July 18, 1959
About 3,000 delegates from around the world attended the 10th World Jamboree of Boy Scouts held on Mt. Makiling in Los Baños, Laguna province. Then President Carlos Garcia opened the jamboree, which was a gathering of boy scouts from 48 countries.
July 18, 1974
Scientists fom the University of the Philippines in Los Baños, Laguna province, found in their 16 years of study that wheat could be grown in the provinces of Isabela and Cagayan. At present, there is no commercial production of wheat. In 2015, wheat (along with meslin, a mixture of wheat and rye) was the top import of the Philippines at 4.8 million metric tons.
July 21, 2014
The 55,00-seat Philippine Arena was inaugurated in Bocaue, Bulacan province. The domed arena, tagged the “largest mixed-use indoor theater,” is the centerpiece of Iglesia ni Cristo’s centennial project. It is located in the 50-hectare complex called Ciudad de Victoria or City of Victory, a tourism enterprise zone built by INC. The bowl-shaped structure is inspired by the narra, the Philippine national tree. Several foreign acts have held concerts at Philippine Arena, including pop star Katy Perry and K-pop groups Super Junior and Girls’ Generation.
Kathleen de Villa, Inquirer Research
Sources: Inquirer Archives, DOT, Official Calendar of the Republic, officialgazette.gov.ph, pia.gov.ph, philippinearena.net, fao.org