List of firsts in the Philippines

The following is the list of firsts in the Philippines.

In order to be listed, each feat must be backed up by a third-party reliable source explicitly stating that the feat is the first. Corporate milestones, such as the first branch or property of a particular company in the Philippines is excluded, unless it is also a first in its industry.

Architecture[]

The following are the first buildings of their type.

• First mosque: Masjid Sheikh Makhdum in Simunul, Tawi-Tawi. – 1380^[1]
• First Catholic church: Basilica del Santo Niño – 1735^{[citation needed]}
• First synagogue: Temple Emil in Taft Avenue, Malate, Manila – 1922^[2]
• First steel building church: San Sebastian Church – 1888
• First hotel: Hotel del Oriente – 1889
• First LEED Platinum certified building: Zuellig Building – awarded in 2013^[3]
• First 24-hour public library building: Cebu City Public Library – started their operations in 2018^[4]
• First steel bridge: Ayala Bridge in Manila – 1908^{[note 1]}

Other

• First installed elevator: at the Burke Building^[6]
• First installed air conditioning system in an office: at the Quezon Executive Office in Malacañang Palace – under the supervision of Mr. A.D. Williams on May 27, 1936^[7]
• First installed air conditioning system in a public structure: at the Crystal Arcade in Escolta, Manila – building built in 1932^[8]
• First installed air conditioning system in a hotel: at the Manila Hotel in along Manila Bay – building built on July 4, 1912^[9]
• First luxury box: Premier Suites at the Mall of Asia Arena^[10]

Beauty pageants[]

Big Four pageants[]

• First Filipino Miss World: Megan Young (2013)^[11]
• First Filipino Miss Universe: Gloria Diaz (1969)
• First Filipino Miss International: Gemma Cruz (1964)^[12]
• First Filipino Miss Earth: Karla Henry (2008)
• First Filipino to represent the country more than two Big Four pageant competitions: Catriona Gray (Miss World 2016 and Miss Universe 2018)^[13]
• First consecutive titles in Miss Earth: Jamie Herrell (2014) and Angelia Ong (2015)^[14]
• First Miss Universe hosted: 1974 in Manila^[15]
• First Miss Earth hosted: 2001 in Manila^[16]

Other pageants[]

• First Filipino Miss Asia Pacific International: Maria del Carmen Ines Zaragoza (1982)
• First Filipino Miss Model of the World: Gemith Gonzalo Gemparo (1993)
• First Filipino Miss Tourism International: Maria Esperanza Manzano (2000)
• First Filipino Miss Globe International: Maricar Balagtas (2001)
• First Filipino Top Model of the World: Michelle de Leon (2006)
• First Filipino Miss International Queen: Kevin Balot (2012)^[17]
• First Filipino Miss Supranational: Mutya Johanna Datul (2013)^[18]
• First Filipino Miss Heritage: Odessa Mae Tadaya (2014)^[19]
• First Filipino Miss Globe: Ann Lorraine Colis (2015)^[20]
• First Filipino Miss Scuba International: Cindy Pacia Madduma (2015)^[21]
• First Filipino Miss United Continents: Jeslyn Santos (2016)^{[citation needed]}
• First Filipino Mrs. Grandma Universe: Agnes Jakosalem (2017)^[22]
• First Filipino Reina Hispanoamericana: Teresita Marquez (2017)^[23]
• First Filipino Miss Multinational: Sophia Senoron (2017)^[24]
• First Filipino Miss Eco International: Cynthia Thomalla (2018)^[25]
• First Filipino Miss Summer World: Kaycee Coleen Lim (2018)^[26]
• First Filipino Miss Landscape International: Karen Grace Atienza (2018)^[27]
• First Filipino Miss Tourism Worldwide: Zara Carbonell (2018)^[28]
• First Filipino Miss Intercontinental: Karen Gallman (2018)^[29]
• First Filipino Miss Tourism World Intercontinental: Francesca Taruc (2019)^[30]
• First Filipino Noble Queen of the Universe: Patricia Javier (2019)^[31]
• First Filipino Manhunt International: June Macasaet (2012)^[32]
• First Filipino Mister International: Neil Perez (2014)^[33]
• First Filipino Mr Gay World: John Raspado (2017)^[34]
• First consecutive titles in Miss Asia Pacific International: Maria del Carmen Ines Zaragoza (1982) and Bong Dimayacyac (1983)^[35]
• First consecutive titles in Miss Tourism International: Rizzini Alexis Gomez (2012) and Angeli Dione Gomez (2013)^[36]
• First Manhunt International hosted: 1999 in Manila
• First Mister International hosted: 2015 in Manila^[37]
• First Miss Intercontinental hosted: 2019 in Manila^[38]
• First Mister World hosted: 2019 in Manila^[39]

National-level pageants[]

• First Miss Philippines: Anita Noble (1926)
• First Miss World Philippines: Vivien Lee Austria (1966)^[40]
• First Miss Universe Philippines: Myrna Panlilio (1964)
• First Miss International Philippines: Edita Vital (1960)
• First Miss Philippines Earth: Carlene Aguilar (2001)^[41]

Education[]

Graduating students[]

• First female summa cum laude of UP Diliman: Julia Catherina Agoncillo (Department of History) – June 26, 2016^[42]
• First transwoman valedictorian of PUP Manila: Ianne Gamboa (Bachelor of Arts in English) – May 15, 2018^[43]
• First female summa cum laude of UP Mindanao: Pete Maverick Nicole Estudillo (Department of Food Science and Chemistry) – June 21, 2019^[44]

Others[]

• First Filipino Superintendent of schools: Camilo Osías – 1921

Energy[]

• First nuclear power plant: Bataan Nuclear Power Plant^{[note 2]}

Exploration[]

• First Filipino to reach the peak of Mount Everest: Leo Oracion – May 17, 2006^[46]
• First Filipino to reach the peak of Seven Summits: Romi Garduce - January 6, 2012^[47][48]
• First Filipina to reach the peak of Seven Summits: Carina Dayondon – December 16, 2018^[49]
• First Filipino to reach the North Pole: Ramon Ilusorio – 1996^[50]
• First Filipino to across Pacific Ocean: Florentino Das – May 14, 1955^[51]

Government[]

President[]

Vice–President[]

• First Vice–President: Sergio Osmeña – 1935
• First Female Vice–President: Gloria Macapagal Arroyo – 1998

Senate[]

• First Senate President: Manuel L. Quezon – 1916^[52]
• First Female Senator: Geronima Pecson – 1947
• First Muslim Senator: Hadji Butu – 1916
• First Female senator to be re-elected: Eva Estrada Kalaw – 1965
• First actor to become senator: Rogelio de la Rosa – 1957

House of Representatives[]

• First House Speaker: Sergio Osmeña – 1907
• First Female Representative: Elisa Rosales-Ochoa – 1941^[53]
• First openly transgender woman representative: Geraldine Roman – 2016
• First Female House Speaker: Gloria Macapagal Arroyo – 2018

Supreme Court[]

• First Chief Justice: Cayetano Arellano – 1901–1920
• First Chief Justice to be impeached: Renato Corona – 2011
• First Female Chief Justice:
  • Maria Lourdes Sereno^[54] – 2012–2018 (de facto; tenure nullified through Quo warranto petition)
  • Teresita de Castro^[55] – 2018 (de jure)
• First Female Associate Justice: Cecilia Muñoz-Palma – 1973

Cabinet[]

• First Female Social Welfare Secretary: Asuncion A. Perez – 1948
• First Muslim Justice Secretary: Simeon Datumanong – 2003

Others[]

• First Presidential and Vice–Presidential elections: 1935
• First Senate elections: 1916
• First Elections for House of Representatives: 1898
• First State of the Nation Address: Delivered by Manuel L. Quezon at the Legislative Building on November 25, 1935^[56]

Military[]

• First supersonic aircraft: Northrop F-5 – first unit acquired in 1965^[57] (also first in Southeast Asia)

Performing arts[]

Film[]

• First films screened: Un Homme Au Chapeau (Man with a Hat), Une scene de danse Japonaise (Scene from a Japanese Dance), Les Boxers (The Boxers), and La Place de L’ Opera (The Place L’ Opera) at the Salon de Pertierra in Escolta, Manila – January 1, 1897^[58]
• First films shot: Panorama de Manila (Manila landscape), Fiesta de Quiapo (Quiapo Fiesta), Puwente de España (Bridge of Spain), and Esceñas Callejeras (Street scenes) by Antonio Ramos (also first Filipino motion picture producer) – 1898^[58]
• First hall exclusively for film viewing: Cine Walgrah at No. 60 Calle Santa Rosa in Intramuros, Manila – 1900^[58]
• First Filipino-owned movie theater: Cinematograpo Rizal established by Jose Jimenez along Azcarraga street in Manila – 1903^[58]
• First film produced in the Philippines: La vida de Jose Rizal by Rizalina Photoplay Company and directed by Edward Gross, an American – August 23, 1912
• First film produced in the Philippines by Filipinos: Dalagang Bukid – September 19, 1919
• First Filipino female feature film director: Carmen Concha – 1939^[59]
• First Filipino short film to win Best Short Film Award in Cannes Film Festival: Anino by Raymond Red – May 25, 2000^[60]
• First Filipino film director to win Best Director Award in Cannes Film Festival: Brillante Mendoza – May 23, 2009^[61]
• First Filipino Actress to win Best Actress Award in Cannes Film Festival: Jaclyn Jose – May 22, 2016^[62]
• First Filipino Actress with 2 movies that reached ₱800 million mark: Kathryn Bernardo (The Hows of Us and Hello, Love, Goodbye) – 2018 and 2019^[63][64]

Other[]

• First Philippine opera in the Tagalog language: Sangdugong Panaguinip composed by Ladislao Bonus – premiere on August 2, 1902 at the Zorrilla Theater in Manila.^[65][66]
• First Filipino international opera singer: Jovita Fuentes (Madama Butterfly) – 1925
• First Filipino to win a Tony Award: Lea Salonga for Best Actress in a Musical (Miss Saigon) – June 2, 1991^[67]

Religion[]

• First Filipino Christians: Rajah Humabon, Rajah Kolambu, and 400 other Filipino – April 14, 1521
• First Religious Order in the Philippines: Franciscans – 1577
• First Filipino Priest: Martin Lakandula – 1590
• First Catholic printed book in the Philippines: Doctrina Christiana – 1593
• First Filipino Catholic cardinal: Rufino Santos – by Pope John XXIII in 1960^[68]
• First Filipino Catholic bishop: Jorge Barlin – 1905^[69]
• First Filipino Catholic saint: Lorenzo Ruiz – canonized by Pope John Paul II on October 18, 1987^[70]
• First Filipino Master of the Order of Preachers: Gerard Timoner III – elected on July 13, 2019^[71]
• First Catholic Holy Mass: Site of event disputed – 1521^[72]
  • Easter Mass in Limasawa – officially recognized by the government through Republic Act No. 2733^[73]
  • Other proposed sites of the event by historians includes Masao, or Mazaua in Butuan, and Magallanes in Agusan del Norte^[72]
• First Papal visit in the Philippines: Pope Paul VI from November 27–29, 1970 in Manila^[74]
• First National Eucharistic Congress of the Philippines hosted: 1929 in Manila^[75]
• First Eucharistic congress hosted: 1937 in Manila^[76]
• First National Youth Day of the Philippines hosted: 1986 in Manila^[77]
• First World Youth Day hosted: 1995 in Manila^[78]
• First World Meeting of Families hosted: 2003 in Manila^[79]
• First Asian Youth Day hosted: 2009 in Cavite^[80]

Science and technology[]

Communications[]

• First internet connection: March 29, 1994^[81]
• First Philippine-based bulletin board system: First-Fil RBBS – went online August 1986^[81]
• First 5G video call made: February 21, 2020 – by representatives of local firm Globe Telecom and AIS Thailand lasting more than three minutes^[82]

Electric transportation[]

• First hybrid electric train: DOST Hybrid Electric Train (HET) – April 24, 2019^[83]

Medical science[]

• First kidney transplant: Rainier Lagman by a 12-man medical team led by Dr. Jorge Garcia at the Makati Medical Center – May 28, 1994^[84]
• First pediatric liver transplant: Erica Buenaventura, a three-year-old, by an 11-member surgical team led by Dr. Vanessa De Villa at The Medical City Ortigas – January 7, 2011^[85][86]

Nuclear physics[]

• First nuclear reactor: Philippine Research Reactor-1^[87] – first criticality in 1963^[88]

Space science[]

• First satellites:
  • First satellite owned by a Filipino entity: Agila 1/Mabuhay – acquired as Palapa B2-P by Mabuhay Satellite Corporation from PT Pasifik Satelit Nusantara in 1996
  • First Filipino satellite launched to space: Agila 2 – launched in 1997
  • First satellite designed and built by Filipinos / microsatellite: Diwata-1 – launched and deployed in 2016^[89]
  • First Filipino cube satellite launched to space: Maya-1 – launched and deployed in 2018^[90]
• First asteroids named after a Filipino: 6282 Edwelda – named after Edwin Aguirre and Imelda Joson in 1995^[91]
• First minor planet named after a Filipino: 13241 Biyo – named after Dr. Josette Biyo in 1998^[92]

Sports[]

Olympics[]

• First competitor for the Philippines in the Olympics: David Nepomuceno (athletics) – 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris^[93]
• First Filipino Olympic medalist: Teofilo Yldefonso (swimming) – Bronze; Men's 200 meter breaststroke at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam^[94]
• First Filipino Olympic gold medalist:
  • In a regular sport (official): Hidilyn Diaz (weightlifting) – Women's 55 kg at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo^[95]
  • In a demonstration sport: Arianne Cerdeña (bowling) – 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul^{[note 3]}
  • In a mixed-NOC competition: Luis Gabriel Moreno (archery; with Li Jiaman of China) – Mixed team at the 2014 Youth Summer Olympics in Nanjing.^{[note 4]}
• First Filipino Olympic silver medalist: Anthony Villanueva (boxing) – Men's featherweight at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Tokyo^[94]
• First female Filipino Olympic medalist (official): Hidilyn Diaz (weightlifting) – Silver; Women's 53 kg weightlifting at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro^[100]
• First Filipino Winter Olympians: Juan Cipriano and Ben Nanasca (alpine skiing) – 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo^[101]
• First Filipino marathoner to qualify for the Olympics: Mary Joy Tabal (athletics) – 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro^[102]

By sports[]

Basketball[]

• First Filipino basketball player to score a basket in the history of Philippine Basketball Association: Gregorio "Joy" Dionisio (basketball) – April 9, 1975
• First Filipino basketball team to win the All-Filipino title for 5 straight years in the history of Philippine Basketball Association: San Miguel Beermen (basketball) – 2015–19^[103]

Boxing[]

• First Filipino to win World Flyweight Champion division title: Francisco "Pancho Villa" Guilledo (boxing) – June 18, 1923
• First Filipino to win 12 major world titles in eight weight divisions: Manny Pacquiao (boxing) – 1998–2018

Chess[]

• First Filipino chess Grandmaster: Eugene Torre – 1974^[104]
• First Filipino Woman Grand Master: Janelle Mae Frayna (chess) – September 2016^{[105][note 5]}
• First Filipino to be inducted into the World Chess Hall of Fame: Eugene Torre – April 22, 2021^[104]

Football[]

• First official football game: Match at the opening of the Philippine Assembly – October 16, 1907^{[note 6]}
• First football tournament: 1913 Far Eastern Championship Games (Also first in Asia)^[108]

Tennis[]

• First Filipino juniors Grand Slam champion: Francis Alcantara – 2009 Australian Open – Boys' Doubles in Melbourne, Australia^[109]
• First Filipina juniors Grand Slam champion: Alexandra Eala – 2020 Australian Open – Girls' Doubles in Melbourne, Australia^[110]

Others[]

• First Filipino North Pole Marathon finisher: Victor Consunji – April 2016^[111]
• First Filipino Antarctic Ice Marathon finisher: Maggie Wilson – November 2017^[112]
• First Filipino World Games medalist: Carlo Biado (billiards) – 2017 World Games in Wrocław, Poland^[113]
• First Filipino Universiade gold medalist: Wesley So (chess) – 2013 Summer Universiade in Kazan, Russia^[114]
• First Filipino JuJutsu World Championship gold medalist: Meggie Ochoa (jiu-jitsu) – 2018 JuJutsu World Championship in Malmö, Sweden^[115]
• First Filipino Winter Universiade participant: Misha Fabian (figure skating) – 2019 Winter Universiade in Krasnoyarsk, Russia^[116]
• First Filipino World Artistic Gymnastics Championships gold medalist: Carlos Yulo (gymnastics) – 2019 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Stuttgart, Germany^[117]
• First Filipina NEC Karuizawa 72 champion: Yuka Saso (golf) – 2020 LPGA of Japan Tour in Kitasaku District, Nagano, Japan^[118]
• First Asian Games hosted: 1954 in Manila^[119]
• First Southeast Asian Games hosted: 1981 in Manila^[120]
• First full Twenty20 International match of the Philippine national cricket team: vs. Papua New Guinea, March 22, 2019 in Amini Park, Port Moresby (2018–19 ICC T20 World Cup East Asia-Pacific Qualifier – Regional Final)^[121]

See also[]

• List of records of the Philippines

Notes[]

References[]