July 7–20 – Angelo dela Cruz, an Overseas Filipino who was working as a truck driver was abducted by the Iraqi insurgents near the Iraqi city of Fallujah. He was released after the Philippine Government moved up its withdrawal of troops in Iraq as an answer to the demand of his captors. Dela Cruz was released on July 20 and returned home the day after.[5][6]
July 10 – Santa Rosa becomes a component city in the province of Laguna through ratification of Republic Act 9264.
July 23 – SAI building, a 5-year-old eight-story building on Padre Rada Street, collapses in the heart of busy Divisoria in Manila at 4:40 pm, crashing down on Italy Marketing building across the street.
November 16 – Hacienda Luisita massacre occurs, twelve picketing farmers and two children were killed and hundreds were injured when police and soldiers dispatched by then Labor Secretary Patricia Santo Tomas, stormed a blockade by plantation workers.
December 8 – Taguig becomes a highly urbanized city in Metro Manila through Republic Act 8487 which was enacted since December 8, 1998. After a recount of votes granted by the Supreme Court favoring the move.[8]
December 12 – A bombing in the main public market in General Santos kills at least 15 people and injures 69 others. Several persons, including Indonesian suspected members of JI and a former member of MILF, would be arrested in connection with the incident.[1]
On November 13, 2002, Republic Act No. 9177 declares Eidul Fitr as a regular holiday.[9] The EDSA Revolution Anniversary was proclaimed since 2002 as a special non-working holiday.[10] In the list, holidays in bold are "regular holidays" and those in italics are "nationwide special days".