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: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Joseph Ejercito ESTRADA (since 30 June 1998) and Vice President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 30 June 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Joseph Ejercito ESTRADA (since 30 June 1998) and Vice President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 30 June 1998); 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 1998 (next to be held 11 May 2004) election results: Joseph Ejercito ESTRADA elected president; percent of vote - approximately 40%; Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO 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 (221 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 11 May 1998 (next to be held 11 May 2001); House of Representatives - elections last held 11 May 1998 (next to be held 11 May 2001) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LAMP 12, Lakas 5, PRP 2, LP 1, other 3; note - the Senate now has only 23 members with one seat vacated when Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO became vice president; the seat can only be filled by election and is likely to remain open until the next regular election in 2001; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LAMP 135, Lakas 37, LP 13, Aksyon Demokratiko 1, other 35
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: Aksyon Demokratiko or Democratic Action
; Laban Ng Masang Pilipino or LAMP (Struggle of the
Filipino Masses) [Joseph ESTRADA, titular head, Eduardo "Danding"
COJUANGO, chairman, Edgardo ANGARA, party president]; Lakas [Raul
MANGLAPUS, chairman, Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, secretary general, Jose
DE VENECIA, party president]; Liberal Party or LP [Raul DAZA,
president, Jovito SALONGA, chairman, Florencio ABAD, secretary
general]; People's Reform Party or PRP
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, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNTAET,
UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ernesto MACEDA chancery: 1600 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: (202) 467-9300 FAX: (202) 328-7614 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Tamuning (Guam) consulate(s): San Diego and San Jose (Saipan)