Philippine Executive Branch

The Executive Branch

• The President of the Philippines serves as both the head of state and the head of government.
• The President is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
• The President is elected by popular vote for a term of six years.
• The President appoints and may dismiss cabinet members.
• The executive seat of government is administered from Malacañang Palace in Manila.
• A President may not run for re-election, unless they become President through constitutional succession and have served for no more than four years.

The Vice-President

• The Vice-President is the second highest official and is first in line to succession should the President resign, be impeached, or die in office.
• The Vice-President may be a member of the President's cabinet.
• If there is a vacancy in the position of Vice President, the President will appoint a new Vice President from Congress, subject to validation by a three-fourths vote of Congress.

The Legislative Branch

• Legislative power is vested in the Congress of the Philippines, which consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
• The Senate has 24 Senators elected at large by the qualified voters of the Philippines.
• The House of Representatives has a maximum of 250 members, 20% of whom are Party-list representatives.
• Congress makes enabling laws to uphold the constitution and may amend or change it.
• Congress creates two main documents: bills and resolutions.
• Resolutions convey principles and sentiments of the Senate or the House of Representatives.
• Bills are laws in the making and pass into law when approved by both houses and the President.

The Legislative Process

• A bill may be vetoed by the President, but the House of Representatives can overturn the veto with a 2/3rds vote.
• If the President does not act on a proposed law, it lapses into law after 30 days of receipt.

The Judiciary

• The judiciary branch is headed by the Supreme Court, with a Chief Justice and 14 Associate Justices, all appointed by the President.
• The judiciary has the power to interpret the Constitution and the laws, and its decisions are final and beyond review by any other branch of government.

The Philippine Government

• The Philippine government is a presidential, representative, and democratic republic.
• The system has three separate and sovereign yet interdependent branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
• Executive power is exercised by the government under the leadership of the President.
• Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two-chamber Congress.
• Judicial power is vested in the courts with the Supreme Court as the highest judicial body.

Learn about the executive branch of the Philippines, its powers, and responsibilities. Discover how the President is elected and their role as head of state and government.