1998 in the Philippines

1998 in the Philippines details events of note that happened in the Philippines in the year 1998.

The year was also designated as the country's year-long 100th centennial anniversary of the Philippine Declaration of Independence, as known by its theme, "100 Kalayaan: Kayamanan ng Bayan (1898–1998)" ().

Incumbents

President Fidel Ramos (Lakas) (until June 30) Joseph Estrada (LAMMP) (starting June 30) Vice President Joseph Estrada (LAMMP) (until June 30) Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (Lakas) (starting June 30) Senate President Ernesto Maceda (until January 26) Neptali Gonzales (January 26 – June 30) Marcelo Fernan (starting July 27) House Speaker Jose de Venecia (until June 30) Manny Villar (starting July 27) Chief Justice Andres Narvasa (until November 30) Hilario Davide (starting November 30) Philippine Congress 10th Congress of the Philippines (until June 5) 11th Congress of the Philippines (starting July 27)

Events

January

January 3 – A power interruption affects the entire Luzon for almost 7 hours, caused by a broken power line after a Meralco utility post has fallen in Laguna."NEWSFLASH: 7-hour power outage darkens Luzon" PHNO. 01-04-1998. Retrieved 03-31-2022.

February February 2 – Cebu Pacific Flight 387 crashes on the slopes between Mount Sumagaya and Mount Lumot in Claveria, Misamis Oriental, killing all 104 people on board. It is once considered as the country's worst air accident since 1964, before another one to happen in 2000."RP's worst air accidents" (April 20, 2000). Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. 13. Retrieved August 16, 2019.—"No survivors in Cebu Pacific crash" PHNO. 02-05-1998.News articles from Manila Standard:—Silva, M., Rivera-Acosta, L., & MS wires (02-03-1998). "Cebu Pacific plane, 106 aboard, missing." pp. 1–2.—Silva, M., Rivera-Acosta, L., AP & Reuters. (02-04-1998). "Wreckage sighted; no sign of survivors." pp. 1, 4.—Silva, M., Maragay, F. V., AP & Reuters. (02-05-1998). "Dense jungle snags trek to site of crash." pp. 1–2.—Silva, M., AP & Reuters. (02-06-1998). "No survivors." pp. 1–2.All were retrieved 04-02-2022.According to Aviation Safety Network database (Link), the said aviation accident was the worst at that time and currently the 2nd. The worst before was the one which occurred in May 1964, now the 3nd deadliest, with 80 fatalities (including 1 on the ground). (See the details of May 1964 and Feb. 1998 accidents. Retrieved 02-11-2021.) February 11 – Talisay becomes a component city in the province of Negros Occidental through ratification of Republic Act 8489. February 14 – Santiago's independent component city status is downgraded through the enactment of Republic Act 8528 which amended certain sections of Republic Act 7720 into a component city in the province of Isabela. February 23 – Republic Act 8535 creating the City of Novaliches is signed into law. Late February to early March – A malaria outbreak in two islands in Siasi, Sulu causes the reported deaths of more than 140 residents.—"149 dead in Sulu malaria outbreak" PHNO. 03-01-1998.—"Malaria death toll hits 140, measles next" PHNO. 03-04-1998.All were retrieved 03-31-2022.

March March 7 Majority of voters in the Cordillera Administrative Region reject the creation of an autonomous region in the second plebiscite for their autonomy, as mandated by the Republic Act No. 8438, with Apayao as the only province to vote for it.—"Proclamation No. 1171, s. 1998" Official Gazette. 03-04-1998.—"Militants seek real autonomy for Cordillera" Philippine Daily Inquirer via Hartford Web Publishing. 03-12-1998.—(Editorial) "Cordillera turns back on autonomy" The Manila Times (Internet Edition); republished in the website of the NEDA–CAR, same day. 09-06-2008.—"Gauge views on autonomy, Cordillera leaders asked" Inquirer.net. 02-12-2019.—"Chronology for Igorots in the Philippines" Minorities at Risk Project via UNHCR–Refrworld. 2004.All were retrieved 03-27-2022. Samal becomes a component city in the province of Davao del Norte through ratification of Republic Act 8471. Compostela Valley becomes a province in the region of Davao Region through ratification of Republic Act 8470 approved on January 30. The name of Davao changed back to Davao del Norte. Tagum becomes a component city in the province of Davao del Norte through ratification of Republic Act 8472. March 14 – Passi becomes a component city in the province of Iloilo through ratification of Republic Act 8469. March 20 – San Fernando becomes a component city in the province of La Union through ratification of Republic Act 8509. March 21 Calapan becomes a component city in the province of Oriental Mindoro through ratification of Republic Act 8475. Urdaneta becomes a component city in the province of Pangasinan through ratification of Republic Act 8480. Victorias becomes a component city in the province of Negros Occidental through ratification of Republic Act 8488. March 22 Kidapawan becomes a component city in the province of Cotabato through ratification of Republic Act 8500. Malaybalay becomes a component city in the province of Bukidnon through ratification of Republic Act 8490. Parañaque becomes a highly urbanized city in Metro Manila through ratification of Republic Act 8507 which was approved on February 13.

April April 4 – Antipolo becomes a component city in the province of Rizal through ratification of Republic Act 8508. April 19 – Tarlac becomes a component city in the province of Tarlac through ratification of Republic Act 8593.

May May 11 – Synchronized national and local elections were held. May 16 – A fire guts the Lung Center of the Philippines, wherein at least 22 patients die, as well as the adjacent National Kidney and Transplant Institute, in Quezon City."22 perish in Lung Center fire, arson suspected" PHNO. 05-17-1998. Retrieved 04-01-2022.—"Philippines: Manila: 8 patients die in hospital fire" AP Archive. 05-16-1998.—"Philippine Hospital Fire Kills 10" AP (via Los Angeles Times). 05-17-1998.—"May 16, 1998: a fire swept through the Lung Center of the Philippines killing 25 people" The Kahimyang Project.All were retrieved 04-01-2022.

June June 6 – Carmela Arcolas–Gamboa of Negros Occidental, was crowned Miss Philippines Centennial 1998. June 12 – The Philippines celebrates the centennial of its independence. June 30 – Former vice president Joseph Estrada is sworn in as the 13th president of the Philippines, succeeding Fidel Ramos. Senator Gloria Macapagal Arroyo also sworn as tenth vice president of the Philippines as the latter's successor. June–September – Dry spell felt in 16 regions amid country's four-year growth, with ₱9 billion worth of agricultural damages.

July Early July – Department of Agriculture reports that the drought and pest infestation to crops in Southern Mindanao region between November 1997 and June 1998 have affected some 254,000 hectares of farmlands, have destroyed 360,037 metric tons of crops worth at least -billion; rice and corn lands are the severely damaged."After drought: flood, deaths in Mindanao" PHNO. 07-09-1998. Retrieved 03-31-2022.

September September 18 – Passenger ferry MV Princess of the Orient, taking its Manila–Cebu route at the height of Typhoon Vicki (Gading), sinks at sea off Fortune Island, Nasugbu, Batangas; 150 are either reportedly dead or missing.—"NEWSFLASH: Cebu-bound ship sinks, passengers missing" PHNO. 09-19-1998.—"54 dead, 75 still missing in Sulpicio disaster" PHNO. 09-21-1998.All were retrieved 03-31-2022.—"23 Dead, Many Missing in Manila Ferry Sinking" AP (via The New York Times). 09-20-1998.—"Princess of the Orient: Erroneous maneuvering leads to deadly sinking" Safety4Sea. 12-10-2019.For the timeline of related accidents:—"TIMELINE: Deadliest ferry disasters in the Philippines" Reuters. 06-23-2008.All were retrieved 04-01-2022.See the details of this accident from Wrecksite database. Retrieved 04-01-2022. September 23 – Philippine Airlines (PAL) suspends its operations for days effective midnight, as it has announced on Sept. 17 to "permanently" halt, as a result of the Asian financial crisis and industrial action by its unions. Two separate strikes have been staged, by approximately 600 pilots in June, on the claims of unfair labor practice and union-busting by PAL, affecting PAL's operations; and by almost 2,000 union members in July, following the June 15 retrenchment of about 5,000 employees as part of its measure to counter financial losses. Pres. Estrada has made a series of interventions in an effort to resolve the labor dispute until certain agreements are made between PAL Employees Association and the airline management. On Oct. 7, PAL partially resumes operations, as announced by Pres. Estrada, Sept. 28. Supreme Court would uphold in 2016 the dismissal of 24 PAL pilots, and in 2018 the retrenchment of some 1,400 cabin crew.—(PHNO FIRST SCOOP) "PAL strike over, pickets lifted" PHNO. 07-26-1998.—"NEWSFLASH: Philippine Airlines closed for good next week" PHNO. 09-17-1998.—"NEWSFLASH: Solved! PAL re-opening Oct. 7" PHNO. 09-28-1998.All were retrieved 03-31-2022.For this event:—"INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS; Island Nation Loses a Bridge As Philippine Airlines Fails" The New York Times. 09-25-1998.—"Philippine Airline Jet Seized at LAX" Los Angeles Times. 09-25-1998.—"BUSINESS: Bad News Bird" Time Asia issue of 10-05-1998.Related events:—"SC upholds dismissal of PAL pilots in 1998 strike" Philstar.com. 02-05-2016.—"1998 PAL retrenchment of 1,400 cabin crew legal" Philippine News Agency. 03-26-2018.—"PAL's labor woes: then and now" Newsbreak via ABS-CBN News. 08-05-2010.For the details of the case:—"G.R. No. 178083" (10-02-2009) Official Gazette.—"G.R. No. 200088" (02-26-2018) supreme Court E-Library.Timeline:—"History and Milestones" Philippine Airlines website.All were retrieved 04-01-2022. September 29 – The Supreme Court unanimously rejects the appeal of convicted rapist Alex Bartolome, paving the way for his execution in January 2000. Bartolome was the last prisoner to be executed in the Philippines.

October October 6 – Supreme Court votes, 8–5, to acquit former First Lady Imelda Marcos and to reverse a 1993 Sandiganbayan verdict convicting her of graft in connection with the construction of the Philippine General Hospital.—"NEWSFLASH: Imelda acquitted!" PHNO. 10-06-1998.—"Supreme Court acquits Imelda on 3 grounds" PHNO. 10-07-1998.All were retrieved 03-31-2022. October 14 – 15 – Super typhoon Zeb (Iliang) landfalls in Isabela and lashes through Northern Luzon as well as parts of Nueva Ecija and Rizal; causing massive damages worth around a billion pesos; reported death toll is 83.—"2 Die in Philippines Typhoon" AP News. 10-22-1998.—"Philippines: Typhoon Babs aftermath" AP Archive. 10-24-1998.—"Typhoon Babs downgraded" BBC News. 10-26-1998.—"Monthly global tropical cyclone summary, October 1998" Typhoon2000. 1998.All were retrieved 04-01-2022.—"Iliang toll: 33 dead, highways closed, towns flooded" PHNO. 10-16-1998.—"Typhoon Zeb: Hundred feared feared dead, Luzon devastated" PHNO. 10-17-1998.All were retrieved 03-31-2022. October 21 – 23 – Super typhoon Babs (Loleng) landfalls in Catanduanes and Aurora and rampages across Metro Manila and provinces in Central and Southern Luzon, Eastern Visayas, Negros as well as Baguio and parts of Ilocos Sur; confirmed death toll is 221; damages cost around ₱3-billion in total.—"Typhoon damage: P200-M calamity funds released" PHNO. 10-23-1998.—"Babs' death toll 145 and climbing, destruction massive" PHNO. 10-24-1998.—"Erap inspects Bicol damage, grants P50-M for Catanduanes rehab" PHNO. 10-25-1998.All were retrieved 03-31-2022.

December