October 16, 1988

LEAD: To Jack Cowart, one of the curators of 20th-century art at the National Gallery, it is ''a kind of coming-out party.'' Cobbled together during the last quarter-century, the museum's collection of paintings and sculptures since 1900 has over the years been displayed only sporadically, shunted aside whenever room is needed for blockbuster touring exhibitions.

LEAD: The United States and the Philippines reached agreement today on terms for continued operation of American bases in the Philippines through September 1991, Administration officials said.

LEAD: AFTER three months and two debates against Vice President Bush, Gov. Michael S. Dukakis's challenge remains what it has been since the Democratic convention in July: How to get past two forces that keep leaping into the ring on the side of his rival.

LEAD: AN architectural and development firm is trying to get eight acres on Washington's gritty industrial peninsula rezoned for a $200 million project with 1.3 million square feet of office space and 900 housing units proposed by Theodore F. Mariani & Associates.

LEAD: TO some people, the planned campus-style headquarters of Whittle Communications will be the centerpiece of a rejuvenated downtown; to others, it is another scheme to enrich owners and developers at the expense of taxpayers.