Significant Events in April in Filipino History

Epicenter of the Mindanao earthquake of April 1, 1955

On April 1, 1955, a series of very strong earthquakes beginning at 2:18 in the morning, with epicenter between Panguil Bay and Lake Lanao, rocked all of Mindanao, and the southern Visayas, with heavy damage done in Lanao and Occidental Misamis. Many lives were lost in the towns along the shore of Lake Lanao as the water receded and then returned.

The tremors reached up to intensity 8 using a Philippine adaptation of the Rossi-Forel scale with maximun intensity of 9. The earthquake, according to Philippine geologists, was of tectonic origin with epicenter at 7° 55' N 124° 5' E.

On April 1, 1901, a significant event unfolded in the annals of Philippine history. Emilio Aguinaldo, the first President of the Philippines, voluntarily pledged his allegiance to the United States.

The history of Philippine literature and the emergence of a distinct national identity are inextricably linked to the life and works of Francisco Baltazar, commonly known as Balagtas. Born on April 2, 1788, in the barrio of Panginay, Bigaa, Bulacan, Baltazar's life spanned a period of significant colonial transition, from the height of Spanish ecclesiastical influence to the early stirrings of nationalist sentiment.

On April 2, 1917, Cesar Torrente Legaspi a renowned Filipino artist, was born in Tondo, Manila. He was recognized as a National Artist in painting, a prestigious honor in the Philippines. Legaspi's work was not confined to the canvas; he also served as an art director before dedicating himself entirely to his visual art practice in the 1960s.

Benito Villanueva López, born on April 3, 1877, in Jaro, Iloilo (present day Jaro District, Iloilo City), came into the world as a member of two of the Philippines' most influential families: the Lópezes and the Villanuevas. His remarkable but tragically brief life would leave an indelible imprint on Philippine society, politics, and the enduring legacy of one of the country's most powerful dynasties.

On April 3, 1946, Lieutenant General Masaharu Homma (本間 雅晴), commander of the 14th Japanese Army during the initial battles for the Philippines from December 1941 to August 1942, was put to death because of his involvement in the war crimes committed during that period.

On April 3, 1939, Catalino Ortiz Brocka, better known as Lino Brocka, one of the greatest film directors of the Philippines and National Artist for Films (1997), was born in Pilar, Sorsogon.

On April 4, 1868, Felipe Gonzáles Calderón y Roca, later known as Felipe G. Calderon, was born in Santa Cruz de Malabon (now Tanza), Cavite, to José Gonzáles Calderón and Manuela Roca. He would become one of the most important Filipino jurists of the late nineteenth century and earn the title "Father of the Malolos Constitution" for drafting the basic law of the First Philippine Republic.

Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal-Arroyo's political and administrative career constitutes one of the most intellectually and administratively dense chapters in the history of the Fifth Philippine Republic. As the nation's 14th president, she held office from 2001 to 2010, making her tenure the longest of any Philippine leader since the period of Ferdinand E. Marcos.

On April 5, 1880, Vicente María Epifanio Madrigal y López was born in Gumaca, Tayabas province (now Quezon). He was the only son of José María Madrigal, who emigrated from Barcelona, Spain, a Catalan migrant and former soldier, and Macaria López y Pardo de Tavera, a Castilian mestiza. Macaria was one of two natural daughters of Joaquín Pardo de Tavera who lived in Albay as a bachelor prior to his marriage to Gertrudis Gorricho, a wealthy heiress.