Philippine National Government

• Philippine government operates at the national and local levels

National Government

• The national government is an institution that governs the country
• It is established to ensure the welfare of the people
• The national government is responsible for physical, economic, social, and cultural development

National Government Positions

• The executive branch contains the President, Vice President, and Cabinet Members
• The legislative branch is composed of Senators and the House of Representatives
• The Judicial branch has a Chief Justice and 14 Justices

The President

• The President is the highest official in the Philippine government
• The President controls all officials and employees under the executive branch
• The President is the Commander-in-Chief with full control over the military during peace and war
• The President has a term of office of 6 years and cannot be re-elected

The Vice President

• The Vice President alternates in governing the country with the President
• The Vice President takes the President's place if the President can no longer fulfill their duty
• The Vice President has a term of office of 6 years and can be re-elected for a second term

Qualifications for President and Vice President

• Must be a natural-born citizen of the Philippines
• Must be a registered voter
• Must be able to read and write
• Must have resided in the Philippines for at least 10 years before election day
• Must be at least 40 years old on election day

The Senate

• The Senate, also called the Upper House, comprises 24 senators
• Senators are elected by registered voters nationwide
• The Senate is lead by the Senate President

Qualifications for the Senate

• Must be a natural-born citizen of the Philippines
• Must be a registered voter
• Must be at least 35 years old at the time of the election
• Must be able to read and write
• Must be a resident of the Philippines for at least 1 year immediately before election day

The House of Representatives

• The House of Representatives, also called the Lower House, consists of 250 members
• The number of members can be otherwise adjusted by law
• The House of Representatives is lead by the Speaker of the House

Qualifications for the House of Representatives

• Must be a natural-born citizen of the Philippines
• Must be a registered voter in the district to be represented
• Must be at least 25 years old
• Must be able to read and write
• Must be a resident of the Philippines for at least 1 year immediately before election day

Upper and Lower House Functions

• They make, repeal, or modify laws for the welfare of citizens

Local Government

• It is the management of elected officials from various political units
• These units include provinces, cities, municipalities, and barangays

Local Government Structure

• Provinces are headed by a Governor and Vice Governor
• Cities are headed by a City Mayor
• Municipalities are headed by a Municipal Mayor
• Barangays are headed by a Barangay Captain

Provinces

• A province is the largest local government unit
• Provinces are comprised of cities and municipalities

Governor

• The Governor is the highest-ranking official in the province and its chief executive
• The Governor controls all programs, projects, services, and activities concerning the province

Vice Governor

• The Vice Governor is the second-highest-ranking official in the province
• The Vice Governor replaces the Governor if the position is vacated

Cities

• Cities are generally more progressive and have larger populations
• Cities usually have a high standard of living

Municipalities

• Municipalities have smaller populations compared to cities
• Municipalities have a smaller territory

Mayor

• The Mayor is the highest-ranking official and chief executive in their locality
• The Mayor implements all laws and ordinances
• The Mayor manages all the projects, services, and activities in the city/municipality

Vice Mayor

• The Vice Mayor is the next highest-ranking official in the city or municipality
• The Vice Mayor acts as a substitute for the mayor if needed

Barangays

• The barangay is the smallest political unit in the Philippines
• The word "barangay" comes from the Malay word "balangay," meaning "sea vessel"
• Barangays are established to provide services directly to their constituents

Barangay Captain

• The Barangay Captain is the highest-ranking official and chief executive in the barangay
• The Barangay Captain maintains peace and order
• The Barangay Captain implements all laws and ordinances in the barangay

Barangay Councilors

• Barangay Councilors act as the lawmakers of the barangay
• They maintain the properties or infrastructures owned by the barangay
• They assist the Barangay Captain in their duties and lead in peacekeeping