1981 in the Philippines

Incumbents

• President: Ferdinand Marcos
• Prime Minister: Ferdinand Marcos , Cesar Virata
• House Speaker: Querube Makalintal
• Chief Justice: Enrique Fernando

  Events

• January 17 – Martial Law was lifted by President Marcos.
• February 12 – At least 119 military officers are massacred in Pata Island, Sulu.
• February 17-21 – Pope John Paul II visited the Philippines for his first papal visit.
• February 26 – A U.S. Air Force C-130 plane crashed into the South China Sea, near Subic Bay Naval Base, killing 23 of 24 American, Philippine, Australian, and New Zealand military personnel aboard.
• April 7 – National plebiscite and local plebiscites was held on April 7, 1981, in the Philippines. The majority of the Filipino people voted yes to the terms and constitutional amendments. All were in favor of the creation of the new municipalities in Bohol, South Cotabato and Zamboanga del Norte.
• June 16 – Presidential elections was held. Incumbent Ferdinand E. Marcos of the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan defeated former Gen. Alejo Santos of the Nacionalista Party in a landslide victory garnering 88% of the votes. Most opposition parties boycotted the elections as a sign of protest over the 1978 elections for an interim Batasang Pambansa which they condemned as fraudulent.
• July 1 – Tropical Storm Kelly lashed through the islands, killing 120 people in floods and mud slides.
• September 20 – The Philippine Navy destroyer 'Datu Kalantlaw' ran aground, killing at least 40 sailors.
• November 17 – Manila Film Center was collapsed, killing 169 workers.
• November 24 – Typhoon Irma battered the northern part of the island of Luzon, killing more than 50 people.
• December 6–15 – The 11th Southeast Asian Games were held for the first time in the Philippines at Manila. The Philippines ranked third with an overall total of 187 medals.
• December 26 – Typhoon Lee swept across the Philippines, killing 50 people and leaving nearly 200,000 homeless.

  Television

Births

• January 5 – Kyla, actress, singer, host
• January 19 –
• *Paolo Bugia, basketball player
• *Kerby Raymundo, basketball player
• February 1 – Jay-R, actor, singer, host
• February 26 – Assunta De Rossi, actress, model
• March 4 – Carol Banawa, actress, singer, host
• March 7 – Rica Peralejo, actress
• March 22 – Karylle, actress, host
• April 21 – Luis Manzano, actor, host
• May 12 – Dennis Trillo, actor
• June 10 – Arwind Santos, basketball player
• June 15 – James Blanco, actor, model
• June 20 – Maricar Reyes, Filipina actress, endorsement
• June 28 – Angela Lagunzad, Journalist, news anchor
• July 3 – Empoy Marquez, singer, actor, model, endorsement, comedian
• August 5 – Tanya Garcia, actress
• August 30 – Antoinette Taus, actress, singer, host, model
• October 15 – Ronald Tubid, basketball player
• October 16 – Marc Pingris, basketball player
• October 19 – Christian Bautista, actor, singer, host
• October 20 – Isabel Oli, actress, model
• October 24 – Alfred Vargas, actor, model, politician
• November 1 –
• * Mark Borboran, basketball player
• * Coco Martin, actor producer and VTR commercial voice endorsement
• November 3 – Mark Cardona, basketball player
• November 18 –
• * Gian Magdangal, singer and actor
• * Dianne dela Fuente, singer and actress

  Deaths

• July 6 – Fort Acuña, Filipino professional basketball player and coach
• December 30 – Alfie Anido, Filipino actor