fight in his professional boxing career.
• April 16–17, Taekwondo – The Asian Taekwondo Olympic Qualification Tournament was hosted by Manila.
• April 23, Boxing – Nonito Donaire defeats Zsolt Bedak via a technical knockout in Cebu City.
• April 30, Volleyball – The La Salle Lady Spikers took home their ninth championship trophy of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) women’s volleyball tournament after getting the better of rivals the Ateneo Lady Eagles, 19-25, 25-21, 25-16, 25-16, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
• May 25, Boxing – John Riel Casimero became the Philippines newest world boxing champion after knocking out Thai boxer Amnat Ruenroeng for the IBF flyweight title in China.
• May 28, Boxing – Donnie Nietes finally got the spectacular hometown title defense he had always wanted as he battered Mexico's Raul Garcia into submission after 5 rounds at the La Salle Coliseum in Bacolod City.

Scheduled

• July 4–10, Basketball – The Philippines will serve as one of the three host countries of the 2016 FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Men.
• September 3–11, Volleyball – The Philippines will host the AVC Club Volleyball Championship.
• September 9, Wrestling – The World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) will return to the Philippines for a one-night only event at the Mall of Asia Arena.
• November 19–26, Football – The Philippines will host the group stage of the 2016 AFF Suzuki Cup along with Myanmar.
• November 25 – Philippine Olympic Committee elections will be held.

Entertainment and culture

For the events related to Philippine television in 2016, see 2016 in Philippine television; for films, see List of Filipino films of 2016; and for music, see 2016 in Philippine music.

• January 1 – Carlo Katigbak becomes the new President and CEO of the ABS-CBN Corporation, among the largest entertainment and media conglomerate in the country, replacing Charo Santos-Concio who stepped down from the post on December 31, 2015.
• January 11, 13 – The House Committee on Metro Manila Development conducts an investigation over the disqualification of the film Honor Thy Father in the Best Picture category of the 2015 Metro Manila Film Festival and other irregularities.
• January 21 – Filipina grandmother Babylyn Decena-Newfield is crowned as the inaugural titleholder of the Ms. Grandma Universal.
• January 25 – President Aquino approves the privatization plans of the government-sequestered television network Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation (IBC-13) thru public bidding.
• February 1 – The ABS-CBN program On the Wings of Love apologizes to the Philippine National Police (PNP) on a complaint of using a police uniform on Clark (James Reid's character) in a striptease scene with Leah (Nadine Lustre's character) in the January 11 episode of the drama series.
• February 21 – Lav Diaz, director of the 8-hour length full feature film Hele sa Hiwagang Hapis, wins the Silver Bear: Alfred Bauer Prize for a feature film in the 66th Berlin International Film Festival.
• February 26 – Ten Filipinos, including singer Charice Pempengco and photographer Xyza Cruz Bacani, are part of the inaugural "30 Under 30 Asia" list released by Forbes Magazine.
• February 29 – Nora Aunor is recognized as one of the 6 "Ani ng Dangal" awardees by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.
• March 6 – Felix Manalo, a bio-pic film of the life of the Iglesia ni Cristo's first executive minister Felix Manalo bags the Movie of the Year award of the 32nd PMPC Star Awards for Movies.
• April 17
  • Maxine Medina, a graduate of the Philippine School of Interior Design with experience in designing residential condominiums and a model, is crowned as Miss Universe Philippines 2016 during the coronation night of the Binibining Pilipinas 2016 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
  • The Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) releases limited copies of the special commemorative stamps in honor of Miss Universe 2015 Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach.
• April 23 – Yohan Hwang, a Korean tourist based in Manila, bags the first Grand Touristar title of the reality competition show I Love OPM at the Newport Performing Arts Theater of Resorts World Manila in Pasay.
• May 22
  • Jaclyn Jose wins the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival for her role in the film Ma' Rosa, becoming the first Filipina to win the award.
  • Power Duo, composed of real-life couple Anjanette and Gervin, from Angono, Rizal was announced the winner of Pilipinas Got Talent season 5 at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Deaths

January

• January 2 – Virginia Torres, former LTO chief (b. 1953)
• January 4 – Stephen W. Bosworth, United States Ambassador to the Philippines during the People Power Revolution (b. 1939)
• January 6 – Marnill "Kigoy" Abarico, reality show contestant (Pinoy Big Brother: Unlimited) (b. 1979)
• January 8 – German Moreno, TV host, actor, talent manager (b. 1933)
• January 9 – Cielito del Mundo, original host of Kapwa Ko Mahal Ko and Mahal, actress (b. 1935)
• January 11 – Napoleon Rama, former Manila Bulletin publisher (b. 1923)
• January 12 – Democrito Mendoza, co-founder of Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (b. 1943)
• January 23 – Tiger Mañalac, incumbent councilor of Malabon (b. 1970)
• January 27 – Carlos Loyzaga, former basketball player and coach (b. 1930)
• January 29
  • Cayetano Paderanga, Jr., former NEDA director-general (b. 1948)
  • Feliciano Salonga, former Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman and father of Lea Salonga and Gerard Salonga (b. 1929)

February

• February 2 – Rogie Maglinas, former UP Fighting Maroons football scholar (b. 1996)
• February 4 – Uro dela Cruz, television director (Bubble Gang) (b. 1952)
• February 5 – Ciriaco Cañete, martial artist (Doce Pares Eskrima Club) (b. 1919)
• February 8 – Roy Señeres, OFW Family Club party-list representative (b. 1947)
• February 13 – Lauro Vizconde, Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption founding president and board of director, IBC-13 (b. 1938)
• February 16 – Vincent Navarro, artist (b. 1992)
• February 20 – Noel Perfecto, PTV-4 senior correspondent (b. 1947)
• February 26 – Thadeo Ouano, former Mayor of Mandaue (b. 1944)
• February 29 – Wenn Deramas, film and television director (b. 1966)

March

• March 4 – Wenceslao "Peewee" Trinidad, former Mayor of Pasay (2001-06; 2007-10) (b. 1934)
• March 5 – Nestor Mantaring, former NBI director (b. 1948)
• March 6 – Francis Xavier Pasion, film and television director (b. 1978)
• March 10
  • Jovito Salonga, former Senate of the Philippines president (b. 1920)
  • Andrew Gotianun, Filinvest Development Corporation chairman (b. 1927)
• March 11 – Antonio Cabangon Chua, former Philippine ambassador to Laos (b. 1934)
• March 16 – Ben Aniceto, former Vice President and General Manager, ABS-CBN (1986–87) (b. 1933)
• March 22 – Cecilio Hechanova, founding chairman of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) (1990–92) (b. 1932)
• March 29 – Gabriel C. Singson, former Governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (b. 1929)
• March 31
  • Leonardo Mayaen, Governor of Mountain Province (b. 1953)
  • Caitlin Soleil Lucas, leukemia fighter known as Courageous Caitie (b. 2012)

April

• April 8 – Jun Lingcoran, Radyo Patrol #24 and former Chief of Reporters, DZMM (b. 1970)
• April 13 – Ronnie Lucas, Vice Mayor of Jones, Isabela (b. 1975)
• April 14 – Rod Reyes, former Vice President and General Manager, GMA Radio Television Arts (b. 1935)
• April 19
  • Luis Katigbak, writer (b. 1974)
  • Leovic Dioneda, former Mayor of Sorsogon City (b. 1954)
  • Roberto Rivera, former Vice Mayor of Pandi, Bulacan (b. 1955)
• April 27 – Julio Labayen, Bishop Emeritus of the prelature of Infanta (b. 1926)
• April 29 – Renato Corona, 23rd Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (2010–12) (b. 1948)

May

• May 3 – Domingo Siazon, Jr., 18th Secretary of Foreign Affairs (1995–2001) and Philippine ambassador to Japan (2001–05) (b. 1939)
• May 18 – Eduardo Castrillo, Filipino sculptor (b. 1942)

See also

• Years in the Philippines
• Timeline of Philippine history