1985 in the Philippines explained

1985 in the Philippines details events of note that happened in the Philippines in that year.

Incumbents

• President: Ferdinand Marcos (KBL)
• Prime Minister: Cesar Virata (KBL)
• House Speaker

Nicanor Yñiguez

• Chief Justice:
  • Enrique Fernando (until July 24)
  • Felix Makasiar (July 24 – November 20)
  • Ramon Aquino (starting November 20)

Events

June

• June 12 – The Central Bank issues the New Design Series, starting with a new 5-peso banknote with the face of Emilio Aguinaldo.

August

• August 13 – Fifty-six assemblymen of the Regular Batasang Pambansa sign a resolution calling for the impeachment of President Ferdinand Marcos for graft and corruption, culpable violation of the Constitution, gross violation of his oath of office and other high crimes.

September

• September 20 – In Escalante, Negros Occidental, pro-government paramilitary forces gun down civilians engaged in a protest-rally in commemoration of the 13th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law. At least 20 die and 30 more are injured.^[1]

October

• October 18 – Typhoon Saling made landfall in the Philippines. The typhoon leaves 101 dead and $68 million in damage (1985 dollars).^[2]

November

• November 3 – President Marcos announces in a television interview he would set snap elections.

December

• December 2 – The Sandiganbayan acquits all the accused including General Fabian Ver in the Assassination of Benigno Aquino Jr.
• December 9 – The Philippine Daily Inquirer is founded by Eugenia Apostol, Max Soliven and Betty Go-Belmonte, as the broadsheet releases its first issue.

Holidays

See main article: Public holidays in the Philippines. As per Act No. 2711 section 29,^[3] issued on March 10, 1917, any legal holiday of fixed date falls on Sunday, the next succeeding day shall be observed as legal holiday. Sundays are also considered legal religious holidays. Bonifacio Day was added through Philippine Legislature Act No. 2946. It was signed by then-Governor General Francis Burton Harrison in 1921.^[4] On October 28, 1931, the Act No. 3827 was approved declaring the last Sunday of August as National Heroes Day.^[5] As per Republic Act No. 3022,^[6] April 9 was proclaimed as Bataan Day. Independence Day was changed from July 4 (Philippine Republic Day) to June 12 (Philippine Independence Day) on August 4, 1964.^[7]

• January 1 – New Year's Day
• February 22 – Legal Holiday
• April 5 – Maundy Thursday
• April 6 – Good Friday
• April 9 – Bataan Day
• May 1 – Labor Day
  • June 12 – Independence Day July 4 – Philippine Republic Day
• August 13 – Legal Holiday
• August 25 – National Heroes Day
• September 21 – Thanksgiving Day
• November 30 – Bonifacio Day
• December 25 – Christmas Day
• December 30 – Rizal Day

Business and economy

• November 8 – SM City North EDSA is opened as the first SM Supermall in the Philippines.

Births

• January 14 – Jason Abalos, television actor
• January 16 – Stefano Mori, actor and musician
• January 20 – Roxanne Barcelo, Filipino-American singer and actress
• January 31 – Ronnie Liang, singer
• February 9 – Gabe Norwood, basketball player
• February 11 – Chris Lutz, basketball player
• February 14 – Heart Evangelista, Chinese-Filipino singer, actress and TV show host
• February 17 – Anne Curtis, actress, singer, model and TV show host^[8]
• February 24 – Aicelle Santos, singer-songwriter
• March 8 – Michael Burtscher, basketball player
• March 18 – Bianca King, Filipina-German model and actress
• April 7 – KC Concepcion, singer and actress; currently the Philippines Goodwill Ambassador against hunger of the UN's World Food Programme
• April 14 – Mac Baracael, basketball player
• April 15 – Diana Zubiri, actress
• April 16 – JC Tiuseco, Chinese Filipino actor, basketball player, TV show host and model
• April 23 – Angel Locsin, actress and commercial model
• May 8 – Jayvee Uy, politician
• June 1 – L.A. Lopez, singer and preacher
• June 6 – Victor Basa, actor
• June 16 – Francis Allera, basketball player
• June 20 – Camille Prats, actress
• June 23 – Laarni Lozada, singer

• July 7 – Pong Escobal, basketball
• July 15 – Chris Tiu, professional basketball player, TV show host and commercial model
• July 20 – Solenn Heussaff, actress, model, and host

• August 15 – Cogie Domingo, actor
• September 1 – Camile Velasco, Filipino American singer-songwriter
• September 3 – Carlo Aquino, actor and musician
• September 5 – John Medina, actor
• September 7 – Neri Naig, actress
• September 8 – Renz Fernandez, actor
• September 9 – Ketchup Eusebio, actor

• September 27 – Alex Castro, actor and model
• October 7 – Jason Ballesteros, basketball player
• October 8:
  • Bruno Mars, Filipino American singer-songwriter and record producer
  • Rox Santos, songwriter
• October 13 – Jimbo Aquino, basketball player
• October 19 – RR Enriquez, model, television host and actress
• November 5 – Patricia Fernandez, actress
• November 17 – Bea Saw, actress
• November 23 – Elmer Espiritu, basketball player
• December 5 – Dionne Monsanto, actress
• December 11 – Lovely Abella, dancer and comedian

Deaths

• January 2 – Gabriel "Flash" Elorde, Filipino boxer (b. 1935)
• January 14 – Teodoro Agoncillo, Filipino historian and author (b. 1912)
• March 7 – Victorio C. Edades, Filipino painter (b. 1895)

• May 6 – Julie Vega, Filipina child actress and singer (b. 1968)
• May 31 – Pepsi Paloma, teenage star (b. 1966)
• August 11 – Manuel Conde, actor, director, and producer (b. 1915)
• December 15 – Carlos P. Romulo, Filipino diplomat, politician, soldier, journalist, and author (b. 1898)

Notes and References

1. Web site: 8 Incredible Rare Recordings in Philippine History (with key events in 1985). February 2, 2015. Filipiknow. February 27, 2017.
2. Web site: Philippines Typhoon Oct 1985 UNDRO Information Reports 1 – 3 . October 22, 1985 . March 2, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120324093211/http://reliefweb.int/node/36435 . March 24, 2012 . live .
3. Web site: AN ACT AMENDING THE ADMINISTRATIVE CODE. live. February 22, 2022. Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. https://web.archive.org/web/20171025043316/http://www.officialgazette.gov.ph:80/1917/03/10/act-no-2711/ . October 25, 2017 .
4. Web site: Bonifacio Day in Philippines in 2022. live. February 22, 2022. Official Holidays. https://web.archive.org/web/20200705124615/https://www.officeholidays.com/holidays/philippines/bonifacio-day . July 5, 2020 .
5. Web site: Act No. 3827. live. February 22, 2022. Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. https://web.archive.org/web/20170828111303/http://www.officialgazette.gov.ph:80/1931/10/28/act-no-3827/ . August 28, 2017 .
6. Web site: April 6, 1961. AN ACT PROCLAIMING THE NINTH DAY OF APRIL AS BATAAN DAY AND DECLARING IT AS A LEGAL HOLIDAY.. live. February 22, 2022. Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. https://web.archive.org/web/20210217093423/https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1961/04/06/republic-act-no-3022/ . February 17, 2021 .
7. Web site: August 4, 1964. AN ACT CHANGING THE DATE OF PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE DAY FROM JULY FOUR TO JUNE TWELVE, AND DECLARING JULY FOUR AS PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC DAY, FURTHER AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION TWENTY-NINE OF THE REVISED ADMINISTRATIVE CODE. February 22, 2022. Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines.
8. Web site: My Story . 25 February 2014.