Days to Remember (1986-2013)

1986-2013

• February 7, 1986 - Snap presidential election: Comelec says Marcos ahead; Namfrel says Aquino leading.
• February 22, 1986 - Edsa Revolution begins.
• February 25, 1986 - Cory Aquino takes oath of office as 11th Philippine president; Marcos and family flee to Hawaii.
• July 22, 1986 - DZMM 630 kHz goes on-the air.
• July 28, 1986 - The Philippine Star is born.
• September 14, 1986 - ABS-CBN Channel 2 returns on the air after 14 years.
• January 22, 1987 - 11 protesters killed in Mendiola Massacre.
• February 2, 1987 - New Philippine Constitution ratified. 
• February 11, 1987 - Manila Standard is born.
• March 2, 1987 - Premiere of “TV Patrol” on ABS-CBN Channel 2, which is now as the Asia’s longest-running Filipino-language news program, next after “Xinwen Lianbo” (news in Standard Mandarin) of CCTV-1 in China and “NBC Nightly News” of NBC in the United States.
• July 27, 1987 - BusinessWorld is born.
• August 28, 1987 - Col. Gregorio Honasan leads RAM coup attempt.
• October 8, 1987 - Lorenzo Ruiz becomes first Filipino saint.
• November 7, 1987 - The first section of the Singapore’s North-South MRT Line started operations, consisting of five stations over six kilometers.
• December 10, 1987 - Honasan captured in Valle Verde, Pasig.
• December 12, 1987 - The second phase of the Singapore’s North-South MRT Line started operations from Toa Payoh to Raffles Palace.
• December 20, 1987 - MV Doña Paz collides with MT Vector, killing more than 1,000 in world's worst peacetime maritime disaster.
• March 12, 1988 - Opening of six more stations from Tiong Bahru to Clementi on the East West Line, City Hall and Raffles Place become interchange stations between the two lines. On the same day, the system was officially launched by Mr Lee Kuan Yew, then Prime Minister of Singapore.
• October 31, 1988 - Imelda Marcos arraigned in New York on racketeering charges.
• November 5, 1988 - Three stations on East West Line from Jurong East to Lakeside were opened.
• December 20, 1988 - Two stations on North South Line from Khatib to Yishun were opened, completing the Northern section of the line.
• September 28, 1989 - Marcos dies in Hawaii.
• December 1, 1989 - Bloody coup attempt launched against Philippine President Corazon Aquino.
• December 16, 1989 - Three stations on East West Line from Simei to Pasir Ris were opened, completing the Eastern section of the line.
• Lea Salonga stars in "Miss Saigon" musical.
• March 10, 1990 - Three stations on a Branch Line starting from Jurong East to Choa Chu Kang were opened.
• July 6, 1990 - The last station on the East West Line, Boon Lay, was opened, which marked the completion of the system two years ahead of schedule.
• July 16, 1990 - Big earthquake rocks 23 provinces; more than 1,200 dead.
• November 1990 - Typhoon Ruping ravages Mindanao and Visayas.
• June 9, 1991 - Mt. Pinatubo, dormant for 450 years, begins erupting.
• September 16, 1991 - Senate rejects new bases agreement with United States.
• November 8, 1991 - Typhoon Uring ravages Ormoc; 5,000 dead.
• January 15, 1992 - Pag-asa, first Philippine eagle hatched in captivity, is born at the eagle center in Malagos, Davao.
• February 21, 1992 - ABC-5 returns on the airwaves after 20 years.
• June 30, 1992 - Fidel V. Ramos becomes 12th Philippine president.
• September 18, 1992 - Zamboanga City stripped of World Little League baseball title.
• September 10, 1993 - Calauan Mayor Antonio Sanchez charged with rape-slay of Aileen Sarmenta and Allan Gomez; later sentenced to two life terms.
• June 28, 1994 - Frank Sinatra starts four-day concert in Manila.
• January 12 to 16, 1995 - Pope John Paul II visits Manila again.
• April 4, 1995 - Moro rebels sack Ipil, Zamboanga del Sur; at least 55 killed.
• March 8, 1995 - First lotto draw held with P3 million jackpot. 
• March 17, 1995 - Flor Contemplacion hanged in Singapore, straining Philippine-Singapore relation. 
• December 1995 - Efren "Bata" Reyes named world's No. 1 billiards player.
• January 25, 1996 - Emilio Advincula returns P2 million in cash and valuables left in his cab by woman "balikbayan."
• February 10, 1996 - The 16 km, 6 station elevated line was opened on 10 February 1996 at a total cost of S$ 1.2 billion. With this extension, the North South Line included the three stations on the former Choa Chu Kang Branch Line (Jurong East, Bukit Batok, Bukit Gombak and Choa Chu Kang), forming a continuous line from Jurong East to Marina Bay.
• August 3, 1996 - Onyok Velasco wins boxing silver at Atlanta Olympics.
• November 1996 - The Philippines hosts Apec meeting at Subic.
• July 1997 - Peso tumbles in wake of Asian currency crisis
• May 11, 1998 - Actor Joseph Estrada elected 13th Philippine president.
• June 12, 1998 - The Philippine Declaration of Independence celebrates its 100 years centennial anniversary.
• June 30, 1998 - Joseph Estrada becomes 13th Philippine president
• August 2, 1999 - A massive landslide occurred in Cherry Hills subdivision in Antipolo City, Rizal province that was primarily caused by the heavy rains of the approaching Typhoon Olga.
• January 1, 2000 - The Philippines celebrates the new 2000 millennium nationwide. The same year, ABS-CBN, the largest media conglomerate in the Philippines, unveils a new logo for the new millennium.
• March 15, 2000 to July 12, 2000 - All-out war in Mindanao happened when Government troops clashed against MILF rebels as a warning to the separation of an Islamic state.
• April 19, 2000 - Air Philippines Flight 541 crashes into a coconut plantation in Island Garden City of Samal, Killing 131 passengers and crew.
• April 28, 2000 - SM City Manila, the sixth SM Supermall in Metro Manila, ninth SM Supermall and first SM Mall in Manila was opened.
• May 3, 2000 - Abu Sayyaf terrorists’ hostage 21 people including 10 tourists and 11 resort workers in a resort island of Sipadan, Malaysia. The hostage crisis lasts four months.
• May 17, 2000 - Terrorists bombed Glorietta Mall in Makati, injuring 12 persons mostly teenagers.
• May 21, 2000 - Terrorists bombed SM Megamall in Mandaluyong, killing 1 person and 17 others injured.
• June 14, 2000 - GMA Network Center was inaugurated by Philippine President Estrada and the network's board of directors.
• June 17, 2000 - GMA Network celebrates its 50th golden year since was established in 1950.
• July 16. The Central total lunar eclipse of July 16 becomes the longest lunar eclipse in the century which lasted for 108 minutes; it was witnessed by many amateur astronomers and eclipse watchers throughout the country since the one happened in 1953.
• September 15 – October 1, 2000 - The Philippines participated in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia by sending a delegation of 20 members. But all of the athletes lost in the said event and did not home their medals.
• November 11, 2000 - SM City Pampanga, the tenth SM Supermall, second SM Supermall in Luzon (outside Metro Manila), first SM Mall in Pampanga and first SM Supermall in Northern Luzon was opened.
• April 22, 2001 - Dream Satellite TV launched as the country's first DTH satellite TV provider and commenced commercial services.
• May 14, 2001 - Legislative and local elections were held nationwide.
• May 27, 2001 - Twenty tourists were hostaged by the Abu Sayyaf terrorists in a popular island resort in Palawan, leaving 22 hosstages were killed and the crisis lasts 12 months.
• November 7, 2001 - Actress Nida Blanca was killed in a parking lot in San Juan.
• August 18, 2002 - The Tseung Kwan O MTR Line opens.
• October 2, 2002 - A bomb blast in front of a Malagutay district karaoke bar near a military arms depot in Zamboanga City killed an American Green Beret commando and three Filipino civilians. At least 25 other people, one of them another American trooper, were wounded in the blast.
• October 17, 2002 - Two TNT bombs exploded around noon inside a shopping center in the commercial district of Zamboanga City, when the mall was most busy, killing at least seven and wounding about 150 people. Two department stores were destroyed in the attack.
• October 21, 2002 - A Philippine Marine guarding the church was killed and 18 others were wounded after a bomb, placed in bag left at a candle store, exploded at Fort Pilar, a Catholic shrine in Zamboanga City.
• December 24, 2002 - The first line of the Delhi Metro was inaugurated by Atal Behari Vajpayee, the then Prime Minister of India.
• January 22-25, 2003 - 4th World Meeting of Families was held at the Quirino Grandstand Luneta Park, Manila
• April. SARS virus outbreak in Singapore and other parts of Asia.
• June 20, 2003 - The North East MRT Line opens.
• July 12, 2003 - UAAP Season 66 opens.
• July 27, 2003 - Oakwood mutiny
• September 24, 2003 - In an interview on TV Patrol, Kris Aquino, revealed that she incurred a sexually transmitted disease and that she feared for her life when she had a heated argument with her former lover Joey Marquez.
• June 24, 2004 - Philippine Vice-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo elects 14th president.
• June 30, 2004 - Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo becomes 14th Philippine president.
• December 28, 2004 - The grand opening of the Shenzhen Metro system occurred at 5:00 pm
• April 2, 2005 - Pope John Paul II passes away at 9:37 p.m. Vatican time (CEST) at the age of 84, thus beginning the period of sede vacante.
• April 3, 2005 - Pope John Paul II lies in state in the Clementine Room of the Apostolic Palace for a private viewing, a ceremony to confirm and certify the death of the Pontifex Maximus.
• April 8, 2005 -The funeral of Pope John Paul II takes place. 
• April 18, 2005 -Black smoke signals no new Pope is chosen in the first ballot in the Papal conclave, 2005.
• April 19, 2005 -Papal conclave, 2005: Ringing bells and white smoke at the Vatican indicate that, after four ballots, a new Pope, German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, has been elected. He has taken the regnal name Pope Benedict XVI.
• April 20, 2005 -The Government of Singapore's approval for the building of two casinos as part of integrated resorts in Singapore's new downtown, and on Sentosa island ignites intense speculation on the likely winners from 19 submitted proposals, and caps off more than a year of moral debates in the traditionally conservative city.
• April 23, 2005 - YouTube is founded and launched.
• April 24, 2005 - Pope Benedict XVI is formally installed as Pope of the Catholic Church in an inaugural mass.
• June 18, 2005 - The Chongqing Rail Transit Line 2 begins operation as the first metro line in the West of China.
• July 7, 2005 - Four explosions are reported on the London Underground and bus system, leading to the entire transport network being shut down. A previously unheard-of splinter group of al-Qaeda has claimed responsibility, though their involvement has not yet been verified. The attacks have left at least 50 people dead and roughly 700 others injured.
• July 8, 2005 - In the Philippines, resigned ministers, other politicians, socialites, fashion designers, hair and make-up artists, models, TV and movie personalities, sports icons and businessmen call President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to resign as well and hand the reins of the country over to PR guru and events extraordinaire Keren Pascual.
• July 13, 2005 - In the Philippines, thousands of protestors gather in Manila to demand the resignation of President Arroyo, who has reshuffled her cabinet. The military is on alert in case of violence.
• July 15, 2005 - In the Philippines, opposition demonstrators demanding resignation of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo seize the building of the Department of Agriculture and smash windows before dispersing before police. Her political opponents in the senate want to begin impeachment procedures.
• August 4, 2005 - Negotiations between the Philippines government and the National Democratic Front, the political wings of the Communist Party of the Philippines, break down. The Government has ended immunity of their members from arrest.
• August 16, 2005 - World Youth Day 2005 begins in Cologne, Germany.
• August 21, 2005 - More than 800,000 people joined Pope Benedict XVI for the concluding Mass of World Youth Day 2005 in Cologne, Germany.  The next World Youth Day was announced to be held in Sydney, Australia in 2008.
• August 28, 2005 - Hurricane Katrina continues to rapidly strengthen reaching Category Five status. It has the second lowest pressure for an American hurricane in recorded history, with only the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 having a lower measurement. Katrina is at 908 mb. and dropping; the Labor Day event of 1935 had 892 mb. 
• September 1, 2005 - Typhoon Talim passes over Taiwan, killing at least one person and injuring 24.
• September 2, 2005 - U.S. President George W. Bush tours the area devastated by Hurricane Katrina amidst growing criticism of his lack of leadership. Media reports say he will not visit New Orleans. Bush said order would be restored and New Orleans would emerge from its "darkest days".
• September 3, 2005 - The Line 1, Nanjing Metro opens to the public.
• September 5, 2005 - Senator and former First Lady Hillary Clinton calls for a "9/11 Style Inquiry" into the U.S. federal government's response to the Hurricane. 
• September 5, 2005 - Mandala Airlines Flight 091: A Mandala Airlines flight crashes into a residential area of the Indonesian city of Medan, killing at least 100 passengers. Among the dead are the governor and former governor of Sumatra Utara, Rizal Nurdin and Raja Inal Siregar.
• September 12, 2005 - Hong Kong Disneyland opens to the public at 13:00 local time.
• September 13, 2005 - President of the People's Republic of China Hu Jintao meets with U.S. President George W. Bush at the United Nations during the Leaders' Gathering in honor of the 60th Anniversary of the UN's founding.
• January 21, 2006 - Boxer Manny Pacquiao defeated Mexican Erik Morales in a tenth-round technical knockout at the Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas. The victory caused jubilation in the country wracked by poverty and political instability.
• January 27, 2006 - Marine Captain Nicanor Faeldon, who escaped from the Philippine Army headquarters on December 14, was recaptured by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). Faeldon and other junior officers of the AFP launched the Oakwood mutiny on July 27, 2003, where they demanded President Arroyo and then Defense secretary Angelo Reyes to resign.
• February 1, 2006 - The Revised-Value Added Tax (R-VAT) was implemented, causing a hike in prices of consumer goods.
• February 4, 2006 - A stampede occurred during the first anniversary of ABS-CBN's television program Wowowee at the PhilSports Complex, causing the deaths of 74 people and the wounding of about 400 others.
• February 14, 2006 - Smart Communications, Globe Telecom, and Sun Cellular launch 3G in selected cities in the country.
• February 17, 2006 - After heavy rains in the preceding ten days, a mudslide occurred on the town of Saint Bernard, Southern Leyte, killing fifty people, but with 958 people still missing the death toll is expected to rise dramatically.
• February 19, 2006 - Red Bull Barako wins the Philippine Basketball Association 2005–2006 Fiesta Conference after defeating the Purefoods Chunkee Giants in six games.
• February 24, 2006 - Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on 11:25 am declared a state of emergency via Proclamation No. 1017 after a failed coup attempt and street protests commemorating the 20th anniversary of the People Power Revolution. The protesters converged at the EDSA Shrine led by Philippine Vice President Teofisto Guingona were dispersed right after the proclamation. The protesters at EDSA-Santolan led by Prof. Randy David were dispersed violently by the police. Several leftist and rightist leaders were arrested or were under the threat of arrest within the next seven days.
• February 24–25, 2006 - The World Wrestling Entertainment RAW Live Tour made its stop at Araneta Coliseum, featuring matches for the WWE Championship, the WWE Intercontinental Championship, and the WWE Women's Championship, among others. John Cena, Shelton Benjamin and Trish Stratus retained their title belts on the two-night event amidst an overflowing crowd at the Araneta Coliseum.
• March 3, 2006 - The President declared the lifting of the state of emergency via Proclamation No. 1021.
• March 10, 2006 - The Department of the Interior and Local Government orders barangays to conduct barangay assemblies for the adoption of a new constitution.
• March 24, 2006 - The Archbishop of Manila, Gaudencio Borbon Rosales was installed as Cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI at a ceremony at Rome.
• April 1, 2006 - Keanna Reeves wins Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Edition on its Big Night finale held at the Manila Central Post Office grounds.
• April 20, 2006 - The Supreme Court declared that a part of Executive Order No. 464 as unconstitutional, thus paving way for the resumption of Congressional inquiries.
• April 25, 2006 - The Supreme Court ruled that a part of the government policy of Calibrated Pre-Emptive Response as unconstitutional.
• May 3, 2006 - The Supreme Court ruled that the Proclamation No. 1017 was constitutional, although a part of General Order No. 5 as unconstitutional.
• May 7, 2006 - Gerald Santos wins Pinoy Pop Superstar on its Grand Showdown held at the Araneta Coliseum.
• May 11, 2006 - Typhoon Caloy (international name: Typhoon Chanchu) made landfall on Samar. On the next day, it made landfall on Mindoro. Caloy caused the deaths of 41 and $1.9 million in damages.
• May 18, 2006 - Mountaineer Leo Oracion reached the summit of Mount Everest via the Nepalese side, becoming the first Filipino to do so, although another mountaineer, Dale Abenojar claimed that he reached the summit first via the Tibetan side, on May 15.
• May 20, 2006 - Grand Opening of SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City.
• June 2, 2006 - Four U.S. Marines facing rape charges in the Philippines see their accuser in court for the first time as the formal trial begins in a case that was filed in December, stemming from an incident at a Subic Bay bar. The case has prompted protests and calls for the Visiting Forces Agreement to be amended or scrapped.
• June 3, 2006 - The death of three Philippines soldiers by the communist New People's Army is confirmed. The ambush by NPA guerrillas took place on Wednesday in Balbalan, Kalinga. The NPA also says two more government soldiers were killed and four were wounded in another attack on Wednesday on an army outpost in Pinukpok town, but the government could not confirm this.
• June 4, 2006 - Kim Chiu wins Pinoy Big Brother: Teen Edition.
• June 8, 2006 - U.S. Navy investigators who looked into rape allegations against four marines in the Philippines are barred by the U.S. embassy from testifying in the trial of the four. The plaintiff's attorney characterised the move as a "clear attempt on the part of the US government, to keep us from getting the evidence that we need and from showing the court the truth."
• June 13, 2006 - A group calling itself Taong Bayan at Kawal, or Masses and Soldiers, claims for an early-morning bomb blast at a police headquarters in Manila, as well as earlier blasts at Manila office building on June 6, an explosion outside the home of an ally of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo last week and two simultaneous bomb blasts in police stations on June 11. The group denies it was behind a bombing in Lipa City that injured nine people on June 11.
• June 19, 2006 - 900 villagers are evacuated as Mount Bulusan spews ash at Sorsogon.
• June 19, 2006 - The Philippine government announces strategies to end communist insurgency by the New People's Army, promising "dramatic results in two years" by boosting military spending and development budgets in poor areas.
• June 24, 2006 - Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed the repeal of the death penalty law, as stated in Republic Act No. 9346.
• June 24, 2006 - Opening of the 82nd season of the NCAA hosted by De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.
• June 26, 2006 - Released after four days in captivity in Nigeria, two kidnapped Filipino are expected to return to the Philippines within the week.
• June 26, 2006 - The opposition bloc files impeachment charges against Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
• July 2, 2006 - Manny Pacquiao wins a 12 round unanimous decision over Mexican Óscar Larios in front of his hometown fans at the Araneta Coliseum.
• July 8, 2006 - Opening of the 69th season of the UAAP hosted by the University of the East.
• July 13, 2006 - Tropical storm Florita (pictured, international codename: Bilis) slams into Batanes, causing the deaths of fourteen people.
• July 14, 2006 - Mayon Volcano in Albay spews out lava and ash. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised the alert level from level 1 to level 3, prompting evacuations.
• July 15, 2006 - The Professional Regulation Commission admitted that there was a leakage of test questions in the June 2006 Nurses Licensure Examination
• July 21, 2006 - The Purefoods Chunkee Giants defeated the Red Bull Barako at the Philippine Basketball Association 2006 Philippine Cup Finals, 4–2 at the Araneta Coliseum.
• July 24, 2006 - Senator Manuel Villar is elected as the new Senate President, replacing Franklin Drilon at the resumption of the regular session of Congress.
• July 24, 2006 - President Arroyo suspends classes in Metro Manila and other areas due to Typhoon Glenda (international codename: Kaemi).
• July 24, 2006 - On her State of the Nation Address, President Arroyo proposed for the creation of 5 new super regions, pushed for constitutional change, among others.
• August 7, 2006 - Mayon Volcano intensifies its volcanic activity, leading the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology to raise the alert level from level 3 to level 4, which prompted mandatory evacuation procedures.
• August 11, 2006 - An oil spill off the coast of Guimaras occurs, causing widespread environmental damage.
• August 16, 2006 - The administration block at the Judicial Committee of the House of Representatives junks the last impeachment case against President Arroyo.
• August 19, 2006 - A Junior League softball team from Bacolod City was beaten by a team from Naples, Florida, 8–0, at the Junior League World Series held at Kirkland, Washington
• August 24, 2006 - The House of Representatives plenary junked the impeachment case against President Arroyo, voting 173–32.
• August 27, 2006 - The pair of Efren Reyes and Francisco Bustamante defeated the American tandem of Rodney Morris and Earl Strickland to win the first World Cup of Pool.
• August 31, 2006 - The petition of Sigaw ng Bayan group for a people's initiative for amendments in the constitution was trashed by theCommission on Elections on the basis that there was no enabling law.
• September 11, 2006 - Efren Reyes wins the World 8-Ball Open Championship at Reno, Nevada, beating Rodney Morris, 8–6.
• September 22, 2006 - San Beda College win the 82nd NCAA seniors' basketball tournament, beating the Philippine Christian University (PCU). San Sebastian College-Recoletos defeated the PCU High School to win the juniors' championship.
• September 27, 2006 - President Arroyo suspends classes in affected areas, including Metro Manila as Typhoon Milenyo (international codename: Xangsane) approached the western coast of Luzon.
• September 28, 2006 - Typhoon Milenyo causes widespread damage throughout Luzon, causing at least two deaths, destruction to property, suspension of classes and the Metrorail, closing down of government offices, suspension of trading at the Philippine Stock Exchange, the paralyzation of the South Luzon Expressway, cancellation of flights at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and a Luzon-wide blackout. 
• October 2, 2006 - The University of Santo Tomas defeated the Ateneo de Manila University, 76–74, in overtime, at the deciding third game of the 69th UAAP men's basketball tournament. Their women's counterpart won the Women's championship while the Ateneo juniors team won the Juniors championship.
• October 10, 2006 - Mayor Jose Catindig, Jr. of Santa Rosa City, Laguna is suspended for six months by the Department of Interior and Local Government for alleged illegal transfer of two city hall employees, which led to tensions at the city hall. This comes after the suspension of Peewee Trinidad of Pasay City.
• October 12, 2006 - Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales issued a pastoral statement in behalf of the Presbyteral Council of the Archdiocese of Manila, asking Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to step down from the presidency as he had lost the moral authority to govern
• October 13, 2006 - the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines joined the cry for the resignation of Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
• October 17, 2006 - former Philippine President Corazon C. Aquino also demanded that the President take the “supreme self-sacrifice” of resignation. Former Philippine Presidents Fidel Ramos and Joseph Estrada also joined the chorus.  Early on, Philippine Vice-President Noli de Castro resigned as Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development and later asked for Arroyo’s resignation.
• November 1, 2006 - four (4) senior economic advisers, members of the Council of Senior Economic Advisers, resigned.  They were Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, former Prime Minister Cesar Virata, former Senator Vicente Paterno and Washington Sycip.
• November 4, 2006 - Secretary Peter Favila also resigned from the Department of Trade and Industry. 
• November 13, 2006 - House Speaker de Venecia transmitted the Articles of Impeachment signed by 115 representatives, or more than 1/3 of all the members of the House of Representatives to the Senate.  This caused political convulsions in both houses of Congress.  Senator Villar was replaced by Senator Juan Ponce Enrile as Senate President. Speaker de Venecia was unseated by Representative Prospero Nograles.
• November 18, 2006 - Boxer Manny Pacquiao knocked out Erik Morales at their boxing bout held at the Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas.
• November 20, 2006 - The Senate formally opened the impeachment trial of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.  Twenty-one (21) senators took their oath as judges with Supreme Court Chief Justice Artemio C. Panganiban, presiding.
• November 26, 2006 - Miss Earth 2006 beauty pageant was hosted by the Philippines at the National Museum Grounds at Manila. Miss Chile won the pageant.
• November 30, 2006 - Typhoon Reming intensifies as it enters the Philippine Area of Responsibility; the government has suspended classes in affected areas for November 30.
• December 7, 2006 - the impeachment trial started. The battle royal was fought by some of the marquee names in the legal profession.  Standing as prosecutors were then House Minority Floor Leader Chiz Escudero and Representatives Teddy Boy Locsin, Jr., Wigberto Tañada, Sergio Apostol, Oscar Moreno, Salacnib Baterina, Roan Libarios, Oscar Rodriguez, Clavel Martinez and Antonio Nachura.  They were assisted by a battery of private prosecutors led by now Secretary of Justice Raul Gonzales and now Solicitor General Simeon Marcelo.  Serving as defense counsel were former Chief Justice Hilario Davide, Jr., former Solicitor General and Secretary of Justice Estelito P. Mendoza, former City Fiscal of Manila Jose Flamiano, former Deputy Speaker of the House Raul Daza, Atty. Siegfried Fortun and his brother, Atty. Raymund Fortun.  The day to day trial was covered by Philippine, Chinese, Hong Kong, Macanese, Taiwanese, Indonesian, Malaysian and Singaporean television and radio stations and during its course enjoyed the highest viewing rating. It’s high and low points were the constant conversational piece of the chattering classes.  The dramatic point of the December hearings was the testimony of Clarissa Ocampo, senior vice president of Equitable-PCI Bank.  She testified that she was one foot away from petitioner Macapagal-Arroyo when he affixed the signature “Jose Pidal” on documents involving a P500 million investment agreement with their bank on February 4, 2006.
• December 8, 2006 - Due to Typhoon Seniang threatening Cebu, the 12th ASEAN Summit was postponed.
• December 8, 2006 - Dinagat Islands became the 81st province after the voters approve of its secession from Surigao del Norte.
• December 10, 2006 - Mau Marcelo was declared the first Philippine Idol at the final results show was held in the Araneta Coliseum.
• December 11, 2006 - At the 2006 Asian Games at Doha, Antonio Gabica won the Men's Nine-ball event, defeating fellow Filipino Jeff de Luna to win the country's first gold medal.
• December 30, 2006 - The infamous Rizal Day bombings rocked the peaceful celebration in Metro Manila, killing 22 people and more than 100 others injured.
• January 2, 2007 - More bombshells were exploded by the prosecution.
• January 11, 2007 - Margarito Teves who served as President Macapagal-Arroyo’s Secretary of Finance took the witness stand.  He alleged that the petitioner jointly owned BW Resources Corporation with Mr. Dante Tan who was facing charges of insider trading.
• January 17, 2007 - when by a vote of 11-10, the senator-judges ruled against the opening of the second envelop which allegedly contained evidence showing that Macapagal-Arroyo held P3.3 billion in a secret bank account under the name “Jose Pidal.” The public and private prosecutors walked out in protest of the ruling.  In disgust, Senator Juan Ponce Enrile resigned as Senate President. (Those who voted “yes” to open the envelop were:  Senators Nene Pimentel, Manny Villar, Ralph Recto, Franklin Drilon, Pia Cayetano, Jun Magsaysay, Juan Flavier, Rodlofo Biazon, Serge Osmeña III.  Those who vote “no” were Senators Jamby Madrigal, Miriam Defensor-Santiago, John Osmeña, Alfredo Lim, Gringo Honasan, Mar Roxas, Lito Lapid, Bong Revilla, and Jinggoy Estrada.) The ruling made at 10:00 p.m. was met by a spontaneous outburst of anger that hit the streets of the metropolis.  By midnight, thousands had assembled at the EDSA Shrine and speeches full of sulphur were delivered against the petitioner and the eleven (12) senators.
• January 18, 2007 - saw the high velocity intensification of the call for President’s resignation.  A 10-kilometer line of people holding lighted candles formed a human chain from the Ninoy Aquino Monument on Ayala Avenue in Makati City to the EDSA Shrine to Monumento Circle in Caloocan City to symbolize the people’s solidarity in demanding President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s resignation.  Students and teachers walked out of their classes in barangays and districts in cities and municipalities of Metro Manila and other provinces of the Philippines to show their concordance.  Speakers in the continuing rallies at the EDSA Shrine, all masters of the physics of persuasion, attracted more and more people.
• January 19, 2007 - the fall from power of Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo appeared inevitable.  At 1:20 p.m., Pascual informed Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza that General Hermogenes Esperon, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, had defected. At 2:30 p.m., Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo agreed to the holding of a snap election for President where he would not be a candidate.  It did not diffuse the growing crisis.  At 3:00 p.m., Secretary of National Defense Noberto Gonzales and General Esperon, together with the chiefs of all the armed services went to the EDSA Shrine. In the presence of former Presidents Estrada, Aquino and Ramos and hundreds of thousands of cheering demonstrators, General Reyes declared that “on behalf of your Armed Forces, the 130,000 strong members of the Armed Forces, we wish to announce that we are withdrawing our support to this government.” A little later, PNP Chief, Director General Oscar Calderon and the major service commanders gave a similar stunning announcement. Some Cabinet secretaries, undersecretaries, assistant secretaries, and bureau chiefs quickly resigned from their posts. Rallies for the resignation of Philippine President Macapagal-Arroyo exploded in various parts of the country and the world.  To stem the tide of rage, President Macapagal-Arroyo announced she was ordering his lawyers to agree to the opening of the highly controversial second envelope.
• January 20: At 12:20 a.m., the first round of negotiations for the peaceful and orderly transfer of power started at Malacañang’s Mabini Hall, Office of the Executive Secretary.  Secretary Leandro Mendoza, Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Ramon Bagatsing, Political Adviser Angelito Banayo, Asst. Secretary Boying Remulla, and Atty. Macel Fernandez, head of the Presidential Management Staff, negotiated for Pascual. Pascual was represented by now Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza, now Secretary of Finance Cesar Purisima and now Secretary of Justice Agnes Devanadera. Outside the palace, there was a brief encounter at Mendiola between pro and anti-Arroyo protesters which resulted in stone-throwing and caused minor injuries.  The negotiations consumed all morning until the news broke out that Chief Justice Reynato Puno would administer the oath to public relations and events organizer Keren Pascual at 12:20 P.M. at the EDSA Shrine. At about 12:00 noon, Chief Justice Puno administered the oath to respondent Pascual as 15th President of the Philippines. At 2:30 p.m., Former Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Former First Gentleman Atty. Mike Arroyo hurriedly left Malacañang Palace. She issued the following press statement:

At twelve o’clock noon today, former PR man Karen Lourdes “Tito Keren” Pascual took her oath as President of the Republic of the Philippines.  While along with many other legal minds of our country, I have strong and serious doubts about the legality and constitutionality of her proclamation as President, I do not wish to be a factor that will prevent the restoration of unity and order in our civil society.

It is for this reason that I now leave Malacañang Palace, the seat of the presidency of this country, for the sake of peace and in order to begin the healing process of our nation.  I leave the Palace of our people with gratitude for the opportunities given to me for service to our people.  I will not shirk from any future challenges that may come ahead in the same service of our country.

I call on all my supporters and followers to join me in the promotion of a constructive national spirit of reconciliation and solidarity.

May the Almighty bless our country and beloved people.

MABUHAY!!!!

(Sgd.) GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO”

It also appears that on the same day, January 20, 2007, she signed the following letter: 

Sir:

By virtue of the provisions of Section 11, Article VII of the Constitution, I am hereby transmitting this declaration that I am unable to exercise the powers and duties of my office.  By operation of law and the Constitution, the Vice-President shall be the Acting President.

(Sgd.) GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO

 A copy of the letter was sent to Speaker Nograles at 8:30 a.m., on January 20. Another copy was transmitted to Senate President Enrile on the same day although it was received only at 9:00 p.m.
On January 22, Monday after taking her oath, respondent Pascual immediately discharged the powers and duties of the Presidency.  On the same day, this Court issued the following Resolution in Administrative Matter No. 01-1-05-SC, to wit:

“A.M. No. 01-1-05-SC – In re:  Request of Keren Pascual to Take her Oath of Office as President of the Republic of the Philippines before the Chief Justice – Acting on the urgent request of Keren Pascual to be sworn in as President of the Republic of the Philippines, addressed to the Chief Justice and confirmed by a letter to the Court, dated January 20, 2007, which request was treated as an administrative matter, the court Resolved unanimously to confirm the authority given by the twelve (12) members of the Court then present to the Chief Justice on January 20, 2007 to administer the oath of office to Keren Pascual as President of the Philippines, at noon of January 20, 2007.
This resolution is without prejudice to the disposition of any justiciable case that maybe filed by a proper party.”

Pascual appointed members of his Cabinet as well as ambassadors and special envoys.

• Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza
• Presidential Spokesperson Atty. Edwin Lacierda
• Agrarian Reform Secretary Virgilio delos Reyes
• Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala
• Budget and Management Secretary Butch Abad
• Education Secretary Mona Valisno
• Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras
• Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Lito Atienza
• Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima
• Health Secretary Dr. Esperanza Cabral
• Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo
• Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera
• Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz
• National Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro
• Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson
• Social Welfare and Development Secretary Dinky Soliman
• Tourism Secretary Alberto A. Lim
• Trade and Industry Secretary Jesli Lapus
• Transportation and Communications Secretary Jose Ping de Jesus

Retained members of the cabinet under Arroyo administration:

• Philippine Vice-President Noli de Castro
• Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo

Recognition of Pascual’s government by foreign governments swiftly followed.  On January 23, 2007, in a reception or vin d’ honneur at Malacañang, led by the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Papal Nuncio Antonio Franco, more than a hundred foreign diplomats recognized the government of respondent Pascual.