February 26 – A U.S. Air Force C-130 plane crashes into theSouth China Sea, nearSubic Bay Naval Base, killing 23 of 24 American, Philippine, Australian, and New Zealand military personnel aboard.[6]
April 7 – National and local plebiscites are held. The majority of the Filipino people votedyes to the terms and constitutional amendments. All were in favor of the creation of the new municipalities inBohol,South Cotabato andZamboanga del Norte provinces.
June 16 –Presidential election and referendum are held. Incumbent president Marcos of theKilusang Bagong Lipunan is re-elected, defeating twelve other candidates in alandslide victory by obtaining88.02% of valid votes; while81.09% agree having abarangay election immediately thereafter.[7] Most opposition parties boycott the elections as a sign of protest over the 1978 elections for an interim Batasang Pambansa (National Assembly) which they condemned as fraudulent.[8]
August 31 – Pirates raid trading vesselNuria 767, withJolo, Sulu–Labuan,Malaysia route, in theSulu Sea offCagayan de Tawi-Tawi, loot it and shoot to death 10–11 people; 48 passengers leap into the sea to escape, some of them are later rescued while 25 are drowned.[9]
As per Act No. 2711 section 29,[11] issued on March 10, 1917, any legal holiday of fixed date falls on Sunday, the next succeeding day shall be observed as legal holiday. Sundays are also considered legal religious holidays.Bonifacio Day was added through Philippine Legislature Act No. 2946. It was signed by then-Governor General Francis Burton Harrison in 1921.[12] On October 28, 1931, the Act No. 3827 was approved declaring the last Sunday of August as National Heroes Day.[13] As per Republic Act No. 3022,[14] April 9 was proclaimed as Bataan Day. Independence Day was changed from July 4 (Philippine Republic Day) to June 12 (Philippine Independence Day) on August 4, 1964.[15]
