2002 in the Philippines

Incumbents

• President - Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
• Vice President - Teofisto Guingona, Jr.
• Senate President - Franklin Drilon
• House Speaker - Jose de Venecia, Jr.
• Chief Justice - Hilario Davide
• Philippine Congress - 12th Congress of the Philippines

  Events

• February 26 – Former Pres. Estrada admits signing ₱500 million Jose Velarde bank account in Equitable-PCI Bank.
• March 5 – The sixth most powerful earthquake of the year, the Mindanao earthquake struck near the Cotabato Trench and registered a magnitude of 7.5.
• May 31 – Hostage crisis in Philtranco Bus Terminal in Malibay, Pasay City at dawn, lasted for two hours and ended with the death of both the 4-year-old boy, Dexter Balala, and the drugged knife-wielder, Diomedes Talbo. The young victim was stabbed 13 times by the suspect while the police tried to conduct a rescue attempt, which then failed. The policemen shot the suspect, however, they also hit the boy five times including one bullet which pierced his heart.
• June 7 – A rescue operation for the remaining Abu Sayyaf captives, held since 2001, is launched by the Special Forces of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in an area in Zamboanga del Norte; with a gun battle resulting in the deaths of Martin Burnham and Ediborah Yap; only Gracia Burnham survived.
• June 21 – Leader of the extremist Abu Sayyaf, Abu Sabaya, was killed by soldiers of the Philippine Army.
• July 15 – Synchronized Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections were held for the first time in the Philippines upon effect of which was approved on March 19, 2002 by the 12th Congress of the Philippines.
• August 21–22 – Abu Sayyaf kidnaps six Filipino members of a Christian group, two of them later beheaded.
• October 2 – 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 – Two TNT bombs exploded around noon inside a shopping centre 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 – 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.

  Television

Sports

• May 26 – The Purefoods TJ Hotdogs pulled off a rare seven-game sweep after outclassing Alaska Aces, 91-76, in the 2002 PBA Governors' Cup Finals at the Araneta Coliseum
• September 20 – The Red Bull Thunder seals their second championship title in the 2002 PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals against the Talk 'N Text Phone Pals in 4 games.
• September 29–October 14 – The Philippines participated in the 2002 Asian Games held in Busan, South Korea from September 29 to October 14, 2002. It ranked 18th with 3 gold medals, 7 silver medals and 16 bronze medals with a total of 26 over-all medals.
• October 5 – University Athletic Association of the Philippines men's division finals: The Ateneo Blue Eagles defeat the De La Salle Green Archers to end their 4-year title streak and win the school their first title in 15 years Back in 1987.
• December 25 – Coca Cola Tigers wins their 1st PBA title with a 3-1 series victory over the Alaska Aces as history was made on Christmas Day with the Tigers becoming the first team to win a championship in their very first season.

  Births

• January 28 – Janine Berdin, actress and singer
• February 28 – Ylona Garcia, actress and singer
• April 5 – Golden Cañedo, singer
• April 21 – Carl and Clarence Aguirre, conjoined twins
• April 29 – Karina Bautista, actress and housemate
• June 10 – Belinda Mariano, actress
• July 9 – Seth Fedelin, actor
• July 18 – Ogie Escanilla, actor and dancer
• August 6 – Bailey May, actor and singer
• September 3:
• * Bugoy Cariño, actor
• * Kyline Alcantara, actress and singer
• October 6 – Dale Baldillo, Filipino child actor and model
• December 13 – AC Bonifacio, dancer, singer and actress

  Deaths

• March 29 – Rico Yan, Filipino matinee idol, model and actor
• March 31 – Lucio D. San Pedro, Filipino composer and teacher.
• April 2 – Levi Celerio, Filipino composer and lyricist.
• April 4 – Jack Tanuan, basketball player
• June 21 – Abu Sabaya, Abu Sayyaf leader
• July 22 – Sumilang Bernardo, former Solicitors in the Office of the Solicitor General
• August 1 – Francisco Arcellana, Filipino writer, poet, essayist, critic, journalist and teacher
• September 1 – Martin Urra, Filipino basketball player
• September 22 – Paco Gorospe, Filipino painter
• October 22 – Nonoy Marcelo, Filipino cartoonist
• November 1 – Eduardo Decena, Filipino basketball player
• November 18 – Zaldy Zshornack, Filipino actor.
• December 3 – Santiago Bose, mixed-media artist

  Unknowned Deaths

• Rafael Barretto, Filipino basketball player
• Fely Franquelli, Filipino dancer, choreographer, and actress