National holiday: Independence Day, 12 June (1898) (from Spain)
Constitution: 2 February 1987, effective 11 February 1987
Legal system: based on Spanish and Anglo-American law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 15 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government: President Fidel Valdes RAMOS
(since 30 June 1992); Vice President Joseph Ejercito ESTRADA (since 30
June 1992); election last held 11 May 1992 (next to be held NA May
1998); results - Fidel Valdes RAMOS won 23.6% of the vote, a narrow
plurality
cabinet: Executive Secretary; appointed by the president with the
consent of the Commission of Appointments
Legislative branch: bicameral Congress (Kongreso)
Senate (Senado): elections last held 11 May 1992 (next to be held NA
May 1995); results - LDP 66%, NPC 20%, Lakas/NUCD 8%, Liberal 6%;
seats - (24 total) LDP 15, NPC 5, Lakas/NUCD 2, Liberal 1, independent
1
House of Representatives (Kapulungan Ng Mga Kinatawan): elections last
held 11 May 1992 (next to be held NA May 1995); results - LDP 43.5%;
Lakas/NUCD 25%, NPC 23.5%, Liberal 5%, KBL 3%; seats - (200 total) LDP
87, NPC 45, Lakas/NUCD 41, Liberal 15, NP 6, KBL 3, independents 3
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Filipino Struggle (Laban ng
Demokratikong Pilipinas, LDP), Edgardo ESPIRITU; People Power-National
Union of Christian Democrats (Lakas ng Edsa, NUCD and Partido Lakas
Tao, Lakas/NUCD); Fidel V. RAMOS, President of the Republic, Raul
MANGLAPUS, Jose DE VENECIA, secretary general; Nationalist People's
Coalition (NPC), Eduardo COJUANGCO; Liberal Party, Jovito SALONGA;
People's Reform Party (PRP), Miriam DEFENSOR-SANTIAGO; New Society
Movement (Kilusan Bagong Lipunan; KBL), Imelda MARCOS; Nacionalista
Party (NP), Salvador H. LAUREL, president
Member of: APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-24, G-77, GATT,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Raul Chaves RABE chancery: 1600 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 467-9300 FAX: [1] (202) 328-7614 consulate(s) general: Agana (Guam), Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle consulate(s): San Diego and San Jose (Saipan)