1951 in the Philippines

← 1950 1949 1948 1951 in the Philippines → 1952 1953 1954
Decades:	1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s
See also:	List of years in the Philippines films

1951 in the Philippines details events of note that happened in the Philippines in 1951

Incumbents

President Elpidio Quirino

• President: Elpidio Quirino (Liberal)
• Vice President: Fernando Lopez (Liberal)
• Chief Justice:
  • Manuel Moran (until March 20)
  • Ricardo Paras (starting April 2)
• Congress: 2nd

Events

March

• March 4–11 – The Philippines participates in the first ever Asian Games held in New Delhi, India. With 3 gold medals, the country is ranked 5th in the medal tally and 3rd place in the over-all medal count.
• March 6 – Fort Santiago is declared a National Shrine.

May

• May 12 – Roxas becomes a city in the province of Capiz through Republic Act 603.

August

• August 30 – The Mutual Defense Treaty between Philippines and United States is signed.

September

• September 13 – President Quirino signs Proclamation No. 274, establishing the National Fund and Educational Drive of the Philippine Tuberculosis Society

October

• October 7 – Nicasio “Asiong” Salonga, branded as Tondo’s Public Enemy No. 1 and the kingpin of Manila, is killed during a drinking spree when he is shot by Ernesto Reyes, a henchman of Salonga’s rival and also-notorious gang leader Carlos “Totoy Golem” Capistrano.

Unknown

• August – The National Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) is established

Holidays

Main article: Public holidays in the Philippines

As per Act No. 2711 section 29, issued on March 10, 1917, any legal holiday of fixed date falls on Sunday, the next succeeding day shall be observed as legal holiday. Sundays are also considered legal religious holidays. Bonifacio Day was added through Philippine Legislature Act No. 2946. It was signed by then-Governor General Francis Burton Harrison in 1921. On October 28, 1931, the Act No. 3827 was approved declaring the last Sunday of August as National Heroes Day.

• January 1 – New Year's Day
• February 22 – Legal Holiday
• March 29 – Maundy Thursday
• March 30 – Good Friday
• May 1 – Labor Day
• July 4 – Philippine Republic Day
• August 13 – Legal Holiday
• August 26 – National Heroes Day
• November 22 – Thanksgiving Day
• November 30 – Bonifacio Day
• December 25 – Christmas Day
• December 30 – Rizal Day

Births

• January 28 – Oscar Orbos, Philippine TV Personality

• February 18 – Isabel Preysler, Filipina socialite and television host.
• February 28 – Oscar Moreno, Filipino politician.

• March 10 – Gloria Diaz, Filipino model and actress, Miss Universe 1969
• March 17 – Junix Inocian, Filipino stage, television and film actor (died 2015)
• March 29 – Tina Monzon-Palma, Filipino news anchorwoman.

• April 18 – Ricardo Fortaleza, Filipino-Australian Olympic amateur boxer/amateur boxing coach and boxing instructor.
• April 27 – Fredenil Castro, Filipino politician. (d. 2020)

• May 4 – Manuel Buising, screenwriter
• May 15 – Benny Abante, Filipino politician and pastor.
• May 22 – Edgardo Labella, Filipino politician (d. 2021)
• May 26 – Bogs Adornado, Filipino basketball player and coach.

• June 4 – Francis Arnaiz, basketball player
• June 29 – Billy Hinsche, musician (died 2021)

• July 1 – Florencio Miraflores, Filipino politician.
• July 10 – Romulo Valles, Archbishop of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Davao
• July 22 – Marte Samson, Filipino basketball player

• August 3 – Aleem Said Ahmad Basher, Filipino-Muslim Alim, an active Islamic preacher, broadcaster, lecturer and Islamic consultant
• August 10 – Menggie Cobarrubias, Filipino actor (d. 2020)
• August 27 – Jocelyn Bolante, Filipino politician
• August 30 – Jim Paredes, Filipino musician, producer, educator, writer, photographer, television personality, workshop facilitator, and activist

• September 9 – Adelina Barrion, entomologist and geneticist (died 2010)
• September 29 – Mike Enriquez, Filipino radio and television newscaster (died 2023)

• October 3 – Hussin Ututalum Amin, Filipino politician, scholar and current mayor of Jolo
• October 8 – Jimmy Santos, Filipino actor, comedian, TV host and a basketball player.
• October 10 – Boboy Garovillo, member of the APO Hiking Society
• October 14 – Salvador Medialdea, executive secretary
• October 15 – Atoy Co, Filipino basketball player

• November 4 – Eugenio Torre, chess grandmaster
• November 8 – Basil Valdez, Filipino balladeer.
• November 10 – Lim Eng Beng, Filipino-Chinese professional basketball player (d. 2015)
• November 27 – Danilo Palomer Santiago, Filipino Eclectic painter, professor and Department Chair of University of Santo Tomas - College of Fine Arts and Design (UST-CFAD)
• November 30 – Jessup Bahinting, Filipino pilot

• December 22 – Joey Lina, Filipino Politician

Unknown

• Marissa Delgado, actress
• Rosauro "Uro" Q. Dela Cruz, actor, writer, and director (d. 2016)

Deaths

• June 1 – José Alejandrino, Filipino general and senator (b. 1870)
• June 6 – Tomás Confesor, Filipino politician and governor of Iloilo (b. 1891)
• June 21 – Juan Cailles, Filipino commander (b. 1871)
• July 15 – Florentino Collantes, Filipino poet (b. 1896)
• October 7 – Asiong Salonga, Filipino gangster (b. 1924)
• October 23 – Fernando Poe, Sr. Filipino actor (b. 1916)

Unknown

• Guillermo Capadocia, Filipino politician and labour leader