Historical markers of the Philippines ( ng Pilipinas; de Filipinas or de Filipinas) are commemorative plaques installed in the Philippines and overseas by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and its predecessor agencies to commemorate significant and historic events, persons, sites, structures, and institutions.
The markers are installed in publicly visible locations such as on buildings, monuments, and other notable sites, and are intended to be permanent. The NHCP also allows local municipalities and cities to install markers honoring figures and events of local significance, although these markers are prohibited from using the seal of the Republic of the Philippines.
"Level II" markers in the NHCP classification system are installed at sites or structures that possess historical significance but which have not been formally declared higher-tier national treasures or landmarks ("Level I"), and as of December 2023 the total number of Level II historical markers included in the NHCP's registry was 1,381. However, the number of markers from all lists and levels at that time exceeded 1,820, including those that were decommissioned, lost, destroyed, of unknown location, or bore the official seal but were not listed on known official records. Such inadequacies in listing and mapping from the NHCP itself have led to private initiatives to document historical markers.
History
Monuments and plaques marking relevant personages and events were installed under the Spanish colonial government, such as the dedication monument to Ferdinand Magellan erected in 1866. During the American colonial era several efforts to create monuments and mark historic sites and events were initiated, such as the Cry of Balintawak, the José Rizal Monument, and the birthplace of Andrés Bonifacio. However, many more historical sites from that era are yet to be recognized or marked.
The Philippine Historical Research and Markers Committee (PHRMC) was established on October 23, 1933 in the American colonial era via Public Act 451 during the governorship of Frank Murphy, and was the earliest predecessor of the NHCP. Its first committee was composed of eight members: Walter Robb as chairman; Richard Ely as secretary; and Miguel Selga, Conrado Benitez, Edward Hyde, H. Otley Beyer, Jaime C. de Veyra, and Eulogio Rodriguez as members. Its original remit to mark cultural and historical antiquities in Manila was later expanded to cover the rest of the Philippines.
The first PHRMC markers were installed in 1934, including ones for the Church of San Agustin, Fort Santiago, Plaza McKinley, Roman Catholic Cathedral of Manila, San Sebastian Church, Concordia College, Manila Railroad Company, Dr. Lorenzo Negrao, Church of Nuestra Señora de Guia, and University of Santo Tomas (Intramuros site). These markers bore the name of the committee, the coat of arms of the Commonwealth Government, a historical narrative written in English, and the year of the marker's installation.The installation of markers generally stopped during World War II with the exception of one for Ang Unang Limbagan sa Pilipinas (The First Publishing House in the Philippines), which is dated 1943 and was the first marker in Tagalog language. Some of the pre-war markers were either lost or destroyed during the war, and over the years other markers have gone missing, reportedly stolen and sold as scrap metal. For example, new markers had to be installed as replacements for missing ones at San Agustin Church and Manila Cathedral. Since then the installation of markers has been continued by the successors of the PHRMC: the Philippines Historical Committee (PHC), the National Historical Institute (NHI), and the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), with the NHCP overseeing the installation of some landmark markers in the 21st century. Citing the concentration of markers in Luzon, the NHCP stated in 2011 that it will pursue more markers for Visayas and Mindanao so as to further their inclusion in national history. On March 3, 2014 the NHCP granted a national historical landmark marker to The Kudan, the Philippine embassy building in Tokyo, the first overseas site to be granted such status. During the unveiling of the marker, Ambassador Manuel Lopez called the building "the crown jewel of Philippine foreign service". On June 3, 2016 the NHCP installed a marker for a nameless personality for the first time. Located in Macabebe, it commemorated Tarik Sulayman, the leader of the Battle of Bangkusay Channel, as the "first native to give up his life for independence". And on July 3, 2025 the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), in coordination with the NHCP through its Bangsamoro Commission for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage (BCPCH), unveiled its first historical marker at Camp Abubakar, Barira, Maguindanao del Norte, commemorating the former home of Sheikh Salamat Hashim, the former chairperson of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
The NHCP and various volunteers have conducted restoration activities of markers in display or in storage, involving technicians, engineers, conservators, teachers, property owners, and enthusiasts. Some groups have aimed to restore vandalized markers.
Criteria and policies
The NHCP has issued and operates according to the following criteria and policies on the installation of markers. Markers shall be installed for Filipino heroes, historic events and places involving historical acts and patriotic endeavors to dramatize the need to focus to the national consciousness the history of our country from the Filipino viewpoint and to evoke pride in our national heritage and identity. Installation of historical markers that honor Filipino heroes shall be undertaken after proper and thorough study. Historical markers shall only be installed in places with great historical value as determined by the NHI Board. Historical markers for religious personalities may be installed in recognition of social or historical value. Historical markers shall not be installed to honor persons deceased less than fifty years, unless they are considered outstanding figures. Requests for historical markers may be granted during the centenary year of deserving persons, places, or structures. Historical markers shall not be installed in honor of persons who are still living. Historical markers may be installed in honor of foreigners, only in exceptional cases. Markers of local significance shall be allowed upon approved application to the NHI provided they are installed and financed by the agency, person, or organization making the request and in such cases, the seal of the Republic of the Philippines shall not be allowed to be used. In consonance with the national policy, all texts of historical markers shall be in the National Language. The historical marker shall have a uniform design, size, and materials. The NHI shall exercise the exclusive right (patent) over its use and production. The historical markers are government property. Any act to destroy or remove the said markers without the written authority from the NHI Board shall be charged criminally in accordance with existing laws. The NHI shall conceptualize the standard design, size, and materials of the pedestals for the historical marker. To ensure the protection, upkeep, and maintenance of the historical markers, the NHI and the client (i.e. local executives, descendant of the hero, etc.) shall both officially agree and sign the Certificate of Transfer.
Changing styles The standard style of markers has changed in a number of ways over the years. In 1946, following the end of World War II, the language of the markers reverted to English, with a new rectangular portrait-formatted design featuring the coat of arms of the Third Philippine Republic as well as the year of installation. Markers from 1955 have different colored bolts and an accented border. Markers from 1963 feature italicized texts, while markers from 1966 bear the name of the new agency responsible for them, the NHC, with markers bearing the name of the NHI starting in 1974. During the 1970s the use of Tagalog became more consistent, with the markers having a plain design and the coat of arms contained entirely within the body of the plaque.
By 1977 the markers had gone back to their previous shape, although using a thinner metal instead of cast iron. Some 1980 markers have the coat of arms incorporated into the body of the plaque, and 1981 markers use a similar style from the early 1970s. From 1982 markers for artists have had an oval shape with an ornate border, similar to an egg-and-dart motif. Since 1983 marker design has been similar to other post-war forms, with changes on the coats of arms following changes in governments. By the 1990s the markers had shorter texts with unique designs.
The language of contemporary markers is mostly Filipino, with some markers also featuring English, Spanish, and regional languages as some Filipinos have refused to read markers if the language on them is not a local one. The first two markers to contain a regional language were installed in 2008, written in both Cebuano and Filipino to commemorate the Cebu Provincial Capitol in Cebu City. The first marker in Ilocano was installed in 2009 to commemorate Mansion House in Baguio, and the first marker in Kapampangan was installed in 2017 to commemorate the Holy Rosary Parish Church in Angeles. Two of the first markers outside of the Philippines were installed in 1959, one in Ghent, Belgium, commemorating the residence of José Rizal where El Filibusterismo was published, and the second in Dezhou, China, commemorating Paduka Batara, a King of Sulu who paid tribute to the Yongle Emperor and died there. Historical markers outside of the Philippines can also be written in the local language of the country, as with the markers commemorating José Rizal in German in Berlin, Germany and in French in Ghent, Belgium.
There are more markers relating to Rizal than for any other historical figure or item, and Filipino historian Teodoro A. Agoncillo revealed that during his time on the NHCP board from 1963 to 1985 the board's efforts were mostly devoted to approving, discussing, and rewriting the marker texts. The number of marker requests relating to Rizal led him to joke: "" ("What, they even want us to mark obscure side streets where Rizal relieved himself!").The method of unveiling markers also changed after 2002, when during the unveiling ceremony of the marker for the National Federation of Women's Clubs in the Philippines in Manila Hotel, former president Fidel Ramos joked that the curtain raising reminded him of striptease, and everybody laughed. It was the last time the curtains were pulled upward, with unveiling always now involving the curtains being pulled sideways.
A number of markers have been decommissioned because they have been lost or stolen, because they are worn or have faded texts due to natural causes, or because have been replaced by an updated marker. The surviving decommissioned markers are held in storage at the NHCP, where they are displayed and restored, to perhaps be reinstalled in the future.
Markers series The NHCP has overseen the installation of two major series of markers: the Quincentennial historical markers series in 2021, and the Philippine Nationhood Trail markers series starting in 2023.
Quincentennial series
From March to October 2021, the NHCP and the National Quincentennial Committee issued quincentennial markers as part of the 2021 Quincentennial Commemorations in the Philippines (QCP).