Today in History
May 19, 1971
Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (or CGIAR) was an important overseeing research organization for the world's food security.
Its mandate was to coordinate international agricultural research efforts aimed at reducing poverty and achieving food security in developing countries.
The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is an important research center member.
Upcoming
May 19, 1571
Before becoming the Manila Cathedral, secular priest, Juan de Vivero, was sent to establish structures of the Catholic Church in the newly conquered Manila, Philippines. He founded the first Catholic Church in Manila by special authority from Archbishop Alonso de Montúfar of Mexico. The establishment was during the feast of Santa Potenciana on May 19, in which she was made patroness The first parish priest of the church was Fray Juan de Villanueva.
May 19, 2021
The Philippines is the 53rd country to accede to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). Then-secretary of the Department Foreign Affairs, Alan Peter Cayetano, signed the treaty effectively banning nuclear weapons in the Phillippines. The Senate ratified the treaty on February 1, 2021.
May 21, 1962
President Diosdado Macapagal swore in Alejandro R. Roces, who had been reappointed secretary of education. Also reappointed were Fernando E. V. Sison, as secretary of finance, former Gov. Manuel Cuenco as administrator of the Office of Economic Coordination, and Alberto de Joya as undersecretary of national defense. He served as Secretary of Education from 1962 to 1965.
May 21, 1527
Philip II was also known as Philip the Prudent (Felipe el Prudente). He is the son of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V and Isabella of Portugal. Spain was at its peak during his reign. He unified the Kingdoms of Spain and Portugal. He established the trans-Pacific Manila Galleon trade. The islands of Philippines was his namesake though he had little regard to the colonized natives even committing genocide.
May 22, 1945
Former NBI Deputy Director, Atty. Samuel Ong will be famously known as the whistleblower of the Hello Garci scandal or Gloriagate scandal exposing Pres. Gloria of election fraud. He served under the administration of Pres. Erap Estrada. He was battling with lung cancer and died in 2009 at age 64.
May 23, 1946
Diosdado "Dado" Banatao is a Filipino engineer and entrepreneur working in Silicon Valley and the semiconductor industry. His companies specialized in the graphics accelerator chips for personal computers which are predecessors to the modern day GPUs (Graphics Processing Unit).
May 23, 1924
Dr. Alejandro "Anding" Roces was a writer, journalist, dramatist, educator and a National Artist for Literature. With his own literary works he has received numerous awards. He was also a Secretary of Education during the term of President Diosdado Macapagal. He is regarded as the Father of the Maria Clara Awards. One of the few known facts about Dr. Roces is he was instrumental in the return of the stolen (and held for ransom) original manuscripts of Rizal's Noli Me Tangere, El Filibus...
May 26, 1940
President Manuel L. Quezon signed the charter of the Girl Scout of the Philippines. Founded by Josefa Llanes Escoda, she was also the first National Executive.
May 28, 1965
May 28, 1965 was the first celebration of National Flag Day to commemorate the first flag of the Philippines in 1898. On May 23, 1994, Executive Order No. 79 extended the National Flag Days from May 28 to June 12. All Filipinos are encouraged to display the Philippine flag in all offices, agencies, establishments, schools, and homes. This is to remind all Filipinos the symbol of national sovereignty and solidarity our heroes fought hard with blood and their lives.
May 28, 1962
Found in the Tabon Cave Complex, Robert B. Fox, an American anthropologist from the National Museum of the Philippines discovered the fossils of the Tabon Man.Dating estimates these fragments back to 16,500 years ago.From 1962 to 1966 various other artifacts have been unearth like the Manunggul Jar, jewelry, bone fragments, etc.The Tabon Caves have been dubbed as the Philippines' Cradle of Civilization and a National Cultural Treasure.