resident of the Philippines

31 languages
 Article
 Talk
 Read
 Edit
 View history

Tools











From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For a list, see List of presidents of the Philippines.

President of the Philippines

Pangulo ng Pilipinas

Presidential seal

Presidential flag
 Incumbent
Bongbong Marcos
since June 30, 2022

Government of the Philippines

Office of the President

 Mr. President
Style
(informal)
 The Honorable

(formal)
 His Excellency

(diplomatic)

Type Head of state

Head of government

Commander-in-Chief

Member of Cabinet

National Security Council

Residence Malacañang Palace

Seat Manila, Philippines

Appointer Direct popular vote

Term length Six years, non-renewable

Constituting instrument 1987 Constitution of the Philippines

Precursor Governor-General

Prime Minister[a]

Inaugural holder Emilio Aguinaldo

(official)[b]

Manuel L. Quezon

(official)[c]

Formation January 23, 1899

(official)[1][b]

November 15, 1935

(official)[2][c]

First holder Emilio Aguinaldo

Salary ₱411,382 per month[d][3][4][5][6]

Website op-proper.gov.ph

Politics of the Philippines

show

Government

show

Executive
 show

Legislature

show

Judiciary

show

Constitutional commissions

show

Elections

show

Political parties

show

Administrative divisions

show

Related topics

 Philippines portal

 Other countries

 v
 t
 e

The president of the Philippines (Filipino: Pangulo ng Pilipinas, sometimes referred to

as Presidente ng Pilipinas) is the head of state, head of government and chief executive
of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine
government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
The president is directly elected by the people and is one of only two nationally elected
executive officials, the other being the vice president of the Philippines. However, four
vice presidents have assumed the presidency without having been elected to the office,
by virtue of a president's intra-term death or resignation. [e]
Filipinos generally refer to their president as pangulo or presidente in their local
language. The president is limited to a single six-year term. No one who has served
more than four years of a presidential term is allowed to run or serve again.
The current president of the Philippines is Bongbong Marcos, who was sworn in on
June 30, 2022.

Title[edit]
The official title of the Philippine head of state and government is "President of the
Philippines." The title in Filipino is Pangulo (cognate of Malay penghulu "leader",
"chieftain"). In the other major languages of the Philippines such as the Bisayan
languages, presidente is more common when Filipinos are not actually code-
switching with the English word. The honorific for the president is "Your Excellency" or
"His/Her Excellency." During his tenure, President Rodrigo Duterte broke precedent by
not using the honorific, opting to drop the title in all official communications, events or
materials.[7][8][9]
Historical titles[edit]
The term "President of the Republic of the Philippines" used under Japanese
occupation of the Philippines distinguished the government of then-president José P.
Laurel from the Commonwealth government-in-exile under President Manuel L.
Quezon.[10] The restoration of the Commonwealth in 1945 and the subsequent
independence of the Philippines restored the title of "President of the Philippines"
enacted in the 1935 constitution.[11] The 1973 constitution, though generally referring to
the president as "President of the Philippines", Article XVII, Section 12 once used the
term, "President of the Republic."[12] In the text of Proclamation No. 1081 that placed the
country under martial law in September 1972, President Ferdinand Marcos consistently
referred to himself as "President of the Philippines." [13]

History[edit]
Early republics[edit]
Bonifacio's Tagalog Republic[edit]
Depending on the definition chosen for these terms, a number of persons could
alternatively be considered the inaugural holder of the office. Andrés Bonifacio could be
considered the first president of a united Philippines, while he was the third Supreme
President (Spanish: Presidente Supremo; Filipino: Kataas-taasang Pangulo) of
the Katipunan, a secret revolutionary society that started an open revolt against the
Spanish colonial government in August 1896, he transformed the society into a
revolutionary government with himself as "President of the Sovereign Nation/People"
(Filipino: Pangulo ng Haring Bayan).[14] While the term Katipunan (and the title "Supreme
President") remained, Bonifacio's government was also known as the Tagalog
Republic (Spanish: República Tagala; Filipino: Republika ng Katagalugan),[15][16][17] and the
term haring bayan or haringbayan as an adaptation and synonym of "republic", from its
Latin roots as res publica.[18] Since Presidente Supremo was shortened to Supremo in
contemporary historical accounts of other people, he thus became known by that title
alone in traditional Philippine historiography, which by itself was thus understood to
mean "Supreme Leader"[19][20][21] in contrast to the later "Presidents". However, as noted by
Filipino historian Xiao Chua, Bonifacio did not refer himself as Supremo but rather
as Kataas-taasang Pangulo (Supreme President), Pangulo ng Kataas-taasang
Kapulungan (President of the Supreme Assembly), or Pangulo ng Haring
Bayan (President of the Sovereign Nation/People), as evidenced by his own writings. [21]
Although the word Tagalog refers to the Tagalog people, a specific ethno-linguistic
group mostly in southern Luzon, Bonifacio used the term "Tagalog" in "Tagalog
Republic" to denote all non-Spanish peoples of the Philippines in place of Filipinos,
which had colonial origins, referring to his concept of the Philippine nation and people
as the "Sovereign Tagalog Nation/People" or more precisely "Sovereign Nation of the
Tagalog People" (Filipino: Haring Bayang Katagalugan), in effect a synonym of
"Tagalog Republic" or more precisely "Republic of the Tagalog Nation/People". [22][23][24][25][26]

Petitions were filed before the current Philippine government to recognize Andres Bonifacio as the first
Philippine president.

According to Filipino historian Ambeth Ocampo, including Bonifacio as a past president

would imply that Macario Sakay and Miguel Malvar should also be included, as Sakay
continued Bonifacio's concept of a national Tagalog Republic, and Malvar continued
the Philippine Republic which was the culmination of several governments headed
by Emilio Aguinaldo that superseded Bonifacio's, Malvar taking over after Aguinaldo's
capture.[27] Nevertheless, there are still calls, including from a descendant of Bonifacio, to
let Bonifacio be recognized by the current government as the first Philippine president. [15]
  In 1993, historians Milagros Guerrero, Emmanuel Encarnacion and Ramon Villegas
[18]

petitioned before the National Historical Institute (now the National Historical

Commission of the Philippines) to recognize Bonifacio as the first Philippine president
but the institute turned down the petition and reasoned that Bonifacio was not even the
Katipunan's first Supremo, but rather Deodato Arellano.[28]
In 2013, the Manila City Council passed a resolution persuading the national
government to declare Bonifacio as the first president of the Tagalog Republic,
attributing to all natives of the archipelago of the Philippines. [28] A separate resolution
was also signed in 2013 by the Philippine Historian Association urging then Philippine
President Benigno Aquino III to recognize Bonifacio as the first Philippine president. [29] In
the same year, representatives of the Philippine House of Representatives passed a
house resolution that sought to acknowledge Bonifacio as the first president. [28] A similar
house resolution was also filed in 2016.[30]
According to Marlon Cadiz of the NHCP, the agency is waiting for a thorough and clear
study containing new evidence as well as explanations of experts regarding Bonifacio's
status as the first president.[28]
Aguinaldo's governments and the First Republic[edit]

Emilio Aguinaldo and ten of the Malolos Congress delegates that passed the Constitución Política de la
República Filipina in 1899

In March 1897, during the Philippine Revolution against Spain, Emilio Aguinaldo was

elected president of a new revolutionary government at the Tejeros Convention in
Tejeros, Cavite.[31] The new government was meant to replace the Katipunan.[32] It
variously called itself the "Philippine Republic" (Spanish: Republica Filipina),[33] "Republic
of the Philippines" (Spanish: Republica de Filipinas)[34] and "Government of All Tagalogs"
or "Government of the Whole Tagalog Nation/People" (Filipino: Pamahalaan ng
Sangkatagalugan).[35]
Months later, Aguinaldo was again elected president at Biak-na-Bato, Bulacan in
November,[36] leading a reorganized "Republic of the Philippines" (Spanish: Republica de
Filipinas),[37] commonly known today as the Republic of Biak-na-Bato.[38] Aguinaldo
therefore signed the Pact of Biak-na-Bato and went into exile in Hong Kong at the end
of 1897.[39]
In April 1898, the Spanish–American War broke out,[40] and afterwards, the Asiatic
Squadron of the United States Navy sailed for the Philippines.[41] At the Battle of Manila
Bay on May 1, 1898, the American Navy decisively defeated the Spanish Navy.
  Aquinaldo subsequently returned to the Philippines aboard a U.S. Navy vessel [43] and
[42]

renewed the revolution.[44] He formed a dictatorial government on May 24, 1898,[44] and

issued the Philippine Declaration of Independence on June 12, 1898.[45] During this brief
period he took the title "Dictator" and the Declaration of Independence refers to him as
such.[46]
On June 23, 1898, Aguinaldo transformed his dictatorial government into a revolutionary
government and became known as "President" again. [47][48] On January 23, 1899,
Aguinaldo was then elected president of the "Philippine Republic" (Spanish: Republica
Filipina), a new government constituted by a revolutionary congress under a likewise
revolutionary constitution.[49][50] Consequently, this government is today officially
considered to be the proper "first republic" and is also called the Malolos Republic,
[51]
 after its capital Malolos in Bulacan;[52] its congress (formally "National Assembly") and
constitution are commonly known as the Malolos Congress and Malolos Constitution as
well.[53][54]
Like all of its predecessors and would-be successors until the 1935 Commonwealth of
the Philippines, the First Philippine Republic was short-lived[55] and never internationally
recognized,[56] and never controlled or was universally recognized by the entire area
covered by the current republic, though it (and they) claimed to represent and govern
the entire Philippine archipelago and all its people. [57] The Philippines was transferred
from Spanish to American control by the Treaty of Paris of 1898, signed in December of
that year.[58] The Philippine–American War broke out between the United States and
Aguinaldo's government.[59] His government effectively ceased to exist on April 1, 1901,
after he pledged allegiance to the United States following his capture by U.S. forces in
March.[59]
The current government of the Republic of the Philippines considers Emilio Aguinaldo to
be the first president of the Philippines-based specifically on his presidency of the
Malolos Republic, not any of his various prior governments. [60]
Other claimants[edit]
Miguel Malvar continued Aguinaldo's leadership of the Philippine Republic after the
latter's capture until his own capture in 1902, while Macario Sakay revived the Tagalog
Republic in 1902 as a continuing state of Bonifacio's Katipunan. They are both
considered by some scholars as "unofficial presidents", and along with Bonifacio, are
not recognized as presidents by the government. [61][62]
American occupation[edit]
Between 1898 and 1935, executive power in the Philippines was exercised by a
succession of four American military governors-general and eleven civil governors-
general.[63][64][65]
Philippine Commonwealth[edit]
Manuel Luis Quezon, the first president of the Philippine Commonwealth, is officially recognized as the second
president of the Philippines

In October 1935, Manuel L. Quezon was elected the first president of

the Commonwealth of the Philippines, which had been established, still under United
States sovereignty, under a constitution ratified on May 14 of that year.[66] During its first
five years, the president could serve for a six-year term that cannot be renewed. [67] It was
later amended in 1940 to limit a president to serving no more than two four-year terms. [68]
[69]
 When the administration of President Quezon exiled to the United States after the
Philippines fell to the Empire of Japan in World War II, Quezon appointed Chief
Justice José Abad Santos as his delegate, which in effect the acting president of the
commonwealth according to Justice George A. Malcolm.[70][71] Abad Santos was
subsequently executed by the Imperial Japanese Army on May 2, 1942.[70]
The Second Republic under the Japanese[edit]
On October 14, 1943, José P. Laurel became president under a constitution imposed by
the Japanese occupation.[72][73] Laurel, an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the
Philippines,[74] had been instructed to remain in Manila by President Quezon, who
withdrew to Corregidor and then to the United States to establish a government in
exile in the United States.[75][76] On August 17, 1945, two days after the Japanese
surrendered to the Allies, Laurel officially dissolved the republic. [77]
After World War II[edit]
The 1935 Constitution was restored after the Japanese surrender ended World War II,
[68]
 with Vice President Sergio Osmeña becoming president due to Quezon's death on
August 1, 1944.[66] It remained in effect after the United States recognized the
sovereignty of the Republic of the Philippines as a separate self-governing nation on
July 4, 1946.[66] On the same day, Manuel A. Roxas, the last president of the
Commonwealth of the Philippines, became the first president of the independent
Republic of the Philippines,[66] also known as the Third Republic of the Philippines. [78]
1973 and 1987 Constitutions[edit]
A new Constitution ratified on January 17, 1973,[79] under the rule of Ferdinand
Marcos introduced a parliamentary-style government. [80] Marcos instituted himself
as prime minister while serving as president in 1978.[81] Marcos later appointed César
Virata as prime minister in 1981, although, he was only a figurehead as the government
control was still with Marcos.[82]
The 1973 Constitution was in effect until the People Power Revolution of 1986 toppled
Marcos's 21-year authoritarian regime and replaced him with Corazon C. Aquino.[68] On
March 25, 1986, Aquino issued Proclamation No. 3, s. 1986 or the "freedom
constitution" that initially replaced the 1973 Constitution. [68] This provisional constitution
was done as Aquino was installed as president through revolutionary means.
[83]
 Proclamation No. 3 abrogated many of the provisions of the then 1973 Constitution,
[84]
 including the provisions associated with the Marcos regime, [85] which gave the
president legislative powers,[86] as well as the unicameral legislature called the Batasang
Pambansa[85] (literally National Legislature in Filipino). The proclamation retained only
parts of the 1973 Constitution that were essential for a return to democratic rule, such
as the bill of rights.[84][85] This constitution was superseded on February 2, 1987, by the
present constitution.[68]
Other issues[edit]

José P. Laurel giving a speech after his inauguration as President of the Second Philippine Republic

Both Bonifacio[87] and Aguinaldo[88] might be considered to have been an inaugural

president of an insurgent government. Quezon was the inaugural president of a
predecessor state to the current one,[89] while Roxas was the first president of an
independent Philippines.[66]
The government considers Aguinaldo to have been the first president of the Philippines,
followed by Quezon and his successors.[60][90] Despite the differences in constitutions and
government, the line of presidents is considered to be continuous. [91] For instance,
Rodrigo Duterte, is considered to be the 16th president. [92]
While the government may consider Aguinaldo as the first president, the First Republic
fell under the United States' jurisdiction due to the 1898 Treaty of Paris which ended
the Spanish–American War; the United States thus does not consider his tenure to have
been legitimate.[60][45] Manuel L. Quezon is considered to be the first president by the
United States when they gave the Philippines independence through the Tydings–
McDuffie Act.[93] He is also the first to win a popular election and a nationwide election. [94]
During the Second World War, the Philippines had two presidents heading two
governments.[95] One was Quezon and the Commonwealth government-in-
exile in Washington, D.C.,[96][97] and the other was Manila-based Laurel heading the
Japanese-sponsored Second Republic.[95] Notably, Laurel was himself instructed to
remain in Manila by President Quezon.[75] Laurel and Aguinaldo were not formally
recognized as Philippine presidents until Diosdado Macapagal's administration.[98][99] Their
inclusion in the official list coincided with the transfer of the official date of Independence
Day from July 4 (the anniversary of the Philippines' independence from the United
States) to June 12 (the anniversary of the 1898 Declaration of Independence). [98]

Powers and roles[edit]

Executive power[edit]
The president of the Philippines, being the chief executive, serves as both the head of
state and head of government of the Philippines.[100] The constitution vests the executive
power with the president who consequently heads the government's executive branch,
including the Cabinet and all executive departments.[101] There are also government
agencies that report to no specific department but are instead under the Office of the
President.[102] The president also exercises general supervision over local government
units.[103]
The president has the power to give executive issuances, which are means to
streamline the policy and programs of an administration. There are six issuances that
the President may issue, as defined in the Administrative Code of 1987: [100] executive
orders, administrative orders, proclamations, memorandum orders, memorandum
circulars, and general or special orders.
The president has power to grant reprieves, commutations and pardons, and remit fines
and forfeitures after conviction by final judgment, except in cases of impeachment.
[104]
 The president can grant amnesty with the concurrence of the majority of all the
members of the Congress.[105] The president has authority to contract or guarantee
foreign loans on behalf of the country but only with the prior concurrence of the
Monetary Board and subject to such limitations as may be provided by law. [106]
The president has the authority to exercise the power of eminent domain. The president
also has the power to direct escheat or reversion proceedings and the power to reserve
lands of the public and private domain of the government. However, there are two
constitutional provisions that limit the exercise of such power: Article 3, Section 9 of the
Constitution provides that no person shall be deprived of his/her life, liberty, or property
without due process of law and that private property shall not be taken for public use
without just compensation.[100]
With the consent of the Commission on Appointments, the president also appoints the
heads of the executive departments, board of members and its leaders from any
national government-related institutions, ambassadors, other public ministers and
consuls, high-ranking officers of the armed forces, and other officials. [107] The members of
the Supreme Court and lower courts are also appointed by the president, but only from
the list of nominees prepared by the Judicial and Bar Council. Such appointments do
not need the approval of the Commission on Appointments.[108]
Legislative power[edit]
As per Article 6, Section 1 of the Constitution, the power of lawmaking is vested in the
bicameral Congress, which consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
However, the president has some legislative power. [109] The president has the power to
veto any bill passed by Congress. Article 6, Section 27 requires that every legislation
passed by Congress shall be presented to the president, after which the president can
either sign the bill into law within thirty days, veto the bill, or take no action within the
timeframe, in which the bill will pass as if it had been signed. While Congress can
override a presidential veto, it requires a two-thirds vote of both houses. The president
can also veto any particular item or items in an appropriation, revenue, or tariff bill, but
the veto shall not affect the item or items to which he does not object. By exerting their
influence on Congress, the president can shape legislation and be involved in the
legislative process.[110] The State of the Nation Address also gives the president an
opportunity to outline their priority legislative agenda.

Election process[edit]
Eligibility[edit]
Article 7, Section 2 of the Constitution sets the following qualifications for holding the
presidency:[111]

 be a natural-born citizen of the Philippines

 be a registered voter
 be able to read and write
 at least forty years of age on the day of the election
 a resident of the Philippines for at least ten years immediately preceding such
election.
Natural-born Filipinos are citizens of the Philippines from birth without having to perform
any act to acquire or perfect their Philippine citizenship. Those whose fathers or
mothers are citizens of the Philippines at the time of their birth and those born before 17
January 1973, of Filipino mothers, who elect Philippine citizenship upon reaching the
age of majority are considered natural-born Filipinos. [112]
The Constitution also provides term limits where the president is ineligible for reelection
and a person who has succeeded as president and has served as such for more than
four years will be ineligible to be elected for a second term. However, with the case
of Joseph Estrada who was elected president in 1998, deposed in 2001, and again ran
for the presidency in 2010, the Constitution's wording where "[the] President shall not be
eligible for any re-election"[113] remains unclear as his case was never brought to the
Supreme Court. It remains unclear whether the term limit of no re-election applies only
to the incumbent president or for any person who has been elected as president.
Election[edit]
Main article: Philippine presidential election

Home provinces (blue and purple) of the presidents.

The president is elected by direct vote every six years, usually on the second Monday of
May.[113] The latest election was held in 2022.
The returns of every election for president and vice president, duly certified by the board
of canvassers of each province or city, shall be transmitted to Congress, directed to the
president of the Senate. Upon receipt of the certificates of canvass, the president of the
Senate shall open all the certificates in the presence of a joint public session of
Congress not later than 30 days after election day. Congress then canvasses the votes
upon determining that the polls are authentic and were done in the manner provided by
law.
The person with the highest number of votes is declared the winner, but in case two or
more have the highest number of votes, the president is elected by a majority of all
members of Congress, with the Senate and the House of Representatives voting
separately.
Inauguration[edit]
Main article: Philippine presidential inauguration
Carlos P. Garcia is sworn in as the eighth president of the Philippines after winning the election of 1957

Bongbong Marcos during his inauguration

The president of the Philippines usually takes the oath of office at noon of June 30
following the presidential election. Traditionally, the vice president takes the oath first, a
little before noon for two reasons. First, according to protocol, no one follows the
president (who is last due to his supremacy), and second, to establish a constitutionally
valid successor before the president-elect accedes. During Quezon's inauguration,
however, the vice president and legislature were sworn in after the president, to
symbolize a new start.
Custom has enshrined three places as the traditional venue for the inauguration
ceremony: Barasoain Church in Malolos City, Bulacan; in front of the old Legislative
Building (now part of the National Museum) in Manila; or at Quirino Grandstand, where
most have been held. Some presidential have broken precedent, either due to
extraordinary circumstances or In 2004, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo delivered her pre-
inaugural address at Quirino Grandstand, took the oath of office in Cebu City before
Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr., and the next day held the first cabinet meeting
in Butuan. She broke with precedent, reasoning that she wanted to celebrate her
inauguration in each of the three main island groups of the Philippines: Luzon, Visayas,
and Mindanao. Her first inauguration also broke precedent as she was sworn in at
the EDSA Shrine on January 20, 2001, during the EDSA Revolution of 2001 that
removed Joseph Estrada from office.
The dress code at the modern inaugural ceremony is traditional, formal Filipino clothing,
which is otherwise loosely termed Filipiniana. Ladies must wear baro't saya (the formal
wear of other indigenous groups is permissible), while men don the barong tagalog.
Non-Filipinos at the ceremony may wear their respective versions of formal dress, but
foreign diplomats have often been seen donning Filipiniana as a mark of cultural
respect.
The Constitution provides the following oath or affirmation for the president and vice
president-elect which must be taken before they enter into office: [114]
"I, (name), do solemnly swear [or affirm], that I will faithfully and conscientiously fulfill my
duties as President [or Vice-President or Acting President] of the Philippines. Preserve
and defend its Constitution, execute its laws, do justice to every man, and consecrate
myself to the service of the Nation. So help me God." [In case of affirmation, last
sentence will be omitted.]

— Constitution of the Philippines, art. 7, sec. 5

The Filipino text of the oath used for the inaugurations of Fidel V. Ramos, Joseph
Estrada, Benigno Aquino III, and Bongbong Marcos reads:[115]
"Ako si (pangalan), ay taimtim kong pinanunumpaan (o pinatototohanan) na tutuparin
ko nang buong katapatan at sigasig ang aking mga tungkulin bilang Pangulo (o
Pangalawang Pangulo o Nanunungkulang Pangulo) ng Pilipinas, pangangalagaan at
ipagtatanggol ang kanyang Konstitusyon, ipatutupad ang mga batas nito, magiging
makatarungan sa bawat tao, at itatalaga ang aking sarili sa paglilingkod sa Bansa.
Kasihan nawa ako ng Diyos." (Kapag pagpapatotoo, ang huling pangungusap ay
kakaltasin.)

— Konstitusyon ng Pilipinas, Artikulo VII, SEK. 5

As soon as the president takes the oath of office, a 21-gun salute is fired to salute the
new head of state, and the presidential anthem "We Say Mabuhay" is played. The
president delivers his inaugural address, and then proceeds to Malacañang Palace to
climb the Grand Staircase, a ritual which symbolizes the formal possession of the
palace. The president then inducts the newly formed cabinet into office in one of the
state rooms.

Incumbency[edit]
State of the Nation Address[edit]

President Bongbong Marcos during his first State of the Nation Address on July 25, 2022.
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo delivering her seventh State of the Nation Address at the Batasang Pambansa

Main article: State of the Nation Address (Philippines)

The State of the Nation Address (SONA) is an annual event, in which the president
reports on the status of the nation, normally to the resumption of a joint session of
the House of Representatives and the Senate. This is a duty of the president as stated
in Article VII, Section 23 of the 1987 Constitution.[3]
Tenure and term limits[edit]
The 1935 Constitution originally set the president's term at six years, without re-election.
[116]
 In 1940, however, the 1935 Constitution was amended and the term of the president
(and vice president) was shortened to four years, with a two-term limit. Under the
provisions of the amended 1935 document, only presidents Manuel L. Quezon (1941)
and Ferdinand E. Marcos (1969) were re-elected. Presidents Sergio
Osmeña (1946), Elpidio Quirino (1953), Carlos P. Garcia (1961) and Diosdado
Macapagal (1965) all failed in seeking a new term. Marcos was the only president to
serve three terms (1965–1969, 1969–1981, 1981–1986). [117]
On August 24, 1970, Congress enacted RA No. 6132, otherwise known as the
Constitutional Convention Act, for the purpose of convening a Constitutional
Convention. The 320 delegates met from June 1971 until November 30, 1972, when
they approved the draft of the new Charter. While in the process of drafting a new
Constitution, President Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law on September 21, 1972.
The draft Constitution was submitted to the Citizen's Assemblies from January 10 to 17,
1973 for ratification. On January 17, 1973, President Marcos issued Proclamation No.
1102, announcing the ratification of the Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines.
In 1981, President Marcos secured a third term, defeating Alejo Santos in an election.[118]
The 1987 Constitution restored the 1935 Constitution's original ban on presidential
reelection. Under Article 7, Section 4 of the current constitution, the term of the
president shall begin at noon on the thirtieth day of June next following the day of the
election and shall end at noon of the same date, six years thereafter. The incumbent
president is not eligible for re-election, even if non-consecutive. Moreover, no president
who serves more than four years of a presidential term is allowed to run or serve again.
[3]

Vacancies and succession[edit]

Main article: Philippine presidential line of succession
At the start of the term[edit]
Under Article 7, Section 7 of the Constitution, In case the president-elect fails to qualify,
the vice president-elect shall act as president until the president-elect shall have
qualified.[3] If at the beginning of the term of the president, the president-elect shall have
died or shall have become permanently disabled, the vice president-elect shall become
president.[3] Where no president and vice president shall have been chosen or shall have
qualified, or where both shall have died or become permanently disabled, the president
of the Senate or, in case of his inability, the speaker of the House of Representatives,
shall act as president until a president or a vice president shall have been chosen and
qualified.[3]
During the term[edit]

Sergio Osmeña was the first vice president to succeed to the presidency upon the death of a chief executive,
who was Manuel L. Quezon, in 1944.

The line of presidential succession as specified by Article 7, Section 8 of the

Constitution are the vice president, Senate president and the speaker of the House of
Representatives. Contrary to popular belief, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of
the Philippines is not in the line of succession. If the offices of both the president and
vice president are vacant at the same time, Congress shall within a specific period
enact a law calling for a special election. However, if the presidential election is 18
months away, no special election shall be called. An acting president may temporarily
assume the duties of president.
The current presidential line of succession is:

No. Office Incumbent

1 Vice President Sara Duterte

 2 President of the Senate Juan Miguel Zubiri

3 Speaker of the House of Representatives Martin Romualdez

Impeachment[edit]
See also: Impeachment in the Philippines
Impeachment in the Philippines follows procedures similar to the United States.
The House of Representatives, one of the houses of the bicameral Congress, has the
exclusive power to initiate all cases of impeachment against the president, vice
president, members of the Supreme Court, members of the constitutional commissions
and the ombudsman.[119] When a third of its membership has endorsed the impeachment
articles, it is then transmitted to the Senate of the Philippines which tries and decide, as
impeachment tribunal, the impeachment case.[120] A main difference from U.S.
proceedings however is that only a third of House members are required to approve the
motion to impeach the president (as opposed to the majority required in the United
States). In the Senate, selected members of the House of Representatives act as the
prosecutors and the senators act as judges with the Senate president and chief justice
of the Supreme Court jointly presiding over the proceedings. Like the United States, to
convict the official in question requires that a minimum of two-thirds (i.e., 16 of 24
members) of the senate vote in favor of conviction. If an impeachment attempt is
unsuccessful or the official is acquitted, no new cases can be filed against that
impeachable official for at least one full year.
The Constitution enumerates the culpable violation of the Constitution, treason, bribery,
graft and corruption, other high crimes, and betrayal of public trust as grounds for the
impeachment of the president.[121] The same also applies for the vice president, the
members of the Supreme Court, the members of the constitutional commissions, and
the ombudsman.
Official residence[edit]
 Presidential residences


Malacañang Palace, the official residence

 
 

The Mansion, the official summer palace

Malacañang Palace is the official residence of the president of the Philippines, a
privilege entitled to him/her under Article VII, Section 6 of the Constitution. [3] The palace
is located along the north bank of the Pasig River, along J.P. Laurel Street in the district
of San Miguel, Manila. The Filipino name is derived from the Tagalog phrase
"may lakán diyán" ("there is a nobleman there"), and this was eventually shortened
to Malakanyáng. The complex includes several mansions and office buildings built and
designed in the bahay na bato and neoclassical architectural styles.
Before Malacañang Palace was designated as the official residence of the president,
various establishments served as residence of the chief executive in the Philippines.
The Spanish governor-general, the highest-ranking official in the Philippines during the
Spanish Era, resided in the Palacio del Gobernador inside the walled city of Intramuros.
However, after an earthquake in 1863, the Palacio del Gobernador was destroyed, and
the residence and office of the governor-general was transferred to Malacañang Palace.
During the Philippine Revolution, President Aguinaldo resided in his own home
in Kawit, Cavite. After his defeat in the Philippine–American War, Aguinaldo transferred
the capital of the Philippines several times as he struggled against invading American
Forces. When the Americans occupied the Philippines, they also used the palace as an
official residence for their governors-general. During the Japanese occupation of the
Philippines, the presidential seat and government offices were transferred to the more
inland Baguio, where the Mansion House was used as the official residence.
Meanwhile, President Manuel L. Quezon of the Philippine Commonwealth government-
in-exile resided in the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington D.C. After the restoration of
independence in 1946, plans were made for the construction of the new presidential
residence to replace Malacañang in a new capital city. However, the plans did not push
through and the president's official residence is still Malacañang Palace in Manila. [122][123]
A secondary residence within the wider palace grounds is Bahay ng Pagbabago (transl. 
House of Change), formerly known as Bahay Pangarap (transl. House of Dreams),[124] a
smaller structure located on the south bank of the Pasig River across the main palace
in Malacañang Park,[125] which is itself part of the Presidential Security Group Complex.[124]
[126]
 President Benigno Aquino III was the first to use Bahay Pangarap as his official
residence.[127][128] It was originally built in the 1930s under President Quezon as a rest
house and venue for informal activities and social functions of the First Family. [124][128] The
house was designed by architect Juan Arellano in the 1930s, [124][128] and underwent
several renovations in the early 1960s, 2008, and 2010. [124][125][128]
The president also has several other official residences nationwide for official use. The
Mansion in Baguio is the official summer palace of the president. The palace was
originally built in 1908 to serve as the summer residence for American Governors-
General, and later became the holiday home and working office for presidents when the
government would temporarily visit Baguio.[129] Malacañang of the South in Davao City is
the president's residence in Mindanao. It was built in 2005 on state property and serves
as an official residence and base of operations for presidents when visiting Davao and
the surrounding provinces. Malacañang sa Sugbo in Cebu City was the former official
residence in the Visayas. Originally the local office of the Bureau of Customs (BOC), it
was converted to a palace in 2004. It was later returned to the BOC. [130] Malacañang of
the North was also an official residence of the president in the Ilocos Region. The
residence is currently a presidential museum.[131]
Travel[edit]
Air transportation[edit]
Main article: Air transports of heads of state and government §  Philippines

An Aérospatiale SA-330 Puma carrying President Corazon C. Aquino at Subic Bay Naval Base.

The 250th (Presidential) Airlift Wing of the Philippine Air Force has the mandate of
providing safe and efficient air transport for the president of the Philippines and the First
Family. On occasion, the wing has also been tasked to provide transportation for other
members of government, visiting heads of state, and other state guests.
The majority of the fleet is fairly dated with a few exceptions it includes: 1 Fokker F28,
which is primarily used for the president's domestic trips and it is also called "Kalayaan
One" when the president is on board, 4 Bell 412 helicopters, 3 Sikorsky S-
76 helicopters, 1 Sikorsky S-70-5 Black Hawk, a number of Bell UH-1N Twin Hueys, as
well as Fokker F-27 Friendships. In September 2020, a new Gulfstream G280 was
delivered which will be used for VIP transport as well as for C2 (Command and Control)
missions.[132] For trips outside of the Philippines, the Air Force employs a Bombardier
Global Express or charters appropriate aircraft from the country's flag carrier, Philippine
Airlines. Any PAL aircraft with the flight number "PR/PAL 001" and callsign
"PHILIPPINE 001" is a flight operated by Philippine Airlines to transport the president of
the Philippines. The president sometimes charter private jets for domestic trips within
the Philippines due to some airports in the Philippines having small runways.
Water transportation[edit]
BRP Ang Pangulo (BRP stands for Barkó ng Repúblika ng Pilipinas, "Ship of the
Republic of the Philippines"; "Ang Pangulo" is Filipino for "the president") was
commissioned by the Philippine Navy on March 7, 1959. It was built in and by Japan
during the administration of President García as part of Japanese reparations to the
Philippines for World War II.[133] It is primarily used in entertaining guests of the
incumbent president.
Land transportation[edit]
Main article: Official state car §  Philippines
The president of the Philippines uses two black and heavily armored Mercedes-Benz
W221 S600 Guard, whereas one is a decoy vehicle. In convoys, the president is
escorted by the Presidential Security Group using primarily Nissan Patrol SUVs with the
combination of the following vehicles: Audi A6, BMW 7 Series, Chevrolet
Suburban, Hyundai Equus, Hyundai Starex, Toyota Camry, Toyota Fortuner, Toyota
Land Cruiser, Philippine National Police 400cc motorcycles, Philippine National
Police Toyota Altis (Police car variant), other government-owned vehicles, and
ambulances at the tail of the convoy; the number depends on the destination. The
presidential cars are designated and registered a plate number of "1" or the word
"PANGULO" (president). The limousine bears the flag of the Philippines and,
occasionally, the presidential standard.[134]
hideOfficial state cars of the president[135][136][137]
President Land Transport
Manuel Quezon 1937 Chrysler Airflow Custom Imperial CW
Jose P. Laurel 1942 Packard Custom Super Eight:One-Eighty Limousine
Manuel Roxas 1940 Cadillac Series 75 limousine
Elpidio Quirino 1953 Chrysler Imperial Limousine
Ramon Magsaysay 1955 Cadillac Series 75-23
Carlos P. Garcia No records, possibly same as Magsaysay
Diosdado Macapagal 1957 Ford Sedan
Mercedes-Benz 600 Limousine
Ferdinand Marcos
1980 Lincoln Continental Mark VI Signature Series
Corazon Aquino Mercedes-Benz 500SEL
Fidel V. Ramos Mercedes-Benz 500SEL Guard
Joseph Estrada Mercedes-Benz S600 (W140)
Gloria Macapagal Mercedes-Benz S600 (V140)
Arroyo Mercedes-Benz S600 (W221)
Toyota Land Cruiser
Benigno Aquino III
Lexus LX570
Toyota Land Cruiser
Isuzu D-Max
Rodrigo Duterte
Toyota Hilux
Chevrolet Colorado
Toyota Land Cruiser
Bongbong Marcos Cadillac Escalade ESV
Mercedes-Benz S600 (W222)
The Office of the President has also owned various cars over the decades, including a
1937 Chrysler Airflow that served as the country's very first presidential limousine
for Manuel L. Quezon. For regional trips, the president boards a Toyota
Coaster or Mitsubishi Fuso Rosa or other vehicles owned by government-owned and
controlled corporations or government agencies. In this case, the PSG escorts the
president using local police cars with an ambulance at the tail of the convoy. Former
president Benigno Aquino III, preferred to use his personal vehicle, a Toyota Land
Cruiser 200 or his relative's Lexus LX 570 over the black presidential limousines after
their electronic mechanisms were damaged by floodwater. Malacañang had announced
its interest to acquire a new presidential limousine. [138] His successor, Rodrigo Duterte,
utilized a white, bullet-proof armored Toyota Landcruiser as his official presidential
vehicle.[139]
Security[edit]
Main article: Presidential Security Group
The Presidential Security Group (abbreviated PSG), is the lead agency tasked with
providing security for the president, vice president, and their immediate families. They
also provide protective service for visiting heads of state and diplomats.
Unlike similar groups around the world who protect other political figures, the PSG is not
required to handle presidential candidates. However, former presidents and their
immediate families are entitled to a small security detail from the PSG. Currently, the
PSG uses Nissan Patrol SUVs as its primary security vehicles.

List of presidents[edit]
Main article: List of presidents of the Philippines

Post-presidency[edit]
Garcia (right) and Magsaysay (left)

President-elect Ferdinand E. Marcos is received by incumbent President Diosdado Macapagal at the

Malacañan Palace Music Room, before both proceeded to the inaugural venue, December 30, 1965.

At Malacañang Palace, 1955. Clockwise, from top left: Senator Edmundo Cea, Former President Jose P.

Laurel Sr., Senator Cipriano Primicias, Senate President Eulogio A. Rodriguez, Sr., President Ramon F.
Magsaysay, & House Speaker Jose B. Laurel, Jr.
Presidents Emilio Aguinaldo and Manuel L. Quezon during the 1935 campaign.

From left: Presidents Joseph Ejercito Estrada, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Rodrigo Duterte, Fidel V. Ramos,

and Benigno S. Aquino III; photo taken before the start of a National Security Council meeting at the
Malacañang Palace on July 27, 2016.

After leaving office, a number of presidents held various public positions and made an
effort to remain in the limelight. Among other honors, Expect Ferdinand Marcos Sr,
former presidents and their immediate families are entitled to seven soldiers as their
security detail.[140]

 José P. Laurel, who was the only president of the Second Philippine

Republic, was elected to the Senate in 1951 and would serve in the upper
house until 1957, making him the country's first head of state to seek lower
office following his presidency. During his tenure, the Nacionalista
Party urged him to run for president in 1953. He declined, working instead for
the successful election of Ramon Magsaysay, who subsequently appointed
Laurel to head a diplomatic mission that was tasked with negotiating trade
and other issues with United States officials, resulting in the Laurel-Langley
Agreement. Laurel was also the chairperson of the Economic Mission to the
United States (1954) and the founder of Lyceum of the Philippines University.
[141][142]

 Sergio Osmeña became a member of the Council of State under Roxas,

Quirino, Magsaysay, and García. He was also a member of the National
Security Council in the García administration.[142][143]
 Elpidio Quirino became a councilor of state under President Magsaysay. [144]
 Carlos P. Garcia was a delegate, later elected, president of the Constitutional
Convention on June 1, 1971.[145]
 Diosdado Macapagal was also a delegate and then succeeded Carlos P.
García as president of the 1971 Constitutional Convention. He also lectured
in universities and was later a Councilor of State under presidents
Aquino mère and Ramos.
 Corazon Aquino was a member of the National Security Council under
Ramos, Estrada and Arroyo. She was also a member of the Council of State
under President Arroyo.
 Fidel Ramos founded the Ramos Peace and Development Foundation. He
was a senior advisor and member of the National Security Council under
 President Estrada. Ramos was a member of the Council of State and
an Ambassador-at-Large under President Arroyo. He was later appointed as
special envoy to China under President Duterte to open bilateral negotiations
with China over the disputes in the South China Sea but later resigned on
November 1 following President Duterte's state visit to Beijing on October 16,
2016.
 Joseph Estrada returned to film in November 2009, starring in Ang Tanging
Pamilya: A Marry Go Round as part of a promotional attempt to run for a
second term as president in 2010 amid controversy on the legality of his
intent (he was allowed to run anyway by the COMELEC since the Supreme
Court never weighed in on the matter) with many questioning why such a
constitutional violation was ever allowed. His release from prison in 2007 by
his successor, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, restored his political privileges and
allowed him to run again. Estrada eventually became a member of the
National Security Council under Arroyo, Aquino III, Duterte and Marcos Jr. [146]
[147][148]
 Following his loss to Aquino III in 2010, he ran against Alfredo Lim for
the office of Mayor of Manila in 2013, and won. Estrada was mayor from 2013
to 2019, thus making him the third head of state to run for lower office
following his presidency.
 Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ran for and won a seat in the House of
Representatives of the Philippines as the Representative for the 2nd District
of Pampanga in the 2010 elections and in the 2022 elections, making her the
second head of state after Laurel to seek lower office following her
presidency.[149] Arroyo would later serve in major positions in the House of
Representatives such as Deputy Speaker within two consecutive terms (from
2016 to 2017, and another currently in 2022) and was later elected as House
Speaker on July 23, 2018, making her the first woman to hold that position. [150]
 Benigno Aquino III became a councilor of state under President Duterte.
 Rodrigo Duterte was a member of the National Security Council under
Marcos Jr.