January 15 – Full implementation of the
Anti-Terrorism Act (RA No. 11479), whose procedural rules had been approved by the
Supreme Court through an en banc resolution on December 5, 2023, begins.[10]
The Supreme Court releases its October 2022 decision, dismissing the petition of property developer Ortigas & Company Limited Partnership for the recovery of the 18.4-hectare land allegedly forcibly donated to then president Ferdinand Marcos and later sequestered by the
Presidential Commission on Good Government, thus affirming the 2020 Sandiganbayan ruling.[12]
A landslide in
Mount Diwata in
Monkayo, Davao de Oro, leaves 11 people dead and one person injured.[13]
January 22 – The Sandiganbayan acquits former
Makati mayor
Elenita Binay of graft and malversation charges filed over the anomalous purchase of ₱9.9 million in medical equipment for the
Ospital ng Makati in 2001.[15]
January 30 – Former president Duterte announces the establishment of a new movement led by former Speaker and Davao del Norte representative
Pantaleon Alvarez calling for the
secession of Mindanao.[30] On
February 27 however, Duterte retracts his call for secession, saying that it was a bluff and a "joke" to get the attention of "Manila".[31]
February 22 – COMELEC awards a ₱17.9 billion-contract to a joint venture led by South Korean firm Miru Systems to provide voting machines and other logistics for the 2025 general election, officially ending
Smartmatic's role as the country's provider of voting machines since the automation of elections in
2010.[42] The agreement is finalized on
March 11.[43]
The Sandiganbayan convicts Maria Cristina Vizcarra, an officer of the non-governmental organization (NGO) GabayMasa Development Foundation, Incorporated, of graft for her role in a case of the pork barrel scam involving deceased
Eastern Samar representative Teodulo Coquilla.[45]
President Marcos signs into law Republic Act No. 11981, also known as the Tatak Pinoy Law, seeking to promote domestic production of sophisticated goods by creating the Tatak Pinoy Council.[47]
The Sandiganbayan releases a
February 23 decision dismissing the ill-gotten wealth case against former Philippine Jai Alai and Amusement Corporation director Olympio Bermudez, deceased former
energy minister Geronimo Velasco, and deceased Manila Bulletin chair
Emilio Yap, alleged associates of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos, involving the properties of the
Bataan Shipyard and Engineering Company, Inc. and two other firms, citing lack of evidence.[48]
February 28 –
Interpol places a
Red Notice against former Negros Oriental representative Arnolfo Teves Jr. over the assassination of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo in 2023.[50]
March 4 – The
Department of Agriculture announces the suspension of 139 officials and employees of the
National Food Authority (NFA), including its administrator Roderico Bioco, for their alleged involvement in the controversial sale of
rice buffer stocks.[52][53] On
March 11, the Ombudsman also suspends the NFA's acting administrator Piolito Santos, over the same case.[54]
The Supreme Court strikes down the ticketing and licensing regulations for traffic violations of 14 cities and the municipality of
Pateros in
Metro Manila and orders them to comply with the single ticketing system imposed by the
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.[55]
The Supreme Court rules in favor of allowing the
Department of Energy to take over the operations of private firms in the oil industry in times of emergency.[56]
March 7 – The Supreme Court releases a
July 11, 2023 decision dismissing a petition challenging the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program, which is being opposed by several transport groups.[60][61]
March 11 – President Marcos signs into law Republic Act No. 11984 or the No Permit, No Exam Prohibition Act, allowing students with unpaid school fees to take examinations,[62][63] and Republic Act No. 11983 or the New Philippine Passport Act, which allows for online
Philippine passport applications.[64]
March 12 – The Supreme Court releases a
June 13, 2023 decision dismissing a petition to require the COMELEC to issue guidelines on automated election systems.[65]
March 13 – A raid by security forces on a POGO suspected of criminal activities in
Bamban,
Tarlac leads to the rescue of 871 individuals inside, including 371 Filipinos and 432 Chinese nationals,[66] and an investigation into the origins and possible involvement of the town's mayor,
Alice Guo.[67]
March 15 – The Sandiganbayan releases a
March 13 decision ordering Myrna Bayucan, the treasurer of the NGO Focus on Development of Goals Foundation, Inc. (Focus), to repay ₱4.6 million to the government in a case of the PDAF scam involving Senator
Lito Lapid.[68]
March 20 – The Supreme Court issues a ruling banning legal officers of local government units from representing their respective officials in cases involving the Ombudsman, citing conflict of interest.[71]
Arnolfo Teves Jr. is arrested in
Dili,
East Timor, where he had sought asylum after being accused of involvement in the assassination of Roel Degamo.[73]
March 23 – The civilian vessel Unaizah May 4 is heavily damaged after being attacked with water cannons by the China Coast Guard on its way to deliver supplies to the Philippine garrison in Ayungin Shoal,[77] injuring three
Philippine Navy personnel on board.[78] In a separate incident, a team of Filipino scientists are hovered over by a
Chinese Navy helicopter while conducting research in
Sand Cay, injuring some of its members.[79]
Antipas highway collision: At least 17 people aboard a
Kidapawan-bound passenger van are killed, leaving one injured survivor, when the vehicle catches fire after figuring in a collision with a truck in
Antipas, Cotabato. The truck's three passengers are also injured.[80]
The
Court of Tax Appeals releases a
March 21 decision dismissing a ₱44.7-million tax evasion case against Janet Lim-Napoles, citing insufficient evidence.[81]
A state of calamity is declared in
Boac and
Buenavista, Marinduque due to outbreaks of
rabies that leave two people dead and 42 dogs and other livestock and wildlife infected.[88]
The Supreme Court rules that persons convicted of heinous crimes are eligible for a reduction in their sentences under the
New Good Conduct Time Allowance Law.[89]
The Supreme Court strikes down then-President Rodrigo Duterte's 2018 revocation of the amnesty issued for then-Senator
Antonio Trillanes IV for rebellion as unconstitutional, saying that a President cannot revoke an amnesty without congressional approval.[90]
President Marcos signs into law Republic Act No. 11993, dividing
Caloocan's Barangay
Bagong Silang, the country's largest
barangay in terms of area and population, into six barangays. A plebiscite will be held within 90 days to approve the division.[91][92]
COMELEC awards a ₱1.4 billion contract to provide secure electronic transmission services (SETS) to a joint venture of iOne Resources Incorporated and Ardent Networks for the 2025 elections, officially displacing
Smartmatic in that role for the first time since 2010.[94]
Romulo Micabalo, the deputy leader of the NPA
Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee, is arrested by government forces in
Consolacion, Cebu.[95]
A
Robinson R22 training helicopter of the Philippine Navy crashes near a market in
Cavite City, killing the two pilots on board.[96]
The Office of the President imposes a 60-day preventive suspension on
Davao del Norte Governor
Edwin Jubahib after complaints are filed against him for alleged "misuse of authority, potential oppression, and the utilization of government funds to advance the interests of a private company".[97] The order leads to a standoff at the Provincial Capitol in
Tagum as Jubahib's supporters occupy the premises to prevent the order from being implemented, while Jubahib calls the allegations politically motivated and defies the suspension.[98]
Former president Duterte acknowledges the existence of a "
gentleman's agreement" that he made in office with Chinese President
Xi Jinping on maintaining a "status quo" in the West Philippine Sea that disallowed repairs to the BRP Sierra Madre grounded in Ayungin Shoal, but denies making any concession to China.[100] On
May 4, China releases what it calls a text of the agreement, saying that it limited access to the vicinity of disputed islands in the West Philippine Sea to small fishing vessels.[101]
The municipalities of
Divilacan and
Maconacon, Isabela are declared "insurgency-free" by the government.[102]
Three suspected Dawlah Islamiyah militants are killed in an encounter with government forces in
Munai, Lanao del Norte.[106]
April 15–
16 –
PISTON and
Manibela hold a
nationwide transportation strike in protest over the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program and as part of their demand for an extension of the
April 30 deadline for the consolidation of PUV units pending an ongoing appeal in the Supreme Court.[107][108]
April 15 –
Philippine drug war: Around 1.4 tons of
shabu valued at around ₱9.68 billion are intercepted by police at a checkpoint in
Alitagtag,
Batangas, in the second biggest drug haul in the country's history. One suspect is arrested.[109]
The Supreme Court overturns the disqualification of Smartmatic by COMELEC, saying that the latter committed grave abuse of discretion for disqualifying Smartmatic before it could participate in the bidding process for the 2025 elections, but stops short of nullifying COMELEC's existing agreements with alternative suppliers of logistics.[110]
The Ombudsman orders the dismissal of Demosthenes Escoto as director of the
Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources following his 2018 conviction for grave misconduct over the procurement of communications equipment for the agency.[111]
April 20 – The
Caloocan Regional Trial Court drops charges against the PISTON 6 who were arrested in 2020 after protesting against the prohibition against jeepneys plying their routes amid the COVID-19 pandemic.[114]
Mohiden Animbang, alias Kagui Karialan, the top commander of the
Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters-Karialan faction, is killed along with 11 militants during an encounter with government forces in
Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao del Sur.[115]
The Ombudsman orders the dismissal of Christian Noveras and his father Gerardo Noveras as governor and vice governor of
Aurora respectively for administrative abuses.[116]
A state of calamity is declared in
Iloilo City due to water shortages caused by
El Niño.[117]
The Supreme Court overturns COMELEC's dismissal of a disqualification case filed against
Cagayan governor
Manuel Mamba, citing grave abuse of discretion by the former.[118]
The Court of Appeals affirms the dismissal from service of three
Bureau of Immigration (BI) officers over their involvement in the ‘pastillas’ scam, which allowed the illegal entry of Chinese citizens into the country.[122]
The Supreme Court rules that immunity from prosecution possessed by members of international organisations in the Philippines is only limited to acts conducted in official capacity following a lawsuit against the
Asian Development Bank.[123]
The COMELEC First Division, acting on a different complaint to the one revived by the Supreme Court on April 22, moves to disqualify Cagayan governor
Manuel Mamba for violations on public spending during his
2022 reelection campaign.[124]
April 25 – The Ombudsman orders the six-month suspension of
Silang, Cavite mayor Alston Kevin Anarna, citing the anomalous procurement of logistics for the town's patronal feast in 2023.[126]
May 1 – The Supreme Court releases a February decision declaring that the dismissal of an employee for testing positive for
HIV is discriminatory, following a lawsuit filed by an
overseas Filipino worker against a recruitment agency.[132]
A state of emergency is declared in
Cagayan de Oro due to a looming water shortage caused by a decision of
Cagayan de Oro Bulk Water Incorporated to cut off the city's water supply due to massive unpaid debts incurred by the city water district.[134]
The Ombudsman imposes a six-month preventive suspension on
Cebu City mayor
Mike Rama on charges of administrative abuse.[135]
The Supreme Court issues a
writ of amparo recognizing
red-tagging as a violation of human rights and a threat to individuals following a petition from
Bayan Muna and
Makabayan Coalition vice president Siegfred Deduro.[136]
May 15 – A court in
Taguig convicts Ominta Romato Maute aka Farhana Maute of financing terrorism in a case involving a 2016 kidnapping by the
Maute Group in Lanao del Sur and sentences her to life imprisonment.[137]
Gregor Johann Haas, an Australian national and suspected member of the
Sinaloa Cartel, is arrested in
Bogo, Cebu following a
red notice issued against him by
Interpol on behalf of
Indonesia, where he is facing drugs charges.[139]
President Marcos signs into law Republic Act No. 11995 or the Philippine Ecosystem and Natural Capital Accounting System (PENCAS) Act, establishing “a comprehensive information system and accounting framework" covering the country's natural resources.[144]
The Ombudsman imposes a six-month preventive suspension on
Nueva Ecija Governor
Aurelio Umali over the granting of clearances for sand and gravel mining without an environmental permit. However, the suspension is halted after Umali obtains a temporary
restraining order from the
Court of Appeals.[145]
President Marcos orders the dismissal of Mabel Acosta as chair of the
Mindanao Development Authority due to loss of trust and confidence. However, she defies the order and continues to hold office.[146]
The Sandiganbayan convicts former
ARMM governor
Nur Misuari of two counts of graft involving the anomalous procurement of around P77 million worth of educational materials in 2000 and 2001.[147]
President Marcos signs into law Republic Act No. 11996 or the
Eddie Garcia law, establishing greater workplace and labor protections in the film and television industry.[148]
Udon Hashim, an
Abu Sayyaf sub-commander said to be involved in a 2013 ambush in
Talipao, Sulu that left 23 civilians dead, is killed in a police operation in
Tandubas,
Tawi-tawi.[152]
The Ombudsman imposes a six-month preventive suspension on
Bamban,
Tarlac mayor
Alice Guo as part of an investigation into her alleged involvement in POGOs.[153]
President Marcos signs into law Republic Act No. 11997 or the Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act, establishing fixed allowances for public school teachers to cover additional education-related expenses.[155]
June 7 – The Office of the President imposes another 30-day preventive suspension on suspended
Davao del Norte Governor
Edwin Jubahib over his direct involvement and use of government resources in a rally against the Northern Davao Electric Cooperative (Nordeco).[160]
June 10 – The country's largest solar pump irrigation project is inaugurated in
Quirino, Isabela, consisting of 1,056 solar panels and two submersible pumps that can irrigate 350 hectares.[162]
On October 13, 2023, the national government released through Proclamation No. 368, series of 2023 dated October 11, 2023 declaring the regular, national, special, and additional special days. The EDSA People Power Revolution Anniversary is dropped from the list of special non-working holidays.[170]
In addition to these regular and special days, several other places observe local holidays, such as the foundation of their localities. These are also other "special days."
February 22 – The planned sale of
SkyCable to
PLDT is called off following a mutual decision between the latter and SkyCable's parent company
ABS-CBN.[180]
March 8 – The Supreme Court nullifies an order from the
Department of Labor and Employment for
PLDT to regularize more than 7,000 subcontracted employees, but orders the firm to regularize those involved in the installation, repair and maintenance services of its lines citing their importance to its business.[183]
March 10 – The Supreme Court denies
Now Telecom's claims for operational frequencies from the
National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), effectively preventing its bid to become the Philippines' third major telecommunications network after the court concurs with the NTC's requirements for Now to enter the market.[184][185][186]
March 15 – Prime Energy Resources Development B.V. awards a $69.9-million contract to the UK-based contractor Noble Viking to drill three wells in the
Malampaya gas field.[187]
March 18 – San Miguel Corporation President and CEO
Ramon Ang announces the cancellation of the proposed
Pasig River Expressway project following criticism over its impact on traffic, the environment and architectural heritage.[188] However, on May 27, Ang says that the project is "on hold".[189]
March 25 – The
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) asks the NTC to block access to the cryptocurrency firm
Binance in the Philippines, saying that it “poses a threat to the security of the funds of investing Filipinos.”.[190]
April 12 – The Philippines announces the establishment of the Luzon Economic Corridor to develop the economic hubs of
Subic Bay,
Clark, Metro Manila and Batangas with US and Japanese financial assistance.[193][194]
April 14 – The
SEC releases an
April 8 decision imposing fines totaling P560 million on the Abra Mining & Industrial Corporation for trading in fraudulent shares from 2015 to 2019.[195]
May 13 – ICTSI announces the construction of the Philippines' largest privately-owned container port terminal in
Bauan, Batangas, beginning in 2025.[197]
June
June 4 – The
Makati Regional Trial Court releases a
May 28 decision convicting
Calata Corporation CEO
Joseph Calata and corporate secretary Jose Marie Fabella of violating the Securities Regulation Code by misleading investors to buy shares into a planned resort-casino complex in
Cebu despite not having a gambling license from
PAGCOR in the first place and sentences them to pay P4 million in fines each or undergo imprisonment.[198]
February 13 – Four colonial-era panels stolen from
Boljoon Church in
Cebu in the 1980s are donated to the National Museum by
Union Bank of the Philippines CEO Edwin Bautista, leading to questions about their provenance and demands from the
Archdiocese of Cebu as well as provincial officials and residents of
Boljoon for the panels to be returned.[208] On
May 8, the museum's board of trustees rules in favor of returning the panels to Boljoon Church.[209]
February 18 –
The Miss Philippines Organization announces the appointments of Alethea Ambrosio, Blessa Ericha Figueroa, Isabelle delos Santos, Chantal Elise Schmidt and Hanna Reese Uyan as the country’s representatives in international pageants (
Miss Supranational,
Miss Asia Pacific International, Miss Aura International, Miss Eco International, and Miss Eco Teen).[211][212]