Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 20 January
2001); note - president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 20
January 2001)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with consent of
Commission of Appointments
elections: president and vice president (Manuel "Noli" DE CASTRO)
elected on separate tickets by popular vote for six-year terms;
election last held 10 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2010)
election results: results of the election - Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
elected president; percent of vote - Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO 40%,
Fernando POE 37%, three others 23%
Legislative branch:
bicameral Congress or Kongreso consists of the Senate or Senado (24
seats - one-half elected every three years; members elected at large
by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of
Representatives or Kapulungan Ng Mga Kinatawan (212 members
representing districts plus 24 sectoral party-list members; members
elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; note - the
Constitution prohibits the House of Representatives from having more
than 250 members)
elections: Senate - last held 10 May 2004 (next to be held in May
2007); House of Representatives - elections last held 10 May 2004
(next to be held in May 2007)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - Lakas 30%, LP
13%, KNP 13%, independents 17%, others 27%; seats by party - Lakas
7, LP 3, KNP (coalition) 3, independents 4, others 6; note - there
are 23 rather than 24 sitting senators because one senator was
elected Vice President; 14 senators are pro-government, 9 are in
opposition; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - Lakas 93, NPC 53, LP 34, LDP 11, others 20;
party-listers 24; note - there are 211 rather than 212 sitting
representatives because one was appointed Secretary of Tourism (2004)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (15 justices are appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the Judicial and Bar Council and serve until 70
years of age); Court of Appeals; Sandigan-bayan (special court for
hearing corruption cases of government officials)
Political parties and leaders:
Laban Ng Demokratikong Pilipino (Struggle of Filipino Democrats) or
LDP [Edgardo ANGARA, president]; Lakas Ng Edsa (National Union of
Christian Democrats) or Lakas [Jose DE VENECIA, president; Gloria
MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, chairperson]; Liberal Party or LP [Franklin
DRILON, president; Jose ATIENZA, JR., chairman]; National People's
Coalition or NPC [Eduardo COJUANGCO, chairman emeritus; Frisco SAN
JUAN, president]; PDP-Laban [Aquilino PIMENTEL, president]; Pwersa
ng Masang Pilipino (Party of the Philippine Masses) or PMP [Joseph
ESTRADA, president; Juan Ponce ENRILE, chairman]; Aksyon Demokratiko
Party [Raul ROCO, president]; Reporma [Renato DE VILLA, chairman];
PROMDI [Emilio OSMENA, president]; Nacionalista [Manuel VILLAR,
president]; People's Reform Party [Miriam Defensor SANTIAGO,
president}
Political pressure groups and leaders:
AKBAYAN [Reps. Etta ROSALES, Mario AGUJA, and Risa
HONTIVEROS-BARAQUIEL]; ANAKPAWIS [Reps. Crispin BELTRAN and Rafael
MARIANO]; Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives (APEC)
[Reps. Edgar VALDEZ, Ernesto PABLO, and Sunny Rose MADAMBA]; Bayan
Muna [Reps. Satur OCAMPO, Joel VIRADOR, and Teodoro CASINO, Jr.];
BUHAY [Reps. Rene VELARDE and Hans Christian SENERES]; BUTIL [Rep.
Benjamin CRUZ]; CIBAC [Rep. Emmanuel Joel VILLANUEVA]; GABRIELA
[Rep. Liza MAZA]; PARTIDO NG MANGGAGAWA [Rep. Renato MAGTUBO] (2003)
International organization participation:
APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, CP, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINUSTAH,
NAM, OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW, UN, UN Security Council
(temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET,
UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Albert DEL ROSARIO
chancery: 1600 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 467-9300
FAX: [1] (202) 328-7614
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, San
Francisco, San Jose (Northern Mariana Islands), Tamuning (Guam)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires Darryl N. JOHNSON
(Ambassador-designate Michael MICHALAK)
embassy: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Manila
mailing address: PSC 500, FPO AP 96515-1000
telephone: [63] (2) 523-6300
FAX: [63] (2) 522-4361
Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of blue (top; representing peace and
justice) and red (representing courage); a white equilateral
triangle based on the hoist side represents equality; the center of
the triangle displays a yellow sun with eight primary rays, each
representing one of the first eight provinces that sought
independence from Spain; each corner of the triangle contains a
small, yellow, five-pointed star representing the three major
geographical divisions of the country: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao;
the design of the flag dates to 1897; in wartime the flag is flown
upside down with the red band at the top