Pope Francis visited the predominantly Catholic Philippines in January, touching the hearts of millions of Filipinos with his message of mercy and compassion. The Argentine pontiff, known as a “Pope of Surprises,” broke protocol with unscripted speeches and unplanned stopovers throughout his five-day visit, the third Pope after Popes Paul VI and John Paul II.
The Philippines’ prima ballerina took the stage and drew praises in March after delivering an inspiring speech before graduates of Ateneo de Manila University’s School of Humanities and John Gokongwei School of Management. The commencement speech made waves online, connecting with the young and old alike. Macuja, who admitted that she did not have a college diploma, shared her journey to international success and talked about breathing dreams like oxygen.
News reports of a new life coming into the world have always been heartwarming, and this year was nothing short of that. Among the celebrities who gave birth in 2015 were Marian Rivera, Bianca Gonzalez, and Empress Schuck. In late November, fans eagerly awaited the birth of Rivera's first child with actor Dingdong Dantes, Maria Letizia, whose photo was disclosed to the public a week after.
Love ‘won’ in the United States in June when its Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples have the right to marry in all 36 states and the District of Columbia, and that gay marriage was no longer banned in 14 states. “No union is more profound than marriage,” Justice Anthony Kennedy said in his majority opinion. The landmark ruling heartened gender advocates and the LGBT community worldwide.
A photo of 9-year-old Daniel Cabrera doing his homework on a sidewalk near a McDonald’s parking lot in Mandaue city, Cebu went viral in June. After the picture spread all over the Internet, donations such as books, school supplies, and a toy police car started pouring in for the boy, who dreams of becoming a policeman and his family’s “superhero” someday.
A video uploaded by Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg about 24-year-old Riza Mae “Mai Mai” Tachado from Antique province went viral in October. The video featured how the free Facebook online app Internet.org aided Mai Mai's schooling and helped her earn a diploma in computer science.
The Philippines hosted a bevy of world leaders, A-list celebrities and high-profile personalities throughout 2015. Among them were French President Francois Hollande, US President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinpin; actresses winner Marion Cotillard, actress Margot Robbie and Melanie Laurent; singers Sam Smith and Ariana Grande, and celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain.