Did you know? Short fact-based information about the Philippines
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José Rizal was a doctor, writer and scientist, and he spoke more than ten languages. Alongside his famous novels, he also pursued natural sciences, sculpture and art. Few figures have shaped Philippine history as profoundly as he did.
Andrés Bonifacio founded the secret society Katipunan and is regarded as the "Father of the Revolution". Ironically, he was executed not by the Spanish but by political rivals from his own ranks. To this day, his fate is among the most tragic chapters in the country's history.
After her husband's death, Gabriela Silang continued the struggle against Spanish colonial rule. This made her the Philippines' first female revolutionary leader. Numerous streets, schools and organisations now bear her name.
Melchora "Tandang Sora" Aquino supported the revolutionaries even though she was already over 80 years old. She treated the wounded, hid fighters and provided food. For this reason, she is still revered as the "Mother of the Revolution".
Emilio Aguinaldo became president of the First Philippine Republic at the age of just 28. He later lived through both the American colonial era and the Second World War, and did not die until 1964 at the age of 94. Hardly any other president witnessed so many decisive eras of Philippine history.
Manuel Quezon is regarded as the "Father of the Philippine National Language". Under his government, Tagalog was selected as the basis for the later national language, Filipino. The aim was to connect the country's many language groups more closely.
General Antonio Luna was regarded as one of the most brilliant military strategists of the Philippine Revolution. Tragically, he did not fall in battle against the Americans, but was murdered by his own soldiers in 1899. The film "Heneral Luna" made his story known to a new generation.
José Abad Santos was Chief Justice of the Philippines when the country was occupied by Japan. Because he refused to cooperate with the occupiers, he was executed in 1942. Today, he is regarded as a symbol of integrity and the rule of law.
In 1986, TIME magazine named Corazon Aquino "Person of the Year". She represented the worldwide significance of the peaceful People Power Revolution. Her election victory made her one of Asia's best-known female politicians.
In 2021, Maria Ressa became the first Filipino woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. She was honoured for her work for press freedom and independent journalism. She shared the prize with Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov.
In 1969, Gloria Diaz became the first Filipino woman to win the Miss Universe title. Her victory triggered a real boom in international beauty pageants in the Philippines. Today, the country is one of the most successful nations in these competitions.
In 2013, Megan Young became the first Filipino woman to win the Miss World title. After her success, the Philippines were among the few countries to have won both Miss Universe and Miss World. International beauty pageants continue to enjoy enormous popularity there.
At only 59.93 centimetres tall, Junrey Balawing was officially the world's shortest living man. This made him shorter than many one-year-old children. His entry in the Guinness Book made him famous around the world.
In 2006, Leo Oracion became the first Filipino to reach the summit of Mount Everest. At 8,849 metres, Everest is more than three times as high as Mount Apo, the Philippines' highest mountain. His success inspired many other Philippine mountaineers.
Chess grandmaster Eugene Torre made history in 1974 as Asia's first grandmaster. Decades later, he also became the first Filipino to be inducted into the World Chess Hall of Fame. To this day, he is regarded as a pioneer of elite Asian chess.
Manny Pacquiao won world titles in four different decades — from the 1990s through the 2010s. Together with his eight weight divisions, this makes for a record that no other boxer has matched to date. His career is therefore regarded as unique in the history of boxing.
Nicole Scherzinger, the former lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls, has Philippine roots. Her father is from the Philippines. On her visits to the country, she regularly speaks about her connection to her family and heritage.
Teresa Magbanua is often called the 'Joan of Arc of the Visayas'. She led troops both in the fight against Spain and later against the United States. This makes her one of the most important women in Philippine revolutionary history.
Gregoria de Jesús was the wife of Andrés Bonifacio and a key figure in the Katipunan. When the Spanish authorities pursued the revolutionaries, she saved important documents of the underground movement from destruction. Many historical sources would have been lost without her.
Trinidad Tecson fought in twelve battles of the Philippine Revolution. Because of her exceptional courage, she was later given the epithet 'Mother of Biak-na-Bato'. She is among the best-known heroines of the independence movement.
Josefa Llanes Escoda founded the Girl Scouts of the Philippines. During the Japanese occupation, she secretly supported resistance fighters and was arrested for it. In 1945, she died in Japanese captivity.
In 1925, Paz Márquez-Benítez wrote the Philippines' first modern short story in English, 'Dead Stars'. The work remains a milestone of the country's English-language literature today. Generations of school pupils and students read the story in class.
José W. Diokno was one of the Philippines' best-known human rights lawyers. During martial law, he was imprisoned without trial and continued to advocate for civil rights after his release. Today, one of the country's most important human rights foundations bears his name.
Lorenzo Ruiz was canonised in 1987 as the first Filipino saint. He had already died as a martyr in Japan in 1637 after refusing to renounce his faith. For many Catholic Filipinos, he remains an important role model today.
Pedro Calungsod was canonised in 2012 as the second Filipino saint. The young catechist from Cebu died during a mission on Guam in the 17th century. At the time of his death, he was probably only 17 years old.
For World Youth Day in 1995, around five million people gathered with Pope John Paul II in Manila. At that time, this was the largest crowd ever to have taken part in a papal event. This record was surpassed only in 2015 by Pope Francis's Mass in Manila.
The Philippines is among the most successful nations at international beauty pageants. So far, the country has won Miss Universe four times, Miss International six times, Miss Earth four times and Miss World once. Measured by population size, hardly any country in the world has been more successful in beauty pageants.
When Catriona Gray was crowned Miss Universe in 2018, she wore a red evening gown inspired by the perfectly shaped Mayon Volcano. Even its colour recalled glowing lava. With this gown, she wanted to present her home region of Albay on one of the world's biggest stages.
The 2015 Miss Universe competition made headlines around the world because of one of the greatest blunders in television history. Host Steve Harvey initially announced the wrong winner; a few minutes later, Pia Wurtzbach from the Philippines was declared the actual winner. Millions of viewers watched the historic moment live.
Eleanor Mariano made history in the United States several times. She was the first Filipino-American woman to attain the rank of rear admiral in the US Navy and, as a doctor, cared for several American presidents in the White House. Few doctors worldwide have achieved a comparable career.