History UsefulNotes / Philippines

* '''Corazon "Cory" Aquino''' (1986–1992), Benigno Jr.'s [[DeterminedWidow widow]] and later the first female President, having been swept into power after the "People Power Revolution" which sparked a host of other "color" revolutions across the world throughout the next decade. Survived at least 7 coups during her term and oversaw the closure of US bases in the country. Like pretty much all major Filipino politicians, she was a scion of a family of landlords and businessmen, the Cojuangcos. Her cousin Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco was in contrast a close friend and staunch ally of Marcos. The Cojuangcos also own the huge Hacienda Luisita plantation, and Cory was criticized for not touching it despite promoting land reform.

* Diego Silang, leader of an anti-Spanish rebellion in the Ilocos area in the 1760s, who once collaborated with the British during their brief invasion of the Philippines. After his assassination [[EtTuBrute by a close friend]], his widow [[DeterminedWidow Gabriela]] continued the desperate struggle until she too was captured and executed (and in her honor, a Filipino feminist organization is named after her).

* Maria Leonor "Leni" Robredo, former Vice president and [[DeterminedWidow widow]] of former DILG secretary Jesse Robredo. Before narrowly winning the 2016 vice-presidential elections, she represented the third district of Camarines Sur in the Congress. Attempted to run for president in the 2022 elections, only to lose to Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., the same political rival she won against for the vice presidency six years ago.

* Martial artist Mark Dacascos, mainly known in the Film/DoubleDragon film and the host of ''Series/IronChef America''.

* Eskrima, also known as Arnis and Kali, a type of Filipino Martial Art that utilizes [[SimpleStaff sticks]] and knifeplay, was used in ''Film/TheBourneSeries''. ''Film/TheBourneLegacy'' also included scenes set in the Philippines, notably around Manila and Palawan.

* [[MasterPoisoner Sucy Mambabarang]] of ''Anime/LittleWitchAcademia'' is implied to be from the Philippines, as her surname Mambabarang is the Cebuano word for "[[BlackMage dark sorcerer]]", and her witch's broom is immediately recognizable as the local ''walis tambo'' (broom made from soft reeds).

* '''Emilio Aguinaldo''' (1899–1901), the official first president of the Philippines and a powerful landlord in his native Cavite province (where some of his descendants hold some local power to this day). Surrendered to the Americans in 1901, ran in the 1935 elections (lost to Manuel Quezon, who was one of his lieutenants), and died in February 1964, [[LongRunners outliving most presidents]]. Also often implicated as the mastermind (or the one bearing ultimate responsibility) behind Andres Bonifacio's and Antonio Luna's deaths, and he [[NeverLiveItDown never lived it down]] even in his own lifetime, as it was used against him in the 1935 elections. Unless the constitution gets amended to lower the minimum age required to run for president (currently at least 40 years old), his record as the youngest to sit on the office will never be surpassed.

* Imelda Romualdez Marcos, former beauty queen, widow of President Ferdinand Marcos and congresswoman representing her husband's native (and her adopted) Ilocos Norte province, [[NeverLiveItDown infamous]] for [[AllWomenLoveShoes her collection of thousands of pairs of shoes]].

* Senator Vicente "Tito" Sotto III, another [[LongRunners long-running]] public official who was previously vice mayor of Quezon City, and has been on the Senate since 1992 (except for the 2004-2010 period). [[NeverLiveItDown Infamously plagiarized]] a series of speeches, including that of UsefulNotes/RobertFKennedy in his arguments against the Reproductive Health bill (now passed into law) in the early 2010s. Also the [[GenerationXerox grandson of a former senator]] who went by the same name.

* Arnel Pineda, singer-songwriter and current vocalist of American rock band Music/{{Journey}}, discovered by Neal Schon in a series of Website/YouTube videos.

During the peak of the Philippine film industry during TheSixties to TheEighties, the country mass-produced English-language BMovie films primarily for export, led by those of international film legends Eddie Romero and Bobby Suarez, and these have a classic cult following in various countries such as the USA, Finland, Germany and Japan. Films with a more serious tone and socially relevant subjects used to be created by directors like Lino Brocka and Ishmael Bernal. Currently, the local film industry is in a slump regarding its overall quality, but independent films are gaining more and more notice, especially among the youth.

* '''Emilio Aguinaldo''', the official first president of the Philippines and a powerful landlord in his native Cavite province (where some of his descendants hold some local power to this day). Surrendered to the Americans in 1901, ran in the 1935 elections (lost to Manuel Quezon, who was one of his lieutenants), and died in February 1964, [[LongRunners outliving most presidents]]. Also often implicated as the mastermind (or the one bearing ultimate responsibility) behind Andres Bonifacio's and Antonio Luna's deaths, and he [[NeverLiveItDown never lived it down]] even in his own lifetime, as it was used against him in the 1935 elections. Unless the constitution gets amended to lower the minimum age required to run for president (currently at least 40 years old), his record as the youngest to sit on the office will never be surpassed.
* '''Manuel Quezon''', the first president of the Philippine Commonwealth, under whose administration the Philippines would have been granted independence were if not for UsefulNotes/WorldWarTwo. He also suffered an untimely death during the war and was succeeded by his vice president, Sergio Osmeña. He is the namesake for [[{{UsefulNotes/Manila}} Quezon City]] and the Quezon province.
* '''Jose Laurel''', [[PuppetKing president of the Japanese puppet state]] during World War II. Later founded Lyceum of the Philippines University in Intramuros shortly before his death. He was also the first ex-president to successfully run for a lower post (as a senator in 1953), though he wasn't recognized as a former head of state until Macapagal's tenure.
* '''Sergio Osmeña''', Quezon's successor and the last president under American rule. His descendants are known politicians in Cebu, including a three senators, a former governor and a former mayor of the eponymous city. The country joined the UN under his administration.
* '''Manuel Roxas''', first president of the fully-independent Republic after America legally granted the nation independence on July 4th, 1946. Independence was supposed to be granted in 1945 were it not for UsefulNotes/WorldWarII and the Japanese invasion of 1942-1945. Possibly one of the most blatantly [[TheQuisling pro-American]] presidents in a country that's already overwhelmingly pro-American; it would not be a far cry to say that the country remained a U.S. colony in some ways with Roxas at the helm.
* '''Elpidio Quirino''', successor to Roxas after his untimely death on 1948 and the first president to be on the receiving end of an impeachment attempt. A province was named after him in 1966.
* '''Ramon Magsaysay''', third President of the fully-independent Republic who backed America during the UsefulNotes/ColdWar. [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure A popular president known for his humility and facilitating the peaceful disbandment of the Hukbalahap guerrillas of central Luzon]] during TheFifties, [[TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth he met a tragic end in a plane crash in Cebu]].
* '''Carlos Garcia''', another vice-president who succeeded a deceased sitting head of state, best known for his austerity and "Filipino First" policies, placing preference on local businessmen over foreign ones. His ascension to the presidency led his fellow Boholanos to add a star to their flag to represent him. Later became head of the Marcos-era constitutional convention in 1971 but died 13 days later, being replaced by...
* '''Diosdado Macapagal''', best remembered for his land reform policies and changing the date of independence from July 4 to June 12. Also the only vice-president to have never been appointed to a cabinet post. His daughter, Gloria, would [[GenerationXerox ascend to the presidency after Joseph Estrada's ouster in 2001.]]
* '''UsefulNotes/FerdinandMarcos''', the President who for good and/or ill made the deepest mark on the nation within the last half-century. Notorious for his dictatorial regime and imposing martial law during TheSeventies, causing much unrest & casualties among citizens all throughout the country. Booted out of office after 21 years through the "[[VelvetRevolution People Power Revolution]]" of 1986 and died in exile in Hawaii. Was continuously president for so long that a whole generation, the "Marcos babies", grew up under him. [[AHeroToHisHometown He is still popular and revered in his home province of Ilocos Norte]], where his body is preserved at a mausoleum in his hometown. Has been attempted to be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (Heroes' Cemetery) twice, exciting loyalists and frustrating nearly everyone else. Before entering politics, he first became a nationwide celebrity as a law student when he was arrested for the murder of his father's political opponent. He was convicted but appealed to the Supreme Court and passed the bar exams with flying colors as a prisoner. He then served as his own defense lawyer and was acquitted.[[note]]The presiding judge at the trial was former president Jose Laurel. Marcos later repaid the favor by never going after his son Salvador aka Doy, later Cory's vice president, when he had other political opponents imprisoned.[[/note]] After World War II, he presented himself as a decorated war hero whose many medals included three from the US, one personally awarded on Bataan by [[UsefulNotes/DouglasMacArthur Gen. MacArthur]]. He also claimed to have led the guerrilla group ''Maharlika'' (named after the ancient Tagalog warrior class). Later, various investigations by American and Philippine officials alike debunked his wartime claims: while he had been in the army, he never saw combat, he was never at Bataan, his resistance unit never existed, the US had never awarded him any medals and the Philippine medals he did have were thus of dubious merit.[[note]]If all his medals were authentic, he would have had more than ''Creator/AudieMurphy''... so, nope.[[/note]]
* '''Corazon "Cory" Aquino''', Benigno Jr.'s [[DeterminedWidow widow]] and later the first female President, having been swept into power after the "People Power Revolution" which sparked a host of other "color" revolutions across the world throughout the next decade. Survived at least 7 coups during her term and oversaw the closure of US bases in the country. Like pretty much all major Filipino politicians, she was a scion of a family of landlords and businessmen, the Cojuangcos. Her cousin Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco was in contrast a close friend and staunch ally of Marcos. The Cojuangcos also own the huge Hacienda Luisita plantation, and Cory was criticized for not touching it despite promoting land reform.
* '''Fidel Ramos''', former general, Corazon Aquino's chief-of-staff, her elected successor, and the first Protestant (Methodist) president of the predominantly Catholic nation. Noted for deregulation of industries and his hands-on approach to the economy, but later hit by the Asian economic crisis at the twilight of his term. Also remembered for his cigars, jumping for joy at EDSA after getting a (premature) report that Marcos had left (which he dutifully re-enacted at anniversary celebrations) and his many trips to other countries to broker agreements, leading to jokes about him being the greatest Filipino tourist since Jose Rizal (who did some globetrekking himself). Through his mother's side, Marcos's first cousin once removed.
* '''Joseph Ejercito "Erap" Estrada''', former film actor, Fernando Poe Jr.'s best friend, Macapagal-Arroyo's predecessor as president, previously longtime mayor of San Juan, and former mayor of Manila. Ejercito is his original surname, while Estrada is his StageName which he adopted in real life. His movie roles were often similar to Poe Jr.'s, as he played a streetwise [[KnightInShiningArmor champion of the poor and oppressed]]. In real life he has a BigFun image, was TheCasanova in his younger days, and also got a reputation for [[{{Malaproper}} mangling English]][[note]]likely exaggerated since he's from a well-to-do family and went to excellent schools, though he never finished college[[/note]] which he has embraced, giving rise to so-called "Erap jokes". While popular amongst the lower classes, revelations of his gambling habits and other graft/corruption scandals booted him out of office in 2001. He was subsequently convicted, but pardoned by Macapagal-Arroyo and has [[CriticProof recovered his popularity since then]]. In fact, he [[PopularityPolynomial placed second against Benigno Aquino III]] when he ran again in 2010. Two of his sons [[GenerationXerox also hold political power]] -- Jose "Jinggoy" as a senator, and Joseph Victor "JV" as congressman for their native (and their father's adopted hometown) San Juan City suburb of Manila and eventually a senator as well. Jinggoy, like his father, is also an actor.
* '''Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo''', most recently the House Speaker representing her native Pampanga province who endured a tumultuous nine-year presidency ever since taking over from Joseph Estrada after a nonviolent revolution in 2001. She [[GenerationXerox is a former presidential child, being born from Diosdado Macapagal]]. Popular at the start due to riding the EDSA II hype, but left office wildly unpopular due to various corruption and human rights scandals, and later arrested on plunder charges. After years in hospital arrest, she was acquitted by the Supreme Court in 2016 due to insufficient evidence, but this is popularly suspected to be due to mismanagement. The shortest President to date, leading to requisite jokes and visual gags about her height. Also has a prominent [[DistinguishingMark facial mole]] like her father.
* '''Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III''', the [[GenerationXerox son of Ninoy and Cory]], themselves noted political figures. Survived an assassination attempt during one of the coup attempts against his mother. Quiet and unassuming compared to his vivacious younger sister Kris, an actress and TV personality. He was the only bachelor to have served as President, though he did date a bit while in office. Also resembled a [[WesternAnimation/{{Minions}} Minion]].
* '''Rodrigo Duterte''', the first president hailing from the Mindanao region as well as the only one besides Aguinaldo to jump from Mayor to President in one stroke. During his term as mayor of Davao City, he [[BasedOnAGreatBigLie supposedly]] managed to [[TheExtremistWasRight turn it into one of the most crime-free, affluent and highly progressive cities in the country]], and based his successful campaign on that, though it's been repeatedly questioned by mainstream investigators and journalists due to the country's rampant cases of [[VigilanteExecution extrajudicial]] and [[KillerCop police]] killings under his administration. Other than that, he's better known for being [[SirSwearsalot the president with a potty mouth]] as well as making numerous jokes and banters that CrossesTheLineTwice.
* '''Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.''', the current president of the country and the third presidential child to assume office (after Noynoy and Gloria). The son of the late dictator, he and his family spent the last few decades since their return from exile rehabilitating their public image for their return to politics. Attempted to run for vice president in 2016, only to place second behind Leni Robredo [[DecidedByOneVote by a close margin]] that caused his supporters to question the election results. Then in 2022, he managed to win the presidential race against Leni in a LandslideElection, much to the frustration and disappointment of his family's opponents who don't want another Marcos to lead the country.

* Creator/AnnaAkana, star and writer of ''WebVideo/RileyRewind'' as well as the voice of [[WesternAnimation/Amphibia Sasha Waybright]] and [[WesternAnimation/BigCityGreens Gloria Sato]], has a part-Filipino mother.

* '''Rodrigo Duterte''', the first president hailing from the Mindanao region as well as the only one besides Aguinaldo to jump from Mayor to President in one stroke. During his term as mayor of Davao City, he [[BasedOnAGreatBigLie supposedly]] managed to [[TheExtremistWasRight turn it into one of the most crime-free, affluent and highly progressive cities in the country]], and based his successful campaign on that, though it's been repeatedly questioned by mainstream investigators and journalists due to the country's rampant cases of [[VigilanteExecution extrajudicial]] and [[KillerCop police]] killings. Other than that, he's better known for being [[SirSwearsalot the president with a potty mouth]] as well as making numerous jokes that CrossesTheLineTwice.
* '''Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.''', the current president of the country and the third presidential child to assume office (after Noynoy and Gloria). The son of the late dictator, he and his family spent the last few decades since their return from exile rehabilitating their public image for their return to politics. Attempted to run for vice president in 2016, only to place second behind Leni Robredo [[DecidedByOneVote by a close margin]] that caused his supporters to question the election results. Then in 2022, he managed to win the presidential race against Leni in a LandslideElection, much to the frustration and disappointment of those that have long opposed the Marcoses since his father's rule decades ago.

* Maria Leonor "Leni" Robredo, the current Vice-President and [[DeterminedWidow widow]] of former DILG secretary Jesse Robredo. Before narrowly winning the 2016 vice-presidential elections, she represented the third district of Camarines Sur in the Congress. Vying to run for president in the 2022 elections.

* Richard "Dick" Gordon, currently a senator and chairman of the local Red Cross whose main claim to fame is his transformation of the former US Navy base in Subic into one of the region's investment hubs. Formerly mayor of Olongapo during TheEighties, tourism secretary in the early 2000s, and also ran for president in 2010. Like Cardinal Sin, he also has a curious sense of humor regarding [[DoubleEntendre his nickname]] being meme fodder, which in 2016, he and his campaign team [[AscendedMeme used to hilarious effect]].

* Senator Vicente "Tito" Sotto III, another [[LongRunners long-running]] public official who was previously vice-mayor of Quezon City, and has been on the Senate since 1992 (except for the 2004-2010 period). [[NeverLiveItDown Infamously plagiarized]] a series of speeches, including that of UsefulNotes/RobertFKennedy in his arguments against the Reproductive Health bill (now passed into law) in the early 2010s. Also the [[GenerationXerox grandson of a former senator]] who went by the same name.

* Kris Aquino, actress, TV show host, and younger sister of Benigno III, known for her [[LooseLips flamboyant speech]] and [[ReallyGetsAround sticky]] [[ChristmasCake romances]].

* Robin Padilla, former teen action star who, after serving some prison time for [[GunNut illegal possession of firearms]], ultimately cleaned up his act, converted to Islam and became a much more respected action star.

* Music/GaryValenciano, singer-dancer and the closest thing the Philippines has to Music/MichaelJackson.

* [[Music/GlocNine Aristotle Pollisco]], better known by his stage name "Gloc-9", award-winning rapper and touted by Francis M as his successor, best known for songs tackling [[ConsciousHipHop social issues]], such as poverty, social justice and rights of homosexuals.
* [[Creator/MichaelV Beethoven del Valle Bunagan]], better known by his stage name "Michael V.", singer, TV/film actor, comedian, and the closest thing the Philippines has to Music/WeirdAlYankovic, famous for being a ManOfAThousandFaces.

* Creator/ChristineMarieCabanos, Half-Filipina voice actress of [[Manga/KOn Azusa Nakano]], [[Manga/SquidGirl Ika Musume]], [[Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica Madoka Kaname]], [[VisualNovel/Danganronpa2GoodbyeDespair Chiaki Nanami]] and [[Franchise/{{Neptunia}} Nepgear]].

* Creator/AnnaAkana, star and writer of such Internet videos as ''WebVideo/RileyRewind'', has a part-Filipino mother.
* Deedee Magno-Hall, a stage actress currently known for voicing ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'' character Pearl, has Filipino heritage. Some other Filipina voice actresses from the show include Jennifer Paz as Lapis Lazuli and Shelby Rabara as Peridot.

* '''Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo''', most recently the House Speaker representing her native Pampanga province who endured a tumultuous nine-year presidency ever since taking over from Joseph Estrada after a nonviolent revolution in 2001. She, like her successor, [[GenerationXerox is a former presidential child, being born from Diosdado Macapagal]]. Popular at the start due to riding the EDSA II hype, but left office wildly unpopular due to various corruption and human rights scandals, and later arrested on plunder charges. After years in hospital arrest, she was acquitted by the Supreme Court in 2016 due to insufficient evidence, but this is popularly suspected to be due to mismanagement. The shortest President to date, leading to requisite jokes and visual gags about her height. Also has a prominent [[DistinguishingMark facial mole]] like her father.

* '''Rodrigo Duterte''', the first president hailing from the Mindanao region as well as the only one besides Aguinaldo to jump from Mayor to President in one stroke. During his term as mayor of Davao City, he [[BasedOnAGreatBigLie supposedly]] managed to [[TheExtremistWasRight turn it into one of the most crime-free, affluent and highly progressive cities in the country]], and based his successful campaign on that, though it's been repeatedly questioned by mainstream investigative reporting.

* Emilio Aguinaldo, the official first president of the Philippines and a powerful landlord in his native Cavite province (where some of his descendants hold some local power to this day). Surrendered to the Americans in 1901, ran in the 1935 elections (lost to Manuel Quezon, who was one of his lieutenants), and died in February 1964, [[LongRunners outliving most presidents.]] Also often implicated as the mastermind (or the one bearing ultimate responsibility) behind Andres Bonifacio's and Antonio Luna's deaths, and he [[NeverLiveItDown never lived it down]] even in his own lifetime, as it was used against him in the 1935 elections. Unless the constitution gets amended to lower the minimum age required to run for president (currently 40), his record as the youngest to sit on the office will never be surpassed.
* UsefulNotes/ManuelQuezon, first president of the Philippine Commonwealth, under whose administration the Philippines would have been granted independence were if not for UsefulNotes/WorldWarTwo. He also suffered an untimely death during the war and was succeeded by his vice president, Sergio Osmeña. He is the namesake for [[{{UsefulNotes/Manila}} Quezon City]] and Quezon province.
* Jose Laurel, president of the Japanese puppet state during World War II. Later founded Lyceum of the Philippines University in Intramuros shortly before his death. He was also the first ex-president to successfully run for a lower post (as a senator in 1953), though he wasn't recognized as a former head of state until Macapagal's tenure.
* Sergio Osmeña, Quezon's successor and the last president under American rule. His descendants are known politicians in Cebu, including a three senators, a former governor and a former mayor of the eponymous city. The country joined the UN under his administration.
* Manuel Roxas, first president of the fully-independent Republic after America legally granted the nation independence on 4 July 1946. Independence was supposed to be granted in 1945 were it not for UsefulNotes/WorldWarII and the Japanese invasion of 1942-1945. Possibly one of the most blatantly [[TheQuisling pro-American]] presidents in a country already overwhelmingly pro-American; it would not be a far cry to say that the country remained a U.S. colony in some ways with Roxas at the helm.
* Elpidio Quirino, successor to Roxas after his untimely death on 1948 and the first president to be on the receiving end of an impeachment attempt. A province was named after him in 1966.
* Ramon Magsaysay, third President of the fully-independent Republic who backed America during the Cold War. [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure A popular president known for his humility and facilitating the peaceful disbandment of the Hukbalahap guerrillas of central Luzon]] during TheFifties, [[TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth he met a tragic end in a plane crash in Cebu]].
* Carlos Garcia, another vice-president who succeeded a deceased sitting head of state, best known for his austerity and "Filipino First" policies, placing preference on local businessmen over foreign ones. His ascension to the presidency led his fellow Boholanos to add a star to their flag to represent him. Later became head of the Marcos-era constitutional convention in 1971 but died 13 days later, being replaced by...
* Diosdado Macapagal, best remembered for his land reform policies and changing the date of independence from July 4 to June 12. Also the only vice-president to have never been appointed to a cabinet post. His daughter, Gloria, would [[GenerationXerox ascend to the presidency after Joseph Estrada's ouster in 2001.]]
* UsefulNotes/FerdinandMarcos, the President who for good and/or ill made the deepest mark on the nation within the last half-century. Notorious for his dictatorial regime and imposing martial law during TheSeventies, causing much unrest & casualties among citizens all throughout the country. Booted out of office after 21 years through the "People Power Revolution" of 1986 and died in exile in Hawaii. Was continuously president for so long that a whole generation, the "Marcos babies", grew up under him. He is still popular and revered in his home province of Ilocos Norte, where his body is preserved at a mausoleum in his hometown. Has been attempted to be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (Heroes' Cemetery) twice, exciting loyalists and frustrating near-everyone else. Before entering politics, he first became a nationwide celebrity as a law student when he was arrested for the murder of his father's political opponent. He was convicted but appealed to the Supreme Court and passed the bar exams with flying colors as a prisoner. He then served as his own defense lawyer and was acquitted.[[note]]The presiding judge at the trial was former president Jose Laurel. Marcos later repaid the favor by never going after his son Salvador aka Doy, later Cory's vice president, when he had other political opponents imprisoned.[[/note]] After World War II, he presented himself as a decorated war hero whose many medals included three from the US, one personally awarded on Bataan by Gen. [=MacArthur=]. He also claimed to have led the guerrilla group ''Maharlika'' (named after the ancient Tagalog warrior class). Later, various investigations by American and Philippine officials alike debunked his wartime claims: while he had been in the army, he never saw combat, he was never at Bataan, his resistance unit never existed, the US had never awarded him any medals and the Philippine medals he did have were thus of dubious merit.[[note]]If all his medals were authentic, he would have had more than ''Creator/AudieMurphy''... so, nope.[[/note]]
* Corazon "Cory" Aquino, Benigno Jr.'s [[DeterminedWidow widow]] and later the first female President, having been swept into power after the "People Power Revolution" which sparked a host of other "color" revolutions across the world throughout the next decade. Survived at least 7 coups during her term and oversaw the closure of US bases in the country. Like pretty much all major Filipino politicians, she was a scion of a family of landlords and businessmen, the Cojuangcos. Her cousin Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco was in contrast a close friend and staunch ally of Marcos. The Cojuangcos also own the huge Hacienda Luisita plantation, and Cory was criticized for not touching it despite promoting land reform.
* Fidel Ramos, former general, Corazon Aquino's chief-of-staff, her elected successor, and the first Protestant (Methodist) president of the predominantly Catholic nation. Noted for deregulation of industries and his hands-on approach to the economy, but later hit by the Asian economic crisis at the twilight of his term. Also remembered for his cigars, jumping for joy at EDSA after getting a (premature) report that Marcos had left (which he dutifully re-enacted at anniversary celebrations) and his many trips to other countries to broker agreements, leading to jokes about him being the greatest Filipino tourist since Jose Rizal (who did some globetrekking himself). Through his mother's side, Marcos's first cousin once removed.
* Joseph Ejercito "Erap" Estrada, former film actor, Poe Jr.'s best friend, Macapagal-Arroyo's predecessor as president, previously longtime mayor of San Juan, and former mayor of Manila. Ejercito is his original surname, while Estrada is his StageName which he adopted in real life. His movie roles were often similar to Poe Jr.'s, as he played a streetwise [[KnightInShiningArmor champion of the poor and oppressed]]. In real life he has a BigFun image, was TheCasanova in his younger days, and also got a reputation for [[{{Malaproper}} mangling English]][[note]]likely exaggerated since he's from a well-to-do family and went to excellent schools, though he never finished college[[/note]] which he has embraced, giving rise to so-called "Erap jokes". While popular amongst the lower classes, revelations of his gambling habits and other graft/corruption scandals booted him out of office in 2001. He was subsequently convicted, but pardoned by Macapagal-Arroyo and since [[CriticProof recovered his popularity.]] In fact, he [[PopularityPolynomial placed second against Benigno Aquino III]] when he ran again in 2010. Two of his sons [[GenerationXerox also hold political power]] -- Jose "Jinggoy" as a senator, and Joseph Victor "JV" as congressman for their native (and their father's adopted hometown) San Juan City suburb of Manila and eventually a senator as well. Jinggoy, like his father, is also an actor.
* Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, most recently the House speaker representing her native Pampanga province who endured a tumultuous nine-year presidency ever since taking over from Joseph Estrada after a nonviolent revolution in 2001. She, like her successor, [[GenerationXerox is a former presidential child, being born from Diosdado Macapagal]]. Popular at the start due to riding the EDSA II hype, but left office wildly unpopular due to various corruption and human rights scandals, and later arrested on plunder charges. After years in hospital arrest, she was acquitted by the Supreme Court in 2016 due to insufficient evidence, but this is popularly suspected to be due to mismanagement. The shortest President to date, leading to requisite jokes and visual gags about her height. Also has a prominent facial mole like her father.
* Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III, the previous President and [[GenerationXerox son of Ninoy and Cory]], themselves noted political figures. Survived an assassination attempt during one of the coup attempts against his mother. Quiet and unassuming compared to his vivacious younger sister Kris, an actress. He was the only bachelor to have served as President, though he did date a bit while in office. Also resembled a [[WesternAnimation/{{Minions}} Minion]].
* Rodrigo Duterte. The only one besides Aguinaldo to jump from mayor to President in one stroke, and the first one from the Mindanao region instead of Luzon or Visayas. During his term as mayor of Davao City, he [[BasedOnAGreatBigLie supposedly]] managed to [[TheExtremistWasRight turn it into one of the most crime-free, affluent and highly progressive cities in the country]], and based his successful campaign on that, though it's been repeatedly questioned by mainstream investigative reporting.

Rodrigo Duterte was elected in 2016 after a tumultuous campaign where he started as the dark-horse candidate and led by a margin of over 5 million votes. Immediately prior, he was mayor of Davao City and extremely controversial for his [[WellIntentionedExtremist tough stance against crime,]] particularly the drug trade, with his encouragement of {{Cowboy Cop}}s and death squads and allegedly going VigilanteMan himself at times. Hence, incidents of police and extralegal killings have skyrocketed ever since he assumed office. This has earned him the [[RedBaron nickname]] "ComicBook/ThePunisher" by Time Magazine. He's also notorious for [[SirSwearsALot his potty mouth]] and his jokes which CrossesTheLineTwice leading to comparisons with Creator/DonaldTrump. He is also often slammed for his foreign policy, which so far consists of less reliance with long-time ally US and tilting towards China (which Filipinos perceive as an enemy), a complete 180-degree shift from the previous president's actions. All of these make him a [[BaseBreakingCharacter really polarizing figure]], with his policies and strong pronouncements driving the country into a huge schism within Filipino society. After finishing his term, he still remains popular among the people despite the issues and controversies that he and his government had faced due to his supporter's rampant use of social media to bolster his image and to attack all of his opponents. His so-called legacy was his infrastructure projects which his supporters had been projecting amidst the inflation, rising commodities, and a bloody string of human rights violations brought by his intense red-tagging of critics and the failed war on drugs.

The current president is Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., the son of the dictator, who came back from exile. Upon his return, he and his loyal supporters slowly rehabilitate his family image into the public consciousness. After taking advantage of the public's dissatisfaction with Noynoy Aquino's term, Marcos Jr. uses his family name to make him a better alternative, reinforcing the belief that his father's time is "the golden age". Just like Duterte, his supporters use social media to cultivate his own CultOfPersonality and at the same time, attack the opposition. Eventually, all of these worked earning him 31 million votes in 2022 and bringing the Marcos back into power which makes all the sacrifices and struggles of those who fought against Martial Law and led the EDSA Revolution AllForNothing. However, unlike Duterte who inherits a growing economy from the Noynoy administration, Marcos Jr has to contend with the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic era along with other issues that Duterte left for him.

* Rodrigo Duterte, the current President. The only one besides Aguinaldo to jump from mayor to President in one stroke, and the first one from the Mindanao region instead of Luzon or Visayas. During his term as mayor of Davao City, he [[BasedOnAGreatBigLie supposedly]] managed to [[TheExtremistWasRight turn it into one of the most crime-free, affluent and highly progressive cities in the country]], and based his successful campaign on that, though it's been repeatedly questioned by mainstream investigative reporting.

** President: Rodrigo Duterte; Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. takes office on June 30, 2022
** Vice President: Leni Robredo; Sara Duterte takes office on June 30, 2022

The current president of the Philippines is Rodrigo Duterte, elected in 2016 after a tumultuous campaign where he started as the dark-horse candidate and led by a margin of over 5 million votes. Immediately prior, he was mayor of Davao City and extremely controversial for his [[WellIntentionedExtremist tough stance against crime,]] particularly the drug trade, with his encouragement of {{Cowboy Cop}}s and death squads and allegedly going VigilanteMan himself at times. Hence, incidents of police and extralegal killings have skyrocketed ever since he assumed office. This has earned him the [[RedBaron nickname]] "ComicBook/ThePunisher" by Time Magazine. He's also notorious for [[SirSwearsALot his potty mouth]] and his jokes which CrossesTheLineTwice leading to comparisons with Creator/DonaldTrump. He is also often slammed for his foreign policy, which so far consists of less reliance with long-time ally US and tilting towards China (which Filipinos perceive as an enemy), a complete 180-degree shift from the previous president's actions. All of these make him a [[BaseBreakingCharacter really polarizing figure]], with his policies and strong pronouncements driving the country into what could be seen as an [[FlameWar online civil war]] between his supporters and detractors, with neither side backing down.

* Eskrima, also known as Arnis and Kali, a type of Filipino Martial Art that utilizes [[SimpleStaff sticks]] and [[KnifeNut knifeplay]], was used in ''Film/TheBourneSeries''. ''Film/TheBourneLegacy'' also included scenes set in the Philippines, notably around Manila and Palawan.

Perhaps one of the most well-known genres of Philippine media are noontime variety shows, a little similar to other Asian variety shows, and {{Soap Opera}}s, similar to ''telenovelas''. In the early 2000s, fantasy-themed television shows were on a upsurge, though their popularity faltered as the decade went on. Recently there has been a rise in popularity of Taiwanese and Korean dramas (dubbed in Filipino).

* Talim in ''VideoGame/SoulCalibur'' hails from (what would later become) the Philippines.

* Talim in ''VideoGame/SoulCalibur''.

* ''Series/{{Squid Game}}: Episode 2 of Season 1 reveals that Dyeok-Su owes money to a group of Filipino gangsters after losing money in a casino in the Philippines. The Filipino gangsters soon show up to to confront him but he escapes to return to the games.

Made up of 7,641 islands (divided between Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao regions), the Philippines is the fourth-largest Asian Anglophone country, most of its population having Austronesian roots. The capital is UsefulNotes/{{Manila}} (which is actually a combination of 17 cities and towns, all centered around the eponymous Spanish-era city). Owing to its position at the crossroads of several foreign trade routes, the country has earned a vast diversity of cultures and religions, of which Christianity predominates, a legacy of [[UsefulNotes/SpanishConquestOfThePhilippines over 300 years]] under the Spanish Empire and 40 under the United States (in fact, the Philippines is both the largest Christian-majority country and has the highest Christian population in Asia, with only [[UsefulNotes/TimorLeste East Timor]] and [[UsefulNotes/{{Armenia}} Armenia]] having a higher proportion of Christians), with Islam a distant second and Buddhists, animists and others filling the gaps.

* Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., son of the elder Marcos and senator. Was targeted for assassination during the aborted coup that led to the first EDSA. Like the rest of the Marcos family, maintains that President Marcos did right by the country and has declined to give apologies for the past or has only given [[BackhandedApology non-apologies]] at best. Ran as vice president in the last elections, gained a following among young voters and lost by a mere 200,000 votes, causing many among the older generations to wonder if the nation has AesopAmnesia or has been brainwashed by social media propaganda. Vying to run for president in the 2022 elections.

* A large number of American porn actresses and import models have Filipino ancestry, most (in)famously, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimi_Miyagi Mimi Miyagi]], who actually ran for ''Governor'' of {{UsefulNotes/Nevada}} in 2006 under the Republican party.

* "[[RedBaron The Mexicutioner]]" Creator/MannyPacquiao, lightweight boxer that has defeated many of the sport's best-known fighters (as in the likes of Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Shane Mosley, Ricky Hatton and even Oscar de la Hoya) and the first boxer to hold eight championship belts at once, [[JackOfAllTrades as well as an actor, singer, congressman and senator]]. He retired from his boxing career so he can run for president in the 2022 elections.

* James and Phil Younghusband, Filipino-British (Filipino through maternal lineage) footballers, literal BashBrothers, former reserves for Chelsea FC of the UsefulNotes/EnglishPremierLeague, and currently the face of the national football team.

* Efren "Bata" Reyes, Jr., a billiards champion known for his toothy smile.

** President: Rodrigo Duterte
** Vice President: Leni Robredo

* ''Literature/TheCrocodileGod'' is a work-in-progress about Haik, the [[CharacterTitle title's native Tagalog sea-god,]] who is masquerading as a Fil-Australian as he reconnects with his [[ReincarnationRomance reincarnated Fil-American wife Mirasol.]] [[TheIllegal He's been mistaken for an undocumented immigrant]] and in addition to running from ICE, he's struggling to deal with centuries of trauma from the DeathOfTheOldGods (one of whom was [[AdultFear his unborn daughter]]). The story is a patchwork of semi-fictional {{Mythopoeia}} with a heavily Polynesian slant, often through his and Mirasol's past-life flashbacks. In-story, Haik is a folk-memory of Paikea the Whale-Rider from New Zealand, but later chapters reveal he's also [[DecompositeCharacter one of the Tagalog counterparts]] to Maui.

An older term for the country from American colonial days is the "Philippine Islands", ultimately from Spanish "Las Islas Filipinas". Hence the acronym for the country among the World War II generation and older is "PI", which also happens to be short for certain Filipino profanity. Then the acronym was "RP" until the 2010s, when it was changed to "PH".

Ramos's vice president Joseph Ejercito Estrada, known as "Erap" (derived from "pare", in turn from "compadre", loosely "buddy"), became president in 1998 after a landslide victory. A movie star before entering politics, Erap appealed to the lower classes or "masses". His term had similar policies to Ramos's but had to contend with economy problems, rising hostilities against the MILF and Abu Sayyaf, and allegations of corruption. The last bit eventually got Estrada impeached, and the resulting trial sparked another round of "People Power" at EDSA in 2001. After the military withdrew support, Estrada vacated the presidential residence and his vice president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was sworn in.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives is composed of approximately three hundred members who either represent legislative districts (based on population density, urban areas may get as many as six districts while sparsely populated provinces may be represented by a lone district) or party-lists (political organizations who represent -- or at least claim to do so -- certain sectors in society such as farmers, fisherfolk, teacher, and the youth). Members serve for three years and may seek re-election twice in a row, for a maximum of nine consecutive years in Congress before one becomes ineligible. The House is presided over by the Speaker, who is third and last in the Presidential Line of succession.

* Manuel "Manny" Villar, self-proclaimed SelfMadeMan, tycoon and senator who boasts of a RagsToRiches background. The richest man in the Philippines as of 2019. His wife, Cynthia, is currently a senator, while his son Mark is currently the public works secretary.

* Leila de Lima, former human rights chairperson, justice secretary, and now senator. Oversaw the raids in the national penitentiary that uncovered the lavish lifestyles of high-profile inmates and later on became one of [[ArchEnemy Duterte's staunchest critics]]. She herself has been mired in controversy over the drug trade at Bilibid and of her alleged relationship with her driver. Her imprisonment caused the US Senate to pass a resolution condemning her detention (and possibly invoking the Magnitsky Act against those responsible for the process).

* Along with Vicente, his younger brother Marvic "Vic" Sotto, and their friend José María "Joey" de Leon, hosts of ''Series/EatBulaga'', the Philippines' [[LongRunners longest-running]] noontime variety show (lasting over 30 years).

* Eduardo Manalo, third leader of Iglesia ni Cristo, after his father Eranio and grandfather Felix.

Made up of 7,641 islands (divided between Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao regions), the Philippines is the fourth-largest Asian Anglophone country, most of its population having Austronesian roots. The capital is UsefulNotes/{{Manila}} (which is actually a combination of 17 cities and towns, all centered around the eponymous Spanish-era city). Owing to its position at the crossroads of several foreign trade routes, the country has earned a vast diversity of cultures and religions, of which Christianity predominates, a legacy of over 300 years under the Spanish Empire and 40 under the United States (in fact, the Philippines is both the largest Christian-majority country and has the highest Christian population in Asia, with only [[UsefulNotes/TimorLeste East Timor]] and [[UsefulNotes/{{Armenia}} Armenia]] having a higher proportion of Christians), with Islam a distant second and Buddhists, animists and others filling the gaps.

* Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, most recently the House speaker representing her native Pampanga province who endured a tumultuous nine-year presidency ever since taking over from Joseph Estrada after a nonviolent revolution in 2001. She, like her successor, [[GenerationXerox is a former presidential child, being born from Diosdado Macapagal]]. Popular at the start due to riding the EDSA II hype, but left office wildly unpopular due to various corruption and human rights scandals, and later arrested on plunder charges. After years in hospital arrest, she was acquitted by the Supreme Court in 2016 due to insufficient evidence, but this is popularly suspected to be due to mismanagement. The shortest President to date, leading to requisite jokes and visual gags about her height. Also has a prominent [[BeautyMark facial mole]] like her father.

* '''Highest point:''' Mount Apo (2954 m/9,692 ft) (78th)