5 Relevant Firsts in Philippine History

                Philippine history is rich and colorful but did you know it’s also full of surprises? In this article, we will explore all the “firsts” events in Philippines and what made them a historical event.

1. The First Filipino to be on Television

                Ever wonder who was the first Filipino to show their face on television? Hint: It’s not an actor. It’s actually Elpidio Quirino the Philippines’ 6^th President.  It was on October 23, 1953 where the Broadcasting industry in the Philippines was still on its earliest stages. His brother, Antonio Quirino was one of the co-founders of Alto Broadcasting System or now known to be one of the biggest networks in the country, ABS-CBN.

2. The First Aircraft to fly in the Philippines

                During the 1911 Manila Carnival Celebration, several aerial troops from the US arrived in the Philippines to perform a flight exhibition in the Pacific. It was part of their worldwide tour featuring the two earliest aircrafts ever to land in the Philippine territory. The aircrafts names were: Shiver’s Skylark and Red Devil biplane, both designed by US aviation pioneer, Glenn Hammond Curtis. A replica of Skylark can now be seen in Philippine Air Force Aerospace Museum at Villamor Air Base.

3. The First Ice Cream Store in the Philippines

                Uncle Sam brought with him not just hamburgers and basketball but also one of our favorite treats, the Ice Cream. The first Ice Cream store in the country was called Clarke’s Ice Cream Parlor named after its owner, M.A. Clarke. It was built in 1899 along Plaza Moraga on the south end of the Pasig River. But Clark’s Ice Cream Parlor served more than just delicious ice cream, they also sold coffee, sodas, and candies. Soon, Clark’s Ice cream got replaced by an even more affordable ice cream made from carabao milk which is locally known as sorbetes.

4. The First Filipino Music Group on the US Billboard Top 100 Chart

                Long before Lea Salonga and CharicePempengco became famous as international singers and chart topper, the band called The Rocky Fellers was the first ever Pinoy musical act that ever landed a spot on the US Billboard Top 100 Chart. They’re one of the country’s earlier rock band who sang the hit song “Killer Joe”. It was such a huge hit in the country and abroad that it landed on the number 16^th place in the prestigious Billboard Hot 100 back in 1963. They are composed of Doroteo “Moro” Maligmat and his four sons: Antonio, Junior, Eddie, and Albert. They continued to climb up to the charts but unfortunately, the British Music invasion happened and their careers was cut short.

5. The First Filipina Miss Universe

                The first Filipina to ever been crowned Miss Universe is none other than the beautiful Gloria Diaz in 1969. Gloria Maria Aspillera Diaz was crowned the most beautiful woman on earth in Miami Florida in the USA.  Díaz was only 18 when she became Miss Universe 1969 after besting other candidates on the final question. She is now a well known actress in the country. She also won a couple of awards in her chosen field.