Philippine Historical Events in December
| Day | Year | Event |
| 1 | 1846 | First issue of La Esperanza, first Philippine daily newspaper in Spanish |
| 1 | 1870 | Birth of Jose Alejandrino, a Philippine Republican Army general during the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine–American War; First Secretary of the Department of Agriculture; Senator from 1923 to 1928. |
| 1 | 1926 | Birth of Onofre D. Corpuz – 2004 National Scientist |
| 2 | 1899 | Battle of Tirad Pass in Ilocos Sur province during the Philippine-American War where the youthful General Gregorio del Pilar died after a fellow Filipino named Januario Galut led the Americans along a secret path towards the Pass. |
| 3 | 1912 | Birth of governor and later senator Salipada Pendatun in Pagalungan, Maguindanao |
| 4 | 1594 | Death of Domingo de Salazar, first bishop of Manila |
| 5 | 2000 | Approval of the cityhoods of Balanga in Bataan, Bayawan in Negros Oriental, and Valencia in Bukidnon |
| 6 | 1931 | The OSROX Independence Mission led by Sergio Osmena and Manuel Roxas was sent to Washington, USA. |
| 7 | 2000 | Impeachment trial of President Joseph Estrada formally opened at the Philippine Senate. |
| 7 | 1936 | Birth of Artemio Panganiban in Manila, the 21st chief justice of the Supreme Court from December 20, 2005 to December 7, 2006 |
| 8 | 1930 | Act No. 3815 or the Revised Penal Code was approved. |
| 8 | 1941 | The Philippines joined World War II after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. |
| 9 | 1985 | First issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer – a leading English Daily |
| 10 | 1898 | The Treaty of Paris was signed whereby Spain ceded the Philippines to the United States for US$20 Million. |
| 10 | 1982 | The UN Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS) which adopted the so-called Archipelagic Doctrine, was approved by 130 countries. |
| 11 | 1897 | The Pact of Biak-Na-Bato was signed, temporarily halting the hostilities between the Filipino Revolutionaries and Spanish Forces. |
| 11 | 2018 | Balanginga Bells returned to the Philippines after 117 years. |
| 12 | 1928 | The first National Eucharistic Congress was held in Manila. |
| 12 | 2011 | Luis Antonio “Chito” Tagle was formally installed as the 32nd Archbishop of Manila. |
| 13 | 1990 | President Corazon Aquino signed into law Republic Act No. 6975 entitled “An Act Establishing the Philippine National Police under a Reorganized Department of the Interior and Local government (DILG)”. |
| 12 | 2011 | 188 Congressmen signed the impeachment complaint of Chief Justice Renato Corona. |
| 13 | 1949 | Birth of Manuel B. Villar – Senate President, House Speaker, businessman |
| 14 | 1863 | Birth of Arsenio Cruz Herrera, member of malolos Congress and first mayor of Manila |
| 15 | 1875 | Emilio Jacinto, considered as the brain of the Katipunan, was born in Tondo, Manila. |
| 16 | 1730 | Diego silang was born in Aringay, La Union |
| 16 | 2008 | Renewable Energy Act or Republic Act no. 9513 was signed into law by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo |
| 17 | 1856 | Graciano Lopez Jaena was born in Jaro, Iloilo. He was considered as Prince of Filipino Orators and one of the leading men of the Propaganda Movement |
| 17 | 2011 | Typhoon Sendong brought heavy rains to Mindanao and left hundreds of people dead and missing in one of the worst calamities to ever hit the island. |
| 17 | 2022 | Baliuag becomes the 4th city of Bulacan Province and the 147th city of the Philippines by virtue of the ratification of Republic Act 11929. |
| 18 | 1974 | President Marcos issued Presidential Decree No. 612 or the Insurance Code of the Philippines |
| 18 | 1998 | Approval of the cityhood of Tuguegarao in Cagayan |
| 18 | 2018 | President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law Republic Act No. 11166, The Philippine AIDS and HIV Policy Act |
| 18 | 1999 | Approval of the cityhood of Malolos in Bulacan |
| 19 | 1899 | Battle of San Mateo, Rizal where the Filipino Forces led by General Licerio Geronimo defeated the Americans killing General Lawton. |
| 19 | 2017 | President Rodrigo Duterte Signed Republic Act 10963 or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Act |
| 20 | 1935 | Birth of Chief Justice Hilario Davide, Jr. in Argao, Cebu. He was the 20th chief justice from November 30, 1998 to Dec. 20, 2005 |
| 20 | 1987 | Collision of passenger ship MV Dona Paz with oil tanker MT Vector in Tablas Strait located between the islands of Mindoro and Marinduque. Considered as the worst peacetime maritime tragedy where 4,300 people died and only 26 survived. |
| 21 | 1936 | Approval of Commonwealth Act no. 1 or the National Defense Act which created the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Military Academy |
| 22 | 1896 | Francisco M. Fronda was born in Aliaga, Nueva Ecija. He was named National Scientist as an expert in poultry science. |
| 22 | 1910 | Chief Justice Querube Makalintal was born in San Jose, Batangas. He also served as Speaker of the Interim Batasang Pambansa during the Marcos regime. |
| 23 | 1895 | Birth of Victorio C. Edades in Dagupan City, Pangasinan. He was named National Artist in 1976 for painting. |
| 23 | 1900 | Establishment of the Federal Party, the first political party in the Philippines. |
| 23 | 1895 | Merger of the Manila Stock Exchange and Makati Stock Exchange into the Philippine Stock Exchange. |
| 24 | 1941 | The seat of the Commonwealth Government was transferred to Corregidor Island during World War II. |
| 25 | 1924 | Birth of Henry Sy, the founder of SM group of companies |
| 26 | 1941 | General Douglas MacArthur declared Manila as an Open City during World War II. |
| 27 | 1945 | Resident Commissioner Carlos P. Romulo signed for the Philippines its membership in the International Monetary Fund. |
| 28 | 2000 | Philippines signed the Rome Statute establishing the International Criminal Court |
| 29 | 1939 | Birth of Jose Concepcion Jr., the founder of RFM group of companies, founder of Namfrel (an election watchdog), and former Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry. |
| 30 | 1896 | Dr. Jose Rizal was executed in Luneta. |
| 30 | 2021 | President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law Republic Act No. 11641 creating the Department of Migrant Workers. |
| 31 | 1896 | The Imus Assembly was held to patch up the differences between the Bonifacio and Aguinaldo factions of the Katipunan. |
RELATED: Philippine Historical Events in January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November
See also:
List of Philippine Provinces with a link to their profile and history
