Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Fidel Valdes RAMOS (since 30 June 1992) and Vice President Joseph Ejercito ESTRADA (since 30 June 1992); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Fidel Valdes RAMOS (since 30 June 1992) and Vice President Joseph Ejercito ESTRADA (since 30 June 1992); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with the consent of the Commission of Appointments elections: president and vice president elected on separate tickets by popular vote for six-year terms; election last held 11 May 1992 (next to be held 11 May 1998) election results: Fidel Valdes RAMOS elected president; percent of vote-Fidel Valdes RAMOS 23.6% (a narrow plurality); Joseph Ejercito ESTRADA elected vice president; percent of vote-NA%
Legislative branch: bicameral Congress or Kongreso consists of the Senate or Senado (24 seats-one-half elected every three years; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Kapulungan Ng Mga Kinatawan (204 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; note-an additional 50 members may be appointed by the president) elections: Senate-last held 8 May 1995 (next to be held 11 May 1998); House of Representatives-elections last held 8 May 1995 (next to be held 11 May 1998) election results: Senate-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-LDP 15, Lakas-NUCD 6, NPC 1, PRP 1, independent 1; House of Representatives-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-Lakas-NUCD 126, LDP 28, NPC 28, NP 2, KBL 2, other 18
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), Jose DE VENECIA, secretary general; Liberal Party (LP), Alfredo LIM, standard bearer; Laban Ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino (LMMP or Fight of the Patriotic Filipino Masses), Joseph ESTRADA, standard bearer; 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 note: political parties are highly fluid and personalistic; the major parties as of May 1998 are-Lakas-NUCD, LMMP, and LP
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, 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: FPO 96515 telephone: [63] (2) 523-1001 FAX: [63] (2) 522-4361
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
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