1965

Ferdinand Marcos, running against re-electionist Diosdado Macapagal, wins the Presidency.

1966

U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson, seeking support for American involvement in South Vietna, calls a summit meeting in Manila among his allies in Asia and the Pacific. The Marcos government responds by sending an engineering battalion to Vietnam despite popular clamor for non-involvement.

1968

Jose Maria Sison, founder of the Kabataang Makabayan (KM), a militant student group, organizes the Communist Party of the Philippines. The CPP takes over the struggle from the old Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas (PKP), whose leaders were mostly in prison.

1969

The CPP forms an alliance with the remnants of the old Hukbong Mapagpalaya ng Bayan (HMB), the military arm of PKP, under Bernabe Buscayno, alias "Kumander Dante." It is renamed the New People's Army (NPA).

January 1970

A series of rallies is launched by radical and moderate student groups protesting the inclusion of politiciansin the forthcoming Constitutional Convention and the constitutional provision being considered which would allow the incumbent President to run for a third term. Violence erupts when riot police are unleashed on the students. The first Battle of Mendiola is fought when students overrun the military lines and ram a commandeered firetruck against the gates of Malacanang. The bloody episode begins a wave of protests know as the "First-Quarter Storm."

February 1971

Students barricade the University of the Philippines campus and establish the "Diliman Commune."

June 1971

The Constitutional Convention convenes to replace the 1935 Constitution written during the American colonial period.

August 1971

Two  hand granades are thrown at the stage of Liberal Party rally at Plaza Miranda. Several LP stalwarts are injure, among them Jovito Salonga and Gerardo Roxas. President Marcos suspends the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus.

November 1971

The Liberal Party win the majority of the Senate seats. Only two Marcos' party candidates are elected.

January 1972

Constitutional Convention delegate Eduardo Quintero of Leyte exposes Marcos' bribery attempt. He alleges that Marcos has been giving the other convention delegates bribe money to make them vote against the Rama resolution which would bar him from running for a third term and his relatives from seeking the Presidency.

July 1972

Government authorities seize a shipment of contraband firearms found aboard a Philippine merchant ship, M.V. Caragatan, docked in Palanan, Isabela. It is meant, allegedly, for the NPA.

September 1972

Bombings rock Metro Manila. Targets are department stores and government buildings. Senator Benigno Aquino denounces before Congress "Oplan Sagittarius," a plan to place certain areas of the country under martial law.

September 22, 1972

The car of Defense Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile is "ambushed." No one is killed.

September 23, 1972

President Marcos declares martial law. Scores of opposition leaders and media personalities are detained, among them Senators Benigno Aquino and Jose Diokno. Congress is closed and the Constitution suspended.

January 1973

The final drafts of the 1973 Constitution, approved by the Convention in the absence of opposition delegates, is ratified not through a plebiscite but by a dubious viva voce vote of so-called citizens' assemblies.

March 1973

The Supreme Court rules that since no legal obstacle exists, the 1973 Constitution is in force.

July 27, 1973

President Marcos holds a referendum to find out if the people want him to continue serving beyond his term so he can finish the reforms he began under martial law. According to official figures, 96.7 percent of the 18 million voters vote "Yes."

September 21, 1974

Anniversary of the declaration of martial law. Marcos issues Presidential Decree 557 creating the barangay as the smallest form of government. This, according to the decree, would enable citizens to take part in the shaping of government government policies. September 21 henceforth becomes Barangay Day.

February 27, 1975

Marcos holds another referedum in which two questions are asked. One: do the people approve the manner by which Marcos issues decrees and proclamations with the force of law? Two: do they want him to continue exercising such powers? Out of 22 million voters, 88.69 percent answer "Yes" to question number one; 87.51 percent say "Yes" to question number two. Calling of an interim Legislative Assembly as provided for in the new Constitution is delayed as a result of this. The First Lady, Imelda Marcos, becomes the Governor of Metro Manila by virtue of "popular draft."

October 16, 1976

Another referendum is held asking the people whether or not they approve of amendments to the new Constitution that 1) allow for the creation of a Batasang Pambansa (National Assembly) in lieu of the Interim Assembly; 2) allow Marcos to exercise his power until martial law is lifted; 3) give Marcos emergency legislative powers (Amendment 6) when the Batasan is not in session or when he deems it necessary; 4) give him immunity from suits even after his terms. The results are in Marcos' favor.

1977

Jose Ma. Sison, CPP head, is captured. Bernabe Buscayno and Lieutenant Victor Corpus, a Philippine Military Acadamey instructor who defected to the NPA, have been arrested a year earlier.

April 7, 1978

Elections for representatives to the Interim Batasang Pambansa were held. The Liberal Party boycotts the elections. The Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (New Society Movement), an umbrella organization of politicians supporting Marcos' "New Society" ideology, wins 186 seats to the opposition's 21 seats, trouncing the Lakas ng Bayan (LABAN, People's Power), headed by Benigno Aquino, who ran from his jail cell. LABAN organizesa march to protest the conduct of the elections. Its leaders, Lorenzo Taņada, Francisco "Soc" Rodrigo, Aquilino Pimentel, and Teofisto Guingona, are detained.

June 12, 1978

The Interim Batasang Pambansa (IBP) is convened. The Ministry of Human Settlements is created with Imelda Marcos as minister.

January 1980

Elections for governors and mayors are held, the first since martial law was declared. The Liberal Party and LABAN boycott. The KBL wins 69 of 73 gubernatorial positions and 1,450 of 1,560 mayoral positions.

January 1981

Marcos lifts martial law. But he retains extralegal powers, such as the Presidential Commitment Order (PCO) that allows him to order the detention of a person suspected of subversion or rebellion.

June 16, 1981

The first presidential elections since the declaration of martial law are held. The opposition parties call for non-participation. Marcos wins overwhelmingly over Alejo Santos, a former Defense Secretary, and Bartolome Cabangbang, leader of the Statehood USA movement. Marcos wins 88 percent of the votes and is proclaimed President for a six-year term. Finance Minister Cesar Virata becomes Prime Minister. General Fabian Ver, head of the National Intelligence and Security Agency, and the Presidential Security Command, replaces General Romeo Espino as Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces.

August 21, 1983

Benigno Aquino is assassinated at the Manila International Airport. His alleged assassin, Rolando Galman, is killed by Aquino's millitary escorts. Mass demonstrations follow. Opposition newspapers blossom. For the first time people openly protest.

September 21, 1983

As the government celebrates Barangay Day/National Thanksgiving Day to commemorate the declaration of martial law, thousands of NInoy supporters hold a "National Day of Sorrow" and call for unity in the ranks to topple the Marcos regime.

May 14, 1984

Elections for the Batasang Pambansa are held. The United Nationalist Democratic Organization (UNIDO) and the Pilipino Democratic Party-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-LABAN) coalition decide to take part. Cory Aquino, Ninoy's widow, throws her support behind the opposition candidates. They surprise Marcos by winning 56 seats out of the 183 amid familiar allegations of fraud.

October 24, 1984

The Agrava Board, tasked with investigating the Aquino assassination, concludes that there was a military conspiracy behind the killing and implicates AFP Chief of Staff Fabian Ver.

February 22, 1985

General Ver, 24 soldiers, and one civilian stand trial before the Sandigan-bayan (court for government employees accused of crimes) for the Aquino murder. Ver takes a leave of absence as Armed Forces Chief of Staff.

August 1985

Opposition MPs file a motion for impeachment against Marcos in the Batasan, citing culpable violation of the Constitution and "hidden wealth." The majority party squelches the motion.

November 3, 1985

Marcos suddenly announces the holding of snap elections after alleged prodding from Washington.

December 2, 1985

General Ver and all this co-accused are acquitted by the Sandigan-bayan. Marcos reinstates him as Chief of Staff amid widespread protest.

December 3, 1985

Corazon Aquino declares her candidacy for President. Salvador Laurel, who earlier has wanted to run for the same position, agrees to be her running mate.

December 5, 1985

Opposition standard bearers are proclaimed and Cory Aquino and party take to the hustings.

February 7, 1986

A heavy voter turnout and the judging of the voters' list create confusion during the presidential elections, resulting in the disenfranchisement of three million voters. Incidents of fraud, vote-buying, intimidation, and violence are reported. Election returns are tampered with. The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) tally board shows Marcos leading while the National Citizen's Movement for the Free Elections (NAMFREL) consistently shows Cory Aquino ahead by a comfortable margin.

February 9, 1986

Thirty computer workers at the COMELEC tabulation center walk out, protesting the tampering of election results.

February 11, 1986

Oppositionist ex-Governor Evelio Javier os Antique province is murdered in front of the provincial capitol where canvassing is being held. Primary suspects are the bodyguards of the local KBL leader.

February 13, 1986

The Catholic Bishops' Conference issues a statement condemning the elections as fraudulent.

February 15, 1986

The Batasang Pambansa proclaims Marcos the winner as opposition assemblymen walk out.

Corazon Aquino leads the Tagumpay ng Bayan (People's Victory Rally) at the Luneta, where she launches a nationwide campaign for civil disobedience to force Marcos to step down.

February 19, 1986

The U.S. Senate passes a resolution condemning the Philippine election as fraudulent, while a House subcommittee votes to cut military aid to the Philippines as long as Marcos is in power.

February 22, 1986

Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile and General Fidel Ramos announce their withdrawal of support for President Marcos and call for his resignation. With about 300 soldiers, they barricade the Ministry of  Defense in Camp Aguinaldo and the Philippine Constabulary-Integrated National Police (PC-INP) Headquarters in Camp Crame. Cardinal Sin makes an appeal over Radio Veritas for people to bring food and lend moral support. The overwhelming response results in the four-day people power revolt that topples the Marcos dictatorship.

February 25, 1986

Corazon Aquino takes her oath of office as the seventh President of the Republic. In the evening, Marcos, realizing the futility of his stand, flees Malacanang with his family and supporters.

-  time line entries were taken from People Power -