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 a single six-year term; election last held on 10 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2010) election results: 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 (as a result of May 2007 election it has 239 seats including 218 members representing districts and 21 sectoral party-list members representing special minorities elected on the basis of 1 seat for every 2% of the total vote but limited to 3 seats; 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 on 14 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2010); House of Representatives - elections last held on 14 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2010) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Lakas-Kampi 4, LP 4, NPC 3, Nacionalista 2, independents 4, others 6; note - there are 23 rather than 24 sitting senators because one senator was elected mayor of Manila; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Lakas 86, Kampi 46, NPC 29, LP 21, Party-list 21, others 36
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:
Genuine Opposition or GO (coalition of oppositon parties formed to
contest the 2007 elections); Kabalikat Ng Malayang Pilipino or Kampi
[Ronaldo PUNO]; Laban Ng Demokratikong Pilipino (Struggle of
Filipino Democrats) or LDP [Edgardo ANGARA]; Lakas Ng Edsa (National
Union of Christian Democrats) or Lakas [Jose DE VENECIA]; Liberal
Party or LP [Manuel ROXAS]; Nacionalista [Manuel VILLAR]; National
People's Coalition or NPC [Frisco SAN JUAN]; PDP-Laban [Aquilino
PIMENTEL]; People's Reform Party [Miriam Defensor SANTIAGO]; PROMDI
[Emilio OSMENA]; Pwersa Ng Masang Pilipino (Party of the Philippine
Masses) or PMP [Joseph ESTRADA]; Reporma [Renato DE VILLA]
Political pressure groups and leaders: