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, are excluded, unless it is also a first in its industry.

Architecture and engineering The following are the first buildings or structures of their type.

Religious buildings First mosque: Masjid Sheikh Makhdum in Simunul, Tawi-Tawi – 1380 First Catholic church: Basilica del Santo Niño – 1735 First synagogue: Temple Emil in Taft Avenue, Malate, Manila – 1922 First steel building church: San Sebastian Church – 1888

Hotels and restaurants First luxury hotel: Hotel del Oriente in Binondo, Manila – 1889

Shopping malls

First department store: Hoskyn's Department Store in Iloilo City – 1877

Building certifications First LEED Platinum certified building: Zuellig Building in Makati City – awarded in 2013

Education buildings First 24-hour public library building: Cebu City Public Library in Cebu City – started their operations in 2018

Transportation buildings First elevated railway stations: LRT Line 1 stations from Baclaran Station to United Nations Station in Pasay City and Manila – December 1, 1984 First depressed railway station: Buendia Station of the MRT Line 3 in Makati City – December 15, 1999 First underground railway station: Katipunan Station of the LRT Line 2 in Quezon City – April 5, 2003 First landport: Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange in Parañaque City – November 5, 2018

Roads and bridges First steel bridge: Ayala Bridge in Manila – 1908 First concrete bridge and road: Forbes Bridge and Luna Street in Iloilo City – 1910 First toll road: North Luzon Expressway from Balintawak, Quezon City to Guiguinto, Bulacan – August 4, 1968. Formerly known as North Diversion Road. First double-decked highway: the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 – January 14, 2021 First grade-separated highway: the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 1 – December 10, 1998 First bike lane network: Marikina Bikeways Project in Marikina City – July 22, 2001 First protected bike lane along a national highway: at the Laguna Lake Highway in Taguig City – February 7, 2019 First traffic light intersection: Plaza Goiti (Plaza Lacson) in Manila – 1920s First wire-cable suspension bridge: Puente Colgante Bridge in Manila – constructed in 1852 and replaced by the Quezon Bridge in 1939

Other First installed elevator: at the Burke Building First installed escalator: at the Manila International Airport – building built in 1961 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 First installed air conditioning system in a public structure: at the Crystal Arcade in Escolta, Manila – building built in 1932 First installed air conditioning system in a hotel: at the Manila Hotel in along Manila Bay – building built on July 4, 1912 First installed air conditioning system in a mall: at the Ali Mall in Cubao, Quezon City – building opened to the public on June 30, 1976 First installed intercom system in a public structure: at the Manila Hotel in along Manila Bay – building built on July 4, 1912 First luxury box: Premier Suites at the Mall of Asia Arena

Beauty pageants and modelling

Big Four pageants First Filipino Miss World: Megan Young (2013) First Filipino Miss Universe: Gloria Diaz (1969) First Filipino Miss International: Gemma Cruz (1964) 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) First consecutive titles in Miss Earth: Jamie Herrell (2014) and Angelia Ong (2015) First Miss Universe hosted: 1974 in Manila First Miss Earth hosted: 2001 in Manila

Other pageants First Filipino Miss International Queen: Kevin Balot (2012) First Filipino Miss Supranational: Mutya Johanna Datul (2013) First Filipino Miss Heritage: Odessa Mae Tadaya (2014) First Filipino Miss Globe: Ann Lorraine Colis (2015) First Filipino Miss Scuba International: Cindy Pacia Madduma (2015) First Filipino Miss United Continents: Jeslyn Santos (2016) First Filipino Mrs. Grandma Universe: Agnes Jakosalem (2017) First Filipino Reina Hispanoamericana: Teresita Marquez (2017) First Filipino Miss Multinational: Sophia Senoron (2017) First Filipino Miss Eco International: Cynthia Thomalla (2018) First Filipino Miss Summer World: Kaycee Coleen Lim (2018) First Filipino Miss Landscape International: Karen Grace Atienza (2018) First Filipino Miss Tourism Worldwide: Zara Carbonell (2018) First Filipino Miss Intercontinental: Karen Gallman (2018) First Filipino Miss Tourism World Intercontinental: Francesca Taruc (2019) First Filipino Noble Queen of the Universe: Patricia Javier (2019) First Filipino Miss Trans Global: Mela Franco Habijan (2020) First Filipino Miss Eco Teen International: Roberta Tamondong (2020) First Filipino Miss Aura International: Alexandra Faith Garcia (2021) First Filipino Miss Culture International: Samela Aubrey Godin (2021) First Filipino Miss Interglobal: Miriam Damoah (2021) First Filipino Miss Summit International: Nica Zosa (2022) First Filipino Reina Internacional del Cacao: Jerelleen Rodriguez (2022) First Filipino Miss Global: Shane Tormes (2022) First Filipino Miss CosmoWorld: Meiji Cruz (2022) First Filipino Miss Planet International: Maria Luisa Varela (2023) First Filipino Miss Chinese World: Annie Uson Chen (2023) First Filipino Miss Environment International: Shannon Robinson (2023) First Filipino Manhunt International: June Macasaet (2012) First Filipino Mister International: Neil Perez (2014) First Filipino Mr Gay World: John Raspado (2017) First Filipino Man of the World: Oliver Eugen Kretz (2026) First consecutive titles in Miss Asia Pacific International: Maria del Carmen Ines Zaragoza (1982) and Bong Dimayacyac (1983) First consecutive titles in Miss Tourism International: Rizzini Alexis Gomez (2012) and Angeli Dione Gomez (2013) First consecutive titles in Mr Gay World: John Jeffrey Carlos (2019), Leonard Kodie Macayan (2020) and Joel Rey Carcasona (2021) First Mister International hosted: 2015 in Manila First Miss Intercontinental hosted: 2019 in Manila First Mister World hosted: 2019 in Manila

National-level pageants First Miss Philippines: Anita Noble (1926) First Miss World Philippines: Vivien Lee Austria (1966) First Filipino Miss Universe Philippines: Myrna Panlilio (1964) (Binibining Pilipinas) Rabiya Mateo (2020) (Miss Universe Philippines Organization) First openly bisexual woman Miss Universe Philippines: Beatrice Gomez (2021) First Miss International Philippines: Edita Vital (1960) First Miss Philippines Earth: Carlene Aguilar (2001)

Others First Filipino to represent the country in the Miss Universe pageant: Teresita Sanchez (1952) First Filipino semifinalist at the Miss Universe pageant: Blesilda Ocampo (1954) First Filipino to be a runner-up in the Miss Universe pageant: Blesilda Mueler Ocampo (1954) First Filipino to place in the Miss World pageant: Pinky Amabuyok (1968) First Filipino to win Best in National Costume award in the Miss Universe pageant: Charlene Gonzales (1994) First Filipino to win Best in Miss Photogenic award in the Miss Universe pageant: Vida Valentina Doria (1971) First Mutya ng Pilipinas winner: Jane Mozo de Joya (1968) First Filipina Muslim to win Miss Asia Pacific International: Sharifa Akeel (2018) First Binibining Pilipinas candidate who joined the National Pageant twice: Elvira Gonzales (1964 and 1965) First Filipino to represent the country in the Miss Grand International pageant: Ali Forbes (2013) First Filipino to represent the country in the Miss Supranational pageant: Lourenz Grace Remetillo (2011) First Binibining Pilipinas winner to be dethroned: Anjanette Abayari (1991) First Filipino to place in the Miss Intercontinental pageant: Maria Sovietskaya Bacud (1995) First Filipino to place in the Mr. World pageant: Andrew Wolff (2012) First Filipino to place in the Miss Earth pageant: Cathy Untalan (2006) First Filipino and Miss World contestant ever to win the Miss Talent award: Louvette Monzon Hammond (1978) First Filipino to place in the Miss Supranational pageant: Elaine Kay Moll (2012) First Filipino semifinalist at the Miss International pageant: Edita Vital (1960) First Filipino to use an interpreter at the Miss Universe pageant: Maxine Medina (2016) First Filipino to win Asia's Next Top Model: Maureen Wroblewitz (2017) First Filipino to walk in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show and to appear in the pages of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue: Kelsey Merritt (2018 and 2019) First consecutive titles in Miss Millennial Philippines: Shaila Mae Rebortera (2018) and Nicole Borromeo (2019)

Business and economy First Filipino-owned firm to list on the Nasdaq stock exchange: Hotel 101 (June 27, 2025)

Education First Filipino Superintendent of schools: Camilo Osías – 1915 First Filipino language instructor of Harvard University: Lady Aileen Orsal – introduced on August 25, 2023.

Energy First nuclear power plant: Bataan Nuclear Power Plant

Exploration First Filipino to reach the North Pole on board a Russian vessel (icebreaker): Ramon Ilusorio – 1996 First Filipino to sail solo across Pacific Ocean: Florentino Das – May 14, 1955 First Filipino to reach the peak of Mount Everest: Leo Oracion – May 17, 2006 First Filipino to reach the peak of Seven Summits: Romi Garduce – January 6, 2012 First Filipino (Filipina) to ski to North Pole (True North): Samelene Pimentel - April 21, 2015 First Filipino (Filipina) to ski to South Pole: Samelene Pimentel - December 26, 2017 First Filipina to reach the Seven Summits: Carina Dayondon - December 16, 2018 First Filipino to reach the 3rd deepest spot on Earth: Deo Florence Onda – March 23, 2021 First Filipino to travel to all the countries in the world (recognized by the United Nations): Odette Aquitania Ricasa – August 25, 2022

Government and politics 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 First female senator: Geronima Pecson – 1947 First Muslim senator: Hadji Butu – 1916 First Muslim elected senator: Salipada Pendatun – 1946 First actor to become senator: Rogelio de la Rosa – 1957 First Female senator to be re-elected: Eva Estrada Kalaw – 1965

House of Representatives First House Speaker: Sergio Osmeña – 1907 First female representative: Elisa Rosales-Ochoa – 1941 First Muslim Deputy Speaker: Salipada Pendatun – 1962 First openly transgender woman representative: Geraldine Roman – 2016 First female House Speaker: Gloria Macapagal Arroyo – 2018 First representative to be expelled: Arnolfo Teves Jr. – 2023

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 – 2012–2018 (de facto; tenure nullified through Quo warranto petition) Teresita de Castro – 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 First Filipina judge of the International Criminal Court: Miriam Defensor Santiago – December 12, 2011 First Nobel Prize laureate: Maria Ressa – 2021 Nobel Peace Prize

History First Filipino marriage to a foreigner: Nicolasa de Alvarez, a native Filipino to Pablo Alvarez, a Spaniard – 1585