1981 in the Philippines

• President: Ferdinand Marcos (KBL)
• Prime Minister:
  • Ferdinand Marcos (KBL) (until June 30)
  • Cesar Virata (KBL) (starting June 30)
• House Speaker: Querube Makalintal
• Chief Justice: Enrique Fernando

• January 5 – The Film Academy of the Philippines is founded through Executive Order 640-A issued by President Ferdinand Marcos.
• January 17 – Martial Law is lifted by President Marcos.^[1]

• February 12 – At least 119 military officers are massacred in Pata Island, Sulu.^[2]
• February 17–22 – First papal visit of Pope John Paul II in the country; during the visit, he beatified Lorenzo Ruiz.^[3][4]
• February 26 – A U.S. Air Force C-130 plane crashes into the South China Sea, near Subic Bay Naval Base, killing 23 of 24 American, Philippine, Australian, and New Zealand military personnel aboard.^[5]

• April 7 – National and local plebiscites are held. The majority of the Filipino people voted yes to the terms and constitutional amendments. All were in favor of the creation of the new municipalities in Bohol, South Cotabato and Zamboanga del Norte provinces.

• June 16 – Presidential elections are held. Incumbent Ferdinand E. Marcos of the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL) defeats former Gen. Alejo Santos of the Nacionalista Party in a landslide victory garnering 88% of the votes. 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.^[6]

• July 1 – Tropical Storm Kelly lashes through the islands, killing 120 people in floods and mud slides.^[5]

• September 20 – The Philippine Navy destroyer 'Datu Kalantlaw' runs aground, killing at least 40 sailors.^[5]

• November 17 – Manila Film Center collapses,^[7] killing 169 workers.
• November 24 – Typhoon Irma batters the northern part of the island of Luzon, killing more than 50 people.^[5]

• December 26 – Typhoon Lee sweeps across the Philippines, killing 50 people and leaving nearly 200,000 homeless.^[5]

As per Act No. 2711 section 29,^[8] 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.^[9] On October 28, 1931, the Act No. 3827 was approved declaring the last Sunday of August as National Heroes Day.^[10] As per Republic Act No. 3022,^[11] 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.^[12]

• January 1 – New Year's Day
• February 22 – Legal Holiday
• April 9 – Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor)
• April 16 – Maundy Thursday
• April 17 – Good Friday
• May 1 – Labor Day
• June 12 – Independence Day
• July 4 – Philippine Republic Day
• August 13 – Legal Holiday
• August 30 – National Heroes Day
• September 21 – Thanksgiving Day
• November 30 – Bonifacio Day
• December 25 – Christmas Day
• December 30 – Rizal Day

• December 6–15 – Philippines hosts the 11th Southeast Asian Games for the first time in Manila.^[13] The country ranks third with an overall total of 187 medals.

• January 5 – Kyla, actress, singer, host
• January 19:
  • Paolo Bugia, basketball player
  • Kerby Raymundo, basketball player
• February 1 – Jay-R, actor, singer, host
• February 26 – Assunta De Rossi, actress, model
• February 28 – Jhezarie Javier, actress
• March 4 – Carol Banawa, actress, singer, host
• March 7 – Rica Peralejo, actress
• March 22:
  • Karylle, actress, host
  • Mark Andaya, actor and basketball player
• April 21:
  • Luis Manzano, actor, host
  • Kathleen Hermosa, actress
  • Cindy Kurleto, Austrian model and actress^[14]
• April 26 – Tracy Vergel, actress
• May 5 – Paul Artadi, basketball player
• May 12 – Dennis Trillo, actor
• June 10 – Arwind Santos, basketball player
• June 15 – James Blanco, actor, model
• June 20 – Maricar Reyes, Filipina actress, endorsement
• June 23 – Mikey Bustos, singer, comedian, and YouTube content creator
• June 28 – Angela Lagunzad, Journalist, news anchor
• July 3 – Empoy Marquez, singer, actor, model, endorsement, comedian
• July 31 – M.C. Caceres, basketball player
• August 5 – Tanya Garcia, actress
• August 26 - Marcus Madrigal, actor
• August 30 – Antoinette Taus, actress, singer, host, model
• September 14 – Patrick Garcia, actor
• October 15 – Ronald Tubid, basketball player
• October 16 – Marc Pingris, basketball player
• October 17 – Paul Soriano, film director and producer
• October 19 – Christian Bautista, actor, singer, host
• October 20 – Isabel Oli, actress, model
• October 24 – Alfred Vargas, actor, model, politician
• October 29 – Angelika Dela Cruz, actress and politician
• November 1:
  • Mark Borboran, basketball player
  • Coco Martin, actor producer and VTR commercial voice endorsement
• November 13 – Mark Cardona, basketball player
• November 18:
  • Gian Magdangal, singer and actor
  • Dianne dela Fuente, singer and actress
• December 8 – Ranidel de Ocampo, basketball player
• December 11:
  • Lani Cayetano, politician

• Babylita Mariano, actress, model, singer and TV host (Member Testimonial of EZShop)

• March 22 – Gil Puyat, Filipino businessman and politician, Senator of the Philippines and Senate President (b. 1907)^[15]
• July 6 – Fort Acuña, professional basketball player and coach (b. 1948)
• July 25 – Gerardo de León, film director and actor (b. 1913)
• December 30 – Alfie Anido, actor (b. 1959)

• 1981 in Philippine television