Philippine Historical Events in May
| Day | Year | Event |
| 1 | 1856 | Creation of Isabela Province through a Spanish royal decree |
| 1 | 1898 | Battle of Manila Bay between the United States and Spain. |
| 1 | 1912 | Felipe Padilla de Leon was born Penaranda, Nueva Ecija. He was named National Artist in 1997 for music. |
| 1 | 1974 | President Ferdinand Marcos issued Presidential Decree 442 or the Labor Code of the Philippines which became the legal code governing employment practices and labor relations in the Philippines. |
| 2 | 1942 | Japanese forces executed Chief Justice Jose Abad Santos in Malabang, Lanao del Sur. |
| 3 | 1900 | Death of Federico Abaya, the founder of Candon City in Ilocos Sur |
| 4 | 1904 | Antonino Buenaventura was born in Baliuag, Bulacan. He was proclaimed National Artist for music in 1988. |
| 5 | 1583 | Establishment of the Royal Audiencia, the highest judicial body during the Spanish regime. |
| 5 | 1860 | Birth of Gregorio Aglipay in Batac, Ilocos Norte. He founded the Philippine Independent Church. |
| 5 | 2020 | Closure of broadcast giant ABS-CBN after Congress refused to renew its legislative franchise that expired under President Duterte’s administration. |
| 6 | 1942 | Surrender of Corregidor Island by General Wainwright to the Japanese during World War II. |
| 7 | 1899 | First local election was held in Baliuag, Bulacan under the supervision of American General Henry Lawton. |
| 8 | 1967 | By virtue of Republic Act 4847, Davao was divided into 3 provinces namely: Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, and Davao Oriental. |
| 9 | 1900 | Birth of David Nepomuceno, the first Filipino to compete in the Olympics |
| 9 | 1956 | Reparations Agreement with Japan was signed in Manila providing for the payment by Japan of war reparations. |
| 9 | 1875 | Birth of Gregoria de Jesus, wife of Andres Bonifacio and later became the wife of Julio Nakpil |
| 10 | 1897 | Andres Bonifacio and his brother were executed in Mt. Buntis, Cavite. They were previously charged of treason. |
| 10 | 1886 | Felix Manalo, founder of the Iglesia Ni Cristo, was born in Manila |
| 11 | 1992 | First presidential election under the 1987 Constitution. Fidel Valdez Ramos won as president of the Republic beating 5 other candidates. |
| 11 | 2018 | Removal of Maria Lourdes Sereno as Chief Justice by way of an 8–6 decision by the Supreme Court over a quo warranto petition |
| 12 | 1962 | President Diosdado Macapagal approved the change of date for the celebration of Independence Day from July 4 to June 12. |
| 13 | 1903 | Death of Apolinario Mabini in Manila. |
| 14 | 1935 | Ratification of the 1935 Philippine Constitution in a plebiscite. |
| 15 | 1910 | Manuel Luiz Quezon assumed the post of Junior Resident Commissioner in Washington, USA. |
| 15 | 1963 | Establishment of the Makati Stock Exchange. |
| 15 | 2013 | President Benigno Simeon Aquino III signed into law Republic Act 10533 or Enhanced Basic Education Act (K-to-12 Law) |
| 16 | 1571 | Arrival of Miguel Lopez de Legaspi in Manila. |
| 16 | 2016 | President Benigno Aquino Signed Republic Act No. 10816 or the Farm Tourism Development Act of 2016. |
| 17 | 1899 | First issue of Gaceta de Filipinas, official publication of the revolutionary government under Aguinaldo |
| 17 | 1940 | Birth of Reynato Puno in Manila, the 23rd chief justice of the Supreme Court |
| 17 | 1974 | President Ferdinand Marcos issued Presidential Decree No. 461 which reorganized the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources (DANR) into a Department of Agriculture (DA) and a Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Among the offices created was the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. |
| 18 | 1994 | Approval of Republic Act 7721 to liberalize the entry and operation of foreign banks in the Philippines |
| 18 | 1994 | Approval of Republic Act 7722 or Higher Education Act of 1994 that established the Commission on Higher Education |
| 19 | 1898 | Emilio Aguinaldo returned from Hong Kong where he was exiled. The revolution against Spain continued. |
| 20 | 1865 | Organization of public and private secondary schools in the Philippines |
| 20 | 2016 | President Benigno Aquino III signed Republic Act No. 10844 creating the Department of Information and Communications Technology. |
| 21 | 1973 | President Ferdinand Marcos launched Masagana 99 to increase rice production. |
| 21 | 2021 | President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law Republic Act No. 11550 dividing Maguindanao Province into Maguindanao Del Norte and Maguindanao Del Sur. |
| 22 | 1667 | Birth of Julio Nakpil in Manila, musician and member of the Katipunan who married Gregoria de Jesus, the widow of Andres Bonifacio. |
| 22 | 1944 | Roberto A. Abad was born in Tondo, Manila. He is an associate justice of the Supreme Court and dean of UST College of Law. |
| 23 | 2000 | Approval of Republic Act 8791 or the General Banking Act |
| 23 | 2017 | Battle of Marawi, also called Siege of Marawi, began after Maute Group occupied several buildings. The battle lasted for 5 months and triggered the declaration of martial law in the whole of Mindanao. |
| 24 | 1954 | Establishment of Trece Martirez as component city of Cavite by virtue of Republic Act 981. |
| 25 | 2012 | The Philippine Senate, sitting as impeachment court, voted 20-3 to convict Chief Justice Renato Corona for culpable violation of the constitution and betrayal of public trust. |
| 26 | 1609 | Forced labor among Filipino males was introduced in the Philippines. |
| 27 | 1911 | Salvador P. Lopez is born in Currimao, Ilocos Norte. Writer, President of the University of the Philippines, and Ambassador to the United States |
| 27 | 1999 | The Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the Philippines and the United States formally took effect after the ratification of the Philippine Senate. |
| 28 | 1763 | Diego Silang was assassinated. |
| 28 | 2018 | Republic Act 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018 was signed by President Rodrigo Duterte |
| 29 | 1976 | President Ferdinand Marcos issued Presidential Decree No. 940, restoring the City of Manila as the capital city of the Philippines, and designating Metro Manila as the permanent seat of national government. |
| 29 | 2012 | Philippine Senate, acting as an impeachment court, convicts Chief Justice Renato Corona. |
| 30 | 1892 | Birth of painter and first National Artist Fernando Amorsolo in Paco, Manila |
| 31 | 1606 | Arrival of the Black Nazarene from Mexico. The burnt sculpture of the crucified Christ now found in Quiapo Church in Manila is the object of devotion of millions of Filipino Catholics. |
| 31 | 1939 | Enactment of Commonwealth Act No. 430 creating the Department of National Defense (DND |
| 31 | 1978 | Birth of Vice President Sara Duterte |
RELATED: Philippine Historical Events in January, February, March, April, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
See also:
List of Philippine Provinces with a link to their profile and history
