1970 in the Philippines

Updated on Dec 17, 2024

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Decades: 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s

1970 in the Philippines details events of note that happened in the Philippines in the year 1970.

Incumbents

President: Ferdinand Marcos (Nacionalista Party)

Vice President: Fernando Lopez (Nacionalista Party)

House Speaker: José Laurel, Jr.

Chief Justice: Roberto Concepcion

Congress: 7th (starting January 26)

Events

January to March – The First Quarter Storm was a period of leftist unrest in the Philippines, composed of a series of heavy demonstrations, protests, and marches against the government.

January 26—President Marcos delivers his State of the Nation Address at the Legislative Building, Manila. Student groups, National Union of Students of the Philippines, and Kabataang Makabayan conducted a rally outside the building, in which, were confronted by the riot police as they marched to Malacañang, leaving many injuries.

January 30—Another confrontation between riot police and about 2,000 demonstrators, mostly students, outside the Malacañang Palace, called "Battle of Mendiola," killed six people, and marked the beginning of the First Quarter Storm.

February 18 – United States Embassy in Manila was attacked by an estimated 2,000-3,000 youths, who had broken from a massive peaceful demonstrations, after holding a People's Congress in Plaza Miranda.

March 3—A People's March was organized by the Movement for a Democratic Philippines, and the group marched from Welcome Rotonda in Quezon City to Post Office Building in Plaza Lawton, Manila.

April 5-7—Demonstrations and strikes against oil price and transportation cost increases, ang vioent anti-American riots, broke out.

April 7 – Destructive earthquake shook the Manila area, killed 15 persons and injured 200 others.

April 21 – Philippine twin-engine Hawker Siddeley, ripped by an explosion in the tail section, fell near the village of Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija, all 36 aboard died.

May 20—Another protest actions against Marcos government and the involvement of United States in Vietnam War were held.

June 12 – Philippine fishing boat "Baby Princess" capsized in a violent storm 300 miles southwest of Manila, 22 persons were rescued, 22 others were devoured by sharks.

August 24-September 4 – The Philippines participated in the 1970 Asian Games held in Bangkok, Thailand. It ranked 11th with 1 gold medal, 9 silver medals and 12 bronze medals with a total of 22 over-all medals.

October 13 – Super Typhoon Sening landfalls on Lagonoy Gulf with sustained winds of 280 km/h. Sening left over 80,000 people homeless, in addition to killing 575 people (193 people were unaccounted for, and have since been declared dead, bringing the total toll to 768) and injuring nearly 1600. US$74 million (1970 US$, $373 million 2005 USD) of damage was estimated.

November 10 – The Constitutional Convention was called to change the existing Philippine Constitution which was made during the Commonwealth of the Philippines. Special elections for the CON-CON Delegates who will represent the various provinces of the country were held.

November 19 – Philippine military officials denied charges made by Senator Stuart Symington (Democratic; Missouri) that the United States had provided cash assistance to the Philippine contingent in Vietnam.

November 20 – Violent typhoon (Typhoon Patsy or Yoling) with winds of (more than) 125 mph raged through the heavily populated (Luzon) island, wrecking the harbor and airport facilities at Manila. Typhoon Patsy was one of the deadliest typhoons to strike the Philippines in its history. 611 people were killed (with 351 missing) on the island, and 135 people were killed at sea due to shipping failures. In Manila, 120 persons died, 60 others were missing, and more than 1,000 injured; property damage reached $80 million.

November 27 – Pope Paul VI visited the Philippines for his first Papal Visit, for three days, but survived assassination attempt by Benjamín Mendoza y Amor Flores (a knife-wielding assailant dressed as a priest) at Manila International Airport in the Philippines.

December 29—Lieutenant Victor Corpuz, a constabulary officer at the Philippine Military Academy, led a raid conducted by the New People's Army in the academy's armory.