Today in History : January 14th

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1898: Macabulos disbanded his troops and accepted amnesty after receiving P14,000 as part of Spanish reparations to Filipino revolutionaries after refusing to honor the Pact of Biak-na-Bato, which called for a truce with the Spanish colonial government, and continued operations in Central Luzon. Macabulos distributed the money to his men.

2002: the United States and the Philippines prepared for joint military operations against Abu Sayyaf, an extremist Muslim group with links to Al Qaeda. A plan was agreed to by the two countries whereby 650 U.S. military personnel were to be sent to the Philippines within weeks.

Today in History : January 13th

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1933: the Congress of the United States passed the Howes-Cutting Bill granting Philippine independence after 12 years, but reserving military and naval bases for the United States and imposing tariffs and quotas on Philippine exports. The bill was rejected by the Filipinos.

1973: Presidential Decree No. 96 was issued declaring it unlawful for any owner or possessor of any motor vehicle to use or attach to his vehicle any siren, bell, horn, whistle or similar gadgets that produce exceptionally loud or starting sounds, including domelights, blinkers and other similar signaling or flashing devices.

Today in History : January 12th

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1903: Imperialist American Civil Governor William Howard Taft opposes the return of Filipino revolutionary leader-on-exile Apolinario Mabini unless he takes the oath of allegiance to the United States; Mabini swears fealty in order to return to the Philippines some two months before his death.

1911: The Board of Regents of the University of the Philippines formally approved the establishment of the College of Law. The College, however, traces its beginnings to the law courses opened in 1910 by the Educational Department Committee of the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA), through the efforts of George A. Malcolm who was later to become the first permanent dean of the College.

Today in History : January 11th

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1897: Thirteen Filipino revolutionaries and masons known as "Bagumbayan Martyrs" are executed by Spanish colonial authorities during what historian T.M. Kalaw described as a "period of terror" in Spain's bid to contain the revolutionary momentum sweeping the Philippines.

1936: Philippine Army was officially reactivated by virtue of Executive Order No. 11 issued by President Manuel L. Quezon.

1971: The writ of habeas corpus was restored after an explosion during the proclamation rally of the senatorial slate of the Liberal Party on August 21, 1971, witch prompted Marcos to suspend the writ of habeas corpus.

1992: After more than four decades, the Philippine Normal College was elevated into a university by President Corazon Cojuangco Aquino. Philippine Normal University (or PNU) is the National Center for Teacher Education of the Philippines by virtue of Republic Act 9647. PNU was the first institution of higher learning established by the Americans in the Philippines in 1901.

Today in History : January 10th

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2010: Election period begins. Under Philippine laws, “election period" means 120 days before the actual date of the elections and 30 days after it. In the case of the 2010 polls, the election period would be from January 10 to June 9. This 120-day election period contains the actual campaign period, which runs from Feb. 9 to May 8 for national candidates, and from March 26 to May 8 for local candidates.

Today in History : January 9th

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1945: The United States Army begins landing on Lingayen Gulf, 107 miles from Manila, in Luzon island under Operation Mike 1 in the bid to retake the Philippines from Japan during World War II. The Japanese fought desperately, street by street, to hold the city.

1973: The Supreme Court ordained the integration of the Philippine Bar. The IBP Constitution and By-Laws shortly followed. Then recently-retired Supreme Court Associate Justice J.B.L. Reyes was named as the first Chairman of the IBP in 1973. He served in that capacity until 1975, and was the Chairman emeritus for the remainder of his life. Reyes had been a longtime proponent of bar integration in the Philippines.

2006: Gulong ng Palad, Philippine 50's radio drama series and 1980s soap opera hit, came back in television under the direction of Eric Salud and Jerome Pobocan.

2008: Gov. Amado Espino, Jr. and Vice Gov. Marlyn Primicias-Agabas institutionalized the commemoration to honor the war veterans. The resolution named January 9 as Pangasinan Veterans’ Day. In the 63rd anniversary commemoration of the Lingayen Gulf Landing, President Fidel Ramos appealed to US President George W. Bush for 24,000 surviving war veterans, to pass two legislative bills pending since 1968 at the US House of Representatives – the Filipino Veterans’ Equity Act of 2006 and the Filipino Veterans’ Equity of 2005 sponsored by former Senator Daniel Inouye.

Today in History : January 8th

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1847: Filipino revolutionary Severino Lapidario is born; he will become a prison warden and one of the “Thirteen Martyrs of Cavite" to be executed by Spanish colonial military authorities during the 1896 Revolution in the Philippines. 

1901: General McArthur, the American commander in the Philippines, has sent General Del Pilar, four other insurgent leaders, and 13 others subbordinate officers to Mabini. Civilian prisoners has been sent to Guam.