Judicial branch: Supreme Court, justices are appointed for four-year terms by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial and Bar Council
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Filipino Struggle (Laban ng
Demokratikong Pilipino, LDP), Edgardo ANGARA; People Power-National
Union of Christian Democrats (Lakas ng EDSA-NUCD or Lakas-NUCD), Raul
MANGLAPUS, president, and Jose DE VENECIA, secretary general; Liberal
Party (LP), Raul DAZA; National People's Coalition (NPC), Eduardo
COJUANGCO; People's Reform Party (PRP), Miriam DEFENSOR-SANTIAGO; New
Society Movement (Kilusan Bagong Lipunan, KBL), Imelda MARCOS;
Nacionalista Party (NP), Salvador H. LAUREL, president; Filipino
Democratic Party (Partido Demokratikong Philipinas or PDP), Jose
COJUANGCO, is part of the ruling coalition with the LDP
International organization participation: APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, CP,
ESCAP, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, Mekong Group, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU,
UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the 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, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle consulate(s): San Jose (Saipan)
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission : Ambassador Thomas C. HUBBARD embassy: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Ermita Manila 1000 mailing address: APO AP 96440 telephone: [63] (2) 521-71-16 FAX: [63] (2) 522-43-61
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a white equilateral triangle based on the hoist side; in the center of the triangle is a yellow sun with eight primary rays (each containing three individual rays) and in each corner of the triangle is a small yellow five-pointed star
Economy
Economy - overview: The Philippine economy, primarily a mixture of agriculture and light industry, continued its fourth year of recovery in 1996, led by growth in exports and investments. Officials have targeted 7.1%-7.8% growth for 1997 after achieving an estimated 5.5% growth in 1996. The government is continuing its economic reforms to enable the Philippines to move closer to the development of the newly industrialized countries of East Asia. The strategy includes improving infrastructure, overhauling the tax system to bolster government revenues, and moving toward further deregulation and privatization of the economy.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $194.2 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5.5% (1996 est.)