1988 in the Philippines

Incumbents

• President: Corazon Aquino
• Vice President: Salvador Laurel
• Chief Justice:
• * until April 18: Claudio Teehankee
• * April 18–July 1: Pedro Yap
• * starting July 1: Marcelo Fernan
• Philippine Congress: 8th Congress of the Philippines
• Senate President: Jovito Salonga
• House Speaker: Ramon V. Mitra, Jr.

  Events

• January 18 – Local elections was held in the Philippines.
• April 2 – Military reports that Col. Honasan, who led the August 1987 coup attempt, escapes from his prison ship in Manila Bay.
• June 10 – Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program was signed by President Aquino to provide land reform for Filipino farmers.
• September 16 – Political organization Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino formed
• September 18 – Generics Act of 1988 was also signed by President Aquino in order to require and ensure the production of an adequate supply, distribution, use and acceptance of drugs and medicines identified by their generic name.
• October 18 – The Interior Bases Agreement between the Philippines and U.S was signed.
• October 22 – Former Pres. Ferdinand Marcos and his wife are charged in the United States regarding illegal money transfer.
• October 23–24 – Typhoon Unsang struck into Luzon resulted in a widespread flooding and landslides. The storm and flood brought scores of fatalities.
• October 24 – Interisland ferry MV Doña Marilyn sinks off Leyte during a typhoon, killing 389.
• November 7 – The Tower of Power transmitter was inaugurated by President Aquino and GMA Network board of directors following the transmitter's opening and a musical special.

  Date unknown

• May – Abante established as a second post-revolution tabloid newspaper.

  Television

Sports

• September 17–October 2 – The Philippines participated in the 1988 Summer Olympics held in Seoul, South Korea and ranked 61st. Only boxer Leopoldo Serantes received his bronze medal and placed third in boxing.
• October 7 – The Ateneo Blue Eagles win the UAAP Season 51 men's basketball tournament against the De La Salle Green Archers at Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila.

  Births

• January 2 - Diane Querrer, - news anchor
• January 6 – Mikael Daez, actor, basketball player and TV commercial, print and ramp model
• January 8 – Gretchen Espina, singer
• January 16 – Alex Gonzaga, TV host, actress
• January 21 – Glaiza de Castro, singer and actress
• February 14 – Javier Patiño, football player
• February 27 – Iain Ramsay, football player
• February 29 – Milan Melindo, filipino boxer
• March 2:
• * Roland Müller, football player
• * Nadine Samonte, actress
• March 6 – Isabelle Daza, actress and model
• March 9 – Alodia Gosiengfiao, actress, singer, TV presenter, model and cosplayer
• April 2 – Ellen Adarna, actress and model
• April 6 – Melai Cantiveros, actress, comedian and TV host
• April 14 – Francis Mossman, actor and model
• April 24 – Jinri Park, actress, model and radio DJ
• April 26 – Hazel Ann Mendoza, actress
• May 2 – AJ Pareja, former Ateneo Blue Eagles men's volleyball player
• May 9 – RK Bagatsing, actor and model
• May 12 – Marky Cielo, actor and dancer
• May 13 - Paulo Avelino, actor and model
• May 19 – Greg Slaughter, men's basketball player
• May 20:
• * Carla Humphries, actress and model
• * Katarina Perez, actress and model
• May 23 – Vaness del Moral, actress
• May 27 – Yam Concepcion, film and television actress
• June 9 – Martin Steuble, football player
• June 11 – Gabriel Valenciano, actor and dancer
• June 15 – Kevin Santos, actor
• July 7 – Venus Raj, Miss Universe 2010, 4th runner–up
• July 17 – Jason Pagara, boxer
• July 22 – Renz Ongkiko, news anchor model and journalist
• July 25 – Sarah Geronimo, singer, actress and TV host
• August 24 – Helga Krapf, actress
• August 26 – Niña Jose, actress
• August 29 – Iwa Moto, actress
• September 2 – Heidi Gem Ong, former Ateneo Blue Eagles lady swimmer
• September 9 – JM de Guzman, actor, singer and model
• September 30 – Simon Greatwich, football player
• October 4 – Joseph Marco, actor
• October 5 – Maja Salvador, actress
• November 5 – Enchong Dee, actor, former De La Salle Green Archers swimmer and younger brother of AJ Dee
• November 10 – Pauleen Luna, TV host, actress and wife of Vic Sotto
• November 15 – Jace Flores, actor and model
• November 19 – J. C. Santos, actor
• November 20:
• * Ariella Arida, Miss Universe 2013, 3rd runner–up
• * Edgar Allan Guzman, actor and model
• November 28 – Daniel Matsunaga, actor and model
• December 2 – Athena, singer and stage actress
• December 4 – Yeng Constantino, singer
• December 14 – Eda Nolan, actress
• December 25 – Heather Cooke, football player
• December 28 – AJ Banal, boxer

  Deaths

• January 17 – Roy Padilla, Sr., Governor of the Philippines province of Camarines Norte
• June 11 – Ernani Cuenco, Filipino composer, film scorer, musical director and music teacher
• July 27 – Antonio Tantay, Olympic basketball player
• August 21 – Teodoro de Villa Diaz, Filipino guitarist and composer
• August 27 – Mario Montenegro, Filipino actor
• September 12 – Mars Ravelo, Filipino graphic novelist
• September 13 – Julian Banzon, Filipino biochemist and a National Scientist of the Philippines
• September 27 – Teofilo Camomot, Roman Catholic archbishop from the Philippines
• September 30 – Chino Roces, founder and owner of Associated Broadcasting Corporation and the Manila Times
• October 31 – Gregorio F. Zaide, Filipino historian, author and politician