Politics of the Philippines
Encyclopedia
The Politics of the Philippines takes place in an organized framework of a presidential
, representative, and democratic
republic
whereby the president
is both the head of state
and the head of government
within a pluriform
multi-party system
. This system revolves around three separate and sovereign yet interdependent branches: the legislative branch, the executive branch, and the judicial branch. 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—the Senate
(the upper chamber) and the House of Representatives
(the lower chamber). Judicial power
is vested in the courts with the Supreme Court of the Philippines
as the highest judicial body.
Benigno S. Aquino III
of the Liberal Party
, whose functions are as both the head of state and as the head of government. The President is also the Commander-in-Chief
of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and is elected by popular vote to a term of six years. The president then appoints his or her cabinet
members over whom he or she presides. The executive seat of government is administered officially from Malacañang Palace
in Manila
. The president
may not run for re-election unless he or she had become president through constitutional succession and had served for no more than four years.
The president was assisted by his or her Cabinet
that is made up of different departments and is headed by a secretary. The president appoints the secretary with the consent of the Commission on Appointments.
The second highest official, Vice-President Jejomar Binay
of the PDP-Laban party is also elected by popular vote. The Vice-President is first in line to succession if the President resigns, is impeached or dies. The Vice-President usually, though not always, is a member of the president's cabinet. If there is a vacancy in the position of vice-president, the President will appoint any member of Congress (usually a party member) as new vice-president. The appointment must then be validated by a three-fourths vote of Congress.
, while the lower house is located in Quezon City
. The district and sectoral representatives are elected fro a term of three years. They can be re-elected but they may not run for a fourth consecutive term. The senators are elected to a term of six years. They can be re-elected but may not run for a third consecutive term. The House of Representatives may opt to pass a resolution for a vacancy of a legislative seat, which leads to a special election. The winner of the special election will serve the unfinished term of the previous district representative, and will be considered as one elective term. The same rule also applies in the senate, however it only applies if the seat was vacated before a regular legislative election.
The current Senate President
is Juan Ponce Enrile
, while the current Speaker of the House of Representatives is Feliciano Belmonte, Jr.
, which has a Chief Justice
as its head and 14 Associate Justices
. The justices serve until the age of 70. The justices are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial and Bar Council
.
Other court types of courts, of varying jurisdiction around the archipelago, are the:
Lower Collegiate Courts:
Regular Courts:
Muslim Courts
. The Ombudsman is given the mandate to investigate and prosecute any government official allegedly guilty of crimes, especially Graft
and Corruption
. The Ombudsman, or otherwise called as Tanodbayan, is assisted by six deputies, namely the Overall Deputy, the Deputy for Luzon, the Deputy for Visayas, the Deputy for Mindanao, the Deputy for the Armed Forces, and the Special Prosecutor.
occupation, the Nacionalista Party was the dominant party. However, during the Japanese occupation in World War II
, a new party, the Kapisanan ng Paglilingkod sa Bagong Pilipinas (KALIBAPI), was formed, and was the only party allowed to operate during the occupation.
After the war, KALIBAPI was abolished and the Nacionalistas returned to power. A new party, the Liberal Party
, was formed after a Nacionalistas led by Jose P. Laurel
and Camilo Osias
split from KALIBAPI. This two-party system
remained until 1972.
However, when Ferdinand Marcos
declared martial law
, he formed his own party, the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan
(KBL, New Society Movement) composed mainly of Nacionalistas and Liberals, as well as some other parties. Most of Marcos' political opponents were jailed, tortured or killed. In 1978, Marcos called an election
to the interim Batasang Pambansa
. An opposition party was formed known as LABAN
. Among the candidates then were Benigno Aquino
, Ernesto Maceda and Alex Bongcayao. During that election, no opposition candidate was elected. Some groups also sprang up including the National Union for Liberation
led by John Osmena and Diosdado Macapagal
, the Mindanao Alliance, the Muslim Federal Party, the Pusyon Bisaya, and the Young Philippines.
In 1984, other opposition parties sprang up. Among them were PDP-LABAN (different from the original LABAN party) of Aquilino Pimentel and the UNIDO, or the United Nationalist Democratic Organization of Salvador Laurel
. The UNIDO would later be an umbrella coalition for opposition against Ferdinand Marcos
.
The Liberal Party-Salonga Wing, the remaining US-based political figures, and the Left boycotted the elections.
When Marcos was overthrown in the People Power Revolution, other parties appeared, such as Partido Nacionalista ng Pilipinas, the Lakas ng Bansa, the National Union of Christian Democrats, the Philippine Democratic Socialist Party, and BANDILA.
In 1987, the opposition parties who wanted to distance both from Marcos & Aquino formed the Grand Alliance for Democracy (GAD) headed by Juan Ponce Enrile
and Francisco Tatad
. The parties taking part in the GAD were the Nacionalista Party (Jose Roy Wing), a faction of the legislators from Kilusang Bagong Lipunan that distanced from Marcos headed by Arturo Tolentino
, the pre-1986 leaders that defected from the ruling coalition such as Eva Estrada-Kalaw
, the Partido Nacionalista ng Pilipinas headed by Blas Ople
, the Mindanao Alliance, the Muslim Federal Party and the Christian Socialist Democratic Party.
Another segment of KBL who are still Marcos loyalists joined forces with the Union for Peace & Progress or UPP.
The Left created the Partido ng Bayan or PnB that led by labor leader Rolando Olalia, son of Bert Olalia as chairman. They put up 7 senatorial bets in the 1987 elections such as peasant leader Jaime Tadeo and Atty. Romeo Capulong.
In 1988 the Lakas ng Bansa headed by Ramon Mitra
and PDP-LABAN (Cojuangco Wing) joined to form the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino
or the LDP, causing a split in the ruling coalition and the unification of the Nacionalista Party
.
In 1989, anti-Aquino elements reunited at PICC into the Unification of the Nacionalista Party. Political leaders from both of the parties who opposed the current regime appointed Former House Speaker Jose B. Laurel Jr. as Interim President in a Manifesto.
In 1992 elections
, the LDP was split in half. Fidel V. Ramos
formed his own party, the Partido Lakas ng Tao, which coalesced with the National Union of Christian Democrats. Their union was later known as the Lakas-NUCD, but is now known as the Lakas-Christian and Muslim Democrats. The LDP was headed by Ramon Mitra
. During these elections, the Nacionalista Party also split into two. The Nacionalistas were led by Salvador Laurel while the splinter group, led by Danding Cojuangco, was known as the Nationalist People's Coalition
or NPC.
In the 1998 general elections
, three new political parties formed: the Partido ng Masang Pilipino
by Joseph Estrada
, the Aksyon Demokratiko (Democratic Action) by Raul Roco
, and the Kabalikat ng Mamamayang Pilipino (KAMPI) by Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
.
There were other regional parties, including Panaghiusa (precursor of the Osmeñas' BO-PK), and the Mindanao Alliance in Mindanao, though many of them are now defunct.
as the primary unit. As of 2007, there are 81 provinces in the country. Provinces are further subdivided into cities
and municipalities, which are in turn, composed of barangay
s. The barangay is the smallest local government unit. A Philippine province is headed by a Governor. A Provincial Council (Sangguniang Panlalawigan
) is composed of a Vice Governor (Presiding Officer) and Provincial Board Members. A Philippine city or municipality is headed by a Mayor. a City Council (Sangguniang Panlungsod
) or Municipal Council (Sangguniang Bayan
) is composed of a Vice Mayor (Presiding Officer) and City or Municipal Councillors. A barangay is headed by a Barangay Captain
, who is also the presiding officer of the Barangay council (Sangguniang Barangay
). The Barangay Council is composed of seven Barangay Kagawad
s. A similar unit called a Youth Council (Sangguniang Kabataan
) is headed by an SK Chairperson with a similar rank to a Barangay KAGAWAD. The council is composed of SK Members.
The term of office for all local elected officials is three years, starting from noon of June 30 of an election year. No local elective official may serve for more than three consecutive terms in the same position. Voluntary renunciation of the office for any length of time is not considered as an interruption in the continuity of service for the full term for which the elective official concerned was elected. Barangay and SK officials are elected to a term of five years, starting from noon of the date as prescribed by law. The current barangay organic law sets the date of November 12, 2007 as the effective date. Current barangay and SK officials started terms August 15, 2002. The next barangay and SK election will be on October 29, 2007.
All provinces are grouped into 17 regions
for administrative convenience. Most government offices establish regional offices to serve the constituent provinces. The regions themselves do not possess a separate local government, with the exception of the Muslim Mindanao
region, which is autonomous. The Cordillera Administrative Region
will become an autonomous region and will receive the setup granted to Muslim Mindanao if voters would approve an organic law that would create a Cordillera Autonomous Region.
since its inception on October 24, 1945 and is a founding member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN). The Philippines is also a member of the East Asia Summit
(EAS), an active player in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
(APEC), the Latin Union
and a member of the Group of 24. The country is a major non-NATO ally
of the U.S., and also a member of the Non-Aligned Movement
.
Presidential system
A presidential system is a system of government where an executive branch exists and presides separately from the legislature, to which it is not responsible and which cannot, in normal circumstances, dismiss it....
, representative, and democratic
Representative democracy
Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principle of elected individuals representing the people, as opposed to autocracy and direct democracy...
republic
Republic
A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
whereby the president
President of the Philippines
The President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...
is both the head of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
and the head of government
Head of government
Head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled prime minister, chief minister, premier, etc...
within a pluriform
Diversity (politics)
In the political arena, the term diversity is used to describe political entities with members who have identifiable differences in their backgrounds or lifestyles....
multi-party system
Multi-party system
A multi-party system is a system in which multiple political parties have the capacity to gain control of government separately or in coalition, e.g.The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition in the United Kingdom formed in 2010. The effective number of parties in a multi-party system is normally...
. This system revolves around three separate and sovereign yet interdependent branches: the legislative branch, the executive branch, and the judicial branch. Executive power
Executive Power
Executive Power is Vince Flynn's fifth novel, and the fourth to feature Mitch Rapp, an American agent that works for the CIA as an operative for a covert counter terrorism unit called the "Orion Team."-Plot summary:...
is exercised by the government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
under the leadership of the president. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two-chamber congress—the Senate
Senate of the Philippines
The Senate of the Philippines is the upper chamber of the bicameral legislature of the Philippines, the Congress of the Philippines...
(the upper chamber) and the House of Representatives
House of Representatives of the Philippines
The House of Representatives of the Philippines is the lower chamber of the...
(the lower chamber). Judicial power
Judiciary
The judiciary is the system of courts that interprets and applies the law in the name of the state. The judiciary also provides a mechanism for the resolution of disputes...
is vested in the courts with the Supreme Court of the Philippines
Supreme Court of the Philippines
The Supreme Court of the Philippines is the Philippines' highest judicial court, as well as the court of last resort. The court consists of 14 Associate Justices and 1 Chief Justice...
as the highest judicial body.
Government of the Philippines
Executive branch
The current executive branch is headed by PresidentPresident of the Philippines
The President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...
Benigno S. Aquino III
Benigno Aquino III
Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III , also known as Noynoy Aquino or PNoy, is a Filipino politician who has been the 15th and current President of the Philippines since June 2010....
of the Liberal Party
Liberal Party (Philippines)
The Liberal Party of the Philippines is a liberal party in the Philippines, founded by then senators Senate President Manuel Roxas, Senate President Pro-Tempore Elpidio Quirino, and former 9th Senatorial District Senator Jose Avelino, on November 24, 1945 by a breakaway Liberal group from the...
, whose functions are as both the head of state and as the head of government. The President is also the Commander-in-Chief
Commander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and is elected by popular vote to a term of six years. The president then appoints his or her cabinet
Cabinet of the Philippines
The Cabinet of the Philippines consists of the heads of the largest part of the executive branch of the national government of the Philippines...
members over whom he or she presides. The executive seat of government is administered officially from Malacañang Palace
Malacañang Palace
The Malacañan Palace, commonly known simply as Malacañang, is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the Philippines. Located at 1000 J. P. Laurel Street, San Miguel, Manila, the house was built in 1750 in Spanish Colonial style. It has been the residence of every...
in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
. The president
President of the Philippines
The President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...
may not run for re-election unless he or she had become president through constitutional succession and had served for no more than four years.
The president was assisted by his or her Cabinet
Cabinet of the Philippines
The Cabinet of the Philippines consists of the heads of the largest part of the executive branch of the national government of the Philippines...
that is made up of different departments and is headed by a secretary. The president appoints the secretary with the consent of the Commission on Appointments.
The second highest official, Vice-President Jejomar Binay
Jejomar Binay
Jejomar "Jojo" Cabauatan Binay, Sr. , also known as Jojo Binay or VPNay, is a Filipino politician who has been the 15th Vice President of the Philippines since 2010. Previously, he was Mayor of Makati City from 1986 to 1998 and again from 2001 to 2010...
of the PDP-Laban party is also elected by popular vote. The Vice-President is first in line to succession if the President resigns, is impeached or dies. The Vice-President usually, though not always, is a member of the president's cabinet. If there is a vacancy in the position of vice-president, the President will appoint any member of Congress (usually a party member) as new vice-president. The appointment must then be validated by a three-fourths vote of Congress.
Legislative branch
The remainder of the house seats are designated for sectoral representatives elected at large through a complex system, which depends on the party receiving at least 2% to 6% of the total national vote. The upper house is located in Pasay CityPasay City
The City of Pasay is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila in the Philippines. It is bordered on the north by the country's capital, Manila, to the northeast by Makati City, to the east by Taguig City, and Parañaque City to the south.Pasay City was one of the original four...
, while the lower house is located in Quezon City
Quezon City
Quezon City is the former capital and the most populous city in the Philippines. Located on the island of Luzon, Quezon City is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila, the National Capital Region. The city was named after Manuel L...
. The district and sectoral representatives are elected fro a term of three years. They can be re-elected but they may not run for a fourth consecutive term. The senators are elected to a term of six years. They can be re-elected but may not run for a third consecutive term. The House of Representatives may opt to pass a resolution for a vacancy of a legislative seat, which leads to a special election. The winner of the special election will serve the unfinished term of the previous district representative, and will be considered as one elective term. The same rule also applies in the senate, however it only applies if the seat was vacated before a regular legislative election.
The current Senate President
President of the Senate of the Philippines
The President of the Senate of the Philippines, or more popularly known as the Senate President, is the presiding officer and the highest ranking-official of the Senate of the Philippines. He/she is elected by the entire body to be their leader...
is Juan Ponce Enrile
Juan Ponce Enrile
Juan Ponce Enrile is a Filipino politician. As a protege of President Ferdinand Marcos, he served as Justice Secretary and then Defense Secretary under the Marcos regime. He later became one of the leaders of the 1986 People Power Movement that drove Marcos from power...
, while the current Speaker of the House of Representatives is Feliciano Belmonte, Jr.
Feliciano Belmonte, Jr.
Feliciano "Sonny" Racimo Belmonte, Jr. is a member of the Philippine House of Representatives representing the Fourth District of Quezon City. He is also the house speaker of the Congress from 2010 to present. He was the mayor of Quezon City from 2001-2010.-Early Life and Career:Belmonte was born...
Judicial branch
The judiciary branch of the government is headed by the Supreme CourtSupreme Court of the Philippines
The Supreme Court of the Philippines is the Philippines' highest judicial court, as well as the court of last resort. The court consists of 14 Associate Justices and 1 Chief Justice...
, which has a Chief Justice
Chief Justice of the Philippines
The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines presides over the Supreme Court of the Philippines and is the highest judicial officer of the government of the Philippines...
as its head and 14 Associate Justices
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines
An Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines is one of 15 members of the Philippine Supreme Court, the highest court in the Philippines. The Chief Justice presides over the High Court, but carries only 1 of the 15 votes in the court...
. The justices serve until the age of 70. The justices are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial and Bar Council
Judicial and Bar Council
The Judicial and Bar Council of the Philippines is a constitutionally-created body that recommends appointees for vacancies that may arise in the composition of the Supreme Court and other lower courts.-Composition:...
.
Other court types of courts, of varying jurisdiction around the archipelago, are the:
Lower Collegiate Courts:
- Court of Appeals
- Court of Tax Appeals
- Sandiganbayan
Regular Courts:
- Regional Trial Courts
- Metropolitan Trial Courts
- Municipal Trial Courts
- Municipal Trial Courts in Cities
- Municipal Circuit Trial Courts
Muslim Courts
- Sharia District Courts
- Sharia Circuit Courts
Office of the Ombudsman
The government and all three of its branches are independently monitored by the office of the OmbudsmanPhilippine Ombudsman
The Ombudsman of the Philippines is an ombudsman responsible for investigating and prosecuting Philippine government officials accused of crimes....
. The Ombudsman is given the mandate to investigate and prosecute any government official allegedly guilty of crimes, especially Graft
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
and Corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
. The Ombudsman, or otherwise called as Tanodbayan, is assisted by six deputies, namely the Overall Deputy, the Deputy for Luzon, the Deputy for Visayas, the Deputy for Mindanao, the Deputy for the Armed Forces, and the Special Prosecutor.
Political parties and elections
During the AmericanUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
occupation, the Nacionalista Party was the dominant party. However, during the Japanese occupation in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, a new party, the Kapisanan ng Paglilingkod sa Bagong Pilipinas (KALIBAPI), was formed, and was the only party allowed to operate during the occupation.
After the war, KALIBAPI was abolished and the Nacionalistas returned to power. A new party, the Liberal Party
Liberal Party (Philippines)
The Liberal Party of the Philippines is a liberal party in the Philippines, founded by then senators Senate President Manuel Roxas, Senate President Pro-Tempore Elpidio Quirino, and former 9th Senatorial District Senator Jose Avelino, on November 24, 1945 by a breakaway Liberal group from the...
, was formed after a Nacionalistas led by Jose P. Laurel
Jose P. Laurel
José Paciano Laurel y García was the president of the Republic of the Philippines, a Japanese-sponsored administration during World War II, from 1943 to 1945...
and Camilo Osias
Camilo Osías
Camilo Osías was a Filipino politician, twice for a short time President of the Senate of the Philippines....
split from KALIBAPI. This two-party system
Two-party system
A two-party system is a system where two major political parties dominate voting in nearly all elections at every level of government and, as a result, all or nearly all elected offices are members of one of the two major parties...
remained until 1972.
However, when Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
declared martial law
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
, he formed his own party, the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan
Kilusang Bagong Lipunan
The Kilusang Bagong Lipunan , formerly the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan ng Nagkakaisang Nacionalista, Liberal, at iba pa, , is a political party in the Philippines...
(KBL, New Society Movement) composed mainly of Nacionalistas and Liberals, as well as some other parties. Most of Marcos' political opponents were jailed, tortured or killed. In 1978, Marcos called an election
Philippine parliamentary election, 1978
A general election was held in the Philippines on April 7, 1978 for the election of the 166 regional representatives to the Interim Batasang Pambansa...
to the interim Batasang Pambansa
Batasang Pambansa
The Batasang Pambansa , also known by its nickname, the Batasan, was the former parliament of the Philippines, established as an interim assembly in 1978 and finally as an official body in 1984. Under the 1973 constitution, it replaced the former Congress established under the 1935 Commonwealth...
. An opposition party was formed known as LABAN
Laban
Laban may refer to:* Laban , a character in the Book of Genesis.* Laban , a character in The Book of Mormon.* Laban , a 1980s Eurodance duo....
. Among the candidates then were Benigno Aquino
Benigno Aquino, Jr.
Benigno Simeon "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr. was a Filipino Senator and a former Governor of Tarlac. Aquino, together with Gerry Roxas and Jovito Salonga, formed the leadership of the opposition to the Marcos regime in the years leading to the imposition of martial law in the Philippines...
, Ernesto Maceda and Alex Bongcayao. During that election, no opposition candidate was elected. Some groups also sprang up including the National Union for Liberation
Liberal Party (Philippines)
The Liberal Party of the Philippines is a liberal party in the Philippines, founded by then senators Senate President Manuel Roxas, Senate President Pro-Tempore Elpidio Quirino, and former 9th Senatorial District Senator Jose Avelino, on November 24, 1945 by a breakaway Liberal group from the...
led by John Osmena and Diosdado Macapagal
Diosdado Macapagal
Diosdado Pangan Macapagal was the ninth President of the Philippines, serving from 1961 to 1965, and the sixth Vice President, serving from 1957 to 1961. He also served as a member of the House of Representatives, and headed the Constitutional Convention of 1970...
, the Mindanao Alliance, the Muslim Federal Party, the Pusyon Bisaya, and the Young Philippines.
In 1984, other opposition parties sprang up. Among them were PDP-LABAN (different from the original LABAN party) of Aquilino Pimentel and the UNIDO, or the United Nationalist Democratic Organization of Salvador Laurel
Salvador Laurel
Salvador Roman Hidalgo Laurel , also known as Doy Laurel, was Vice President of the Philippines from 1986 to 1992 under Corazon Aquino. Before that, he briefly served as Aquino's first Prime Minister from February 25 to March 25 of 1986...
. The UNIDO would later be an umbrella coalition for opposition against Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
.
The Liberal Party-Salonga Wing, the remaining US-based political figures, and the Left boycotted the elections.
When Marcos was overthrown in the People Power Revolution, other parties appeared, such as Partido Nacionalista ng Pilipinas, the Lakas ng Bansa, the National Union of Christian Democrats, the Philippine Democratic Socialist Party, and BANDILA.
In 1987, the opposition parties who wanted to distance both from Marcos & Aquino formed the Grand Alliance for Democracy (GAD) headed by Juan Ponce Enrile
Juan Ponce Enrile
Juan Ponce Enrile is a Filipino politician. As a protege of President Ferdinand Marcos, he served as Justice Secretary and then Defense Secretary under the Marcos regime. He later became one of the leaders of the 1986 People Power Movement that drove Marcos from power...
and Francisco Tatad
Francisco Tatad
Francisco “Kit” Tatad is a political figure in the Philippines.-Journalist:Tatad practiced journalism as a wire service reporter for the Agence France-Presse...
. The parties taking part in the GAD were the Nacionalista Party (Jose Roy Wing), a faction of the legislators from Kilusang Bagong Lipunan that distanced from Marcos headed by Arturo Tolentino
Arturo Tolentino
Arturo Modesto Tolentino was a prominent political figure in the Philippines who briefly held the position of vice president in 1986. He is more well known as the father of the Philippine “archipelagic doctrine” and expert on the Law of the Sea.-Early career:Arturo M. Tolentino was born in Manila...
, the pre-1986 leaders that defected from the ruling coalition such as Eva Estrada-Kalaw
Eva Estrada-Kalaw
Eva Reynada Estrada-Kalaw is a Filipino politician, served as a Senator in the Senate of the Philippines for 7 years. . Serving in Senate during the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos , she was part of a major transformation in Philippine domestic and foreign policies.-Early life:Evangelina R...
, the Partido Nacionalista ng Pilipinas headed by Blas Ople
Blas Ople
Blas Fajardo Ople was a Filipino journalist and politician who held several high-ranking positions in the executive and legislative branches of the Philippine government, including as Senate President from 1999 to 2000, and as Secretary of Foreign Affairs from 2002 until his death...
, the Mindanao Alliance, the Muslim Federal Party and the Christian Socialist Democratic Party.
Another segment of KBL who are still Marcos loyalists joined forces with the Union for Peace & Progress or UPP.
The Left created the Partido ng Bayan or PnB that led by labor leader Rolando Olalia, son of Bert Olalia as chairman. They put up 7 senatorial bets in the 1987 elections such as peasant leader Jaime Tadeo and Atty. Romeo Capulong.
In 1988 the Lakas ng Bansa headed by Ramon Mitra
Ramon Mitra
Ramon Mitra III is the son of The Late former speaker Ramon Mitra, Jr.-Early life:Born Ramon "Mon-Mon" Blanco-Mitra III on October 28, 1964 in Puerto Princesa City, he is the son of The Late Ramon Mitra, Jr. and Cecilia Blanco...
and PDP-LABAN (Cojuangco Wing) joined to form the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino
Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino
The Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino is a political party in the Philippines founded in 1988.There are no results available of the last elections for the House of Representatives, but according to the website of the House, the party holds 7 out of 235 seats . The party is divided into two factions...
or the LDP, causing a split in the ruling coalition and the unification of the Nacionalista Party
Nacionalista Party
The Nacionalista Party is the oldest political party in the Philippines today and was responsible for leading the country throughout the majority of the 20th century since its founding in 1907...
.
In 1989, anti-Aquino elements reunited at PICC into the Unification of the Nacionalista Party. Political leaders from both of the parties who opposed the current regime appointed Former House Speaker Jose B. Laurel Jr. as Interim President in a Manifesto.
In 1992 elections
Philippine general election, 1992
The senatorial election was held in the Philippines on May 11, 1992. This was the first general election under the 1987 Philippine Constitution. An estimated 80,000 candidates ran for 17,000 posts from the presidency down to municipal councilors...
, the LDP was split in half. Fidel V. Ramos
Fidel V. Ramos
Fidel "Eddie" Valdez Ramos , popularly known as FVR, was the 12th President of the Philippines from 1992 to 1998. During his six years in office, Ramos was widely credited and admired by many for revitalizing and renewing international confidence in the Philippine economy.Prior to his election as...
formed his own party, the Partido Lakas ng Tao, which coalesced with the National Union of Christian Democrats. Their union was later known as the Lakas-NUCD, but is now known as the Lakas-Christian and Muslim Democrats. The LDP was headed by Ramon Mitra
Ramon Mitra
Ramon Mitra III is the son of The Late former speaker Ramon Mitra, Jr.-Early life:Born Ramon "Mon-Mon" Blanco-Mitra III on October 28, 1964 in Puerto Princesa City, he is the son of The Late Ramon Mitra, Jr. and Cecilia Blanco...
. During these elections, the Nacionalista Party also split into two. The Nacionalistas were led by Salvador Laurel while the splinter group, led by Danding Cojuangco, was known as the Nationalist People's Coalition
Nationalist People's Coalition
The Nationalist People's Coalition or NPC is a political party in the Philippines.-History:The Party was founded in 1991 after some members of the Nacionalista Party led by then Rizal Governor Isidro Rodriguez bolted from the Nacionalista Party after some disagreements with Nacionalista party...
or NPC.
In the 1998 general elections
Philippine general election, 1998
The senatorial election was held in the Philippines on May 11, 1998. The two main competing coalitions in the senatorial election were the Lakas-NUCD-UMDP and the Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino -led coalition composed of the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino , Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino , the...
, three new political parties formed: the Partido ng Masang Pilipino
Partido ng Masang Pilipino
The Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino , formerly Partido ng Masang Pilipino is a populist political party in the Philippines. It is the political party of former Philippine President Joseph Estrada...
by Joseph Estrada
Joseph Estrada
Joseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada was the 13th President of the Philippines, serving from 1998 until 2001. Estrada was the first person in the Post-EDSA era to be elected both to the presidency and vice-presidency.Estrada gained popularity as a film actor, playing the lead role in over 100 films in...
, the Aksyon Demokratiko (Democratic Action) by Raul Roco
Raul Roco
Raul Sagarbarria Roco was a political figure in the Philippines. He was the standard-bearer of Aksyon Demokratiko, which he founded in 1997 as a vehicle for his presidential bids in 1998 and 2004. He was a former senator and the Secretary of the Department of Education under the presidency of...
, and the Kabalikat ng Mamamayang Pilipino (KAMPI) by Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a Filipino politician who served as the 14th President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010, as the 12th Vice President of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, and is currently a member of the House of Representatives representing the 2nd District of Pampanga...
.
There were other regional parties, including Panaghiusa (precursor of the Osmeñas' BO-PK), and the Mindanao Alliance in Mindanao, though many of them are now defunct.
Administrative subdivisions
The Philippines is divided into a hierarchy of local government units (LGUs) with the provinceProvinces of the Philippines
The Provinces of the Philippines are the primary political and administrative divisions of the Philippines. There are 80 provinces at present, further subdivided into component cities and municipalities. The National Capital Region, as well as independent cities, are autonomous from any provincial...
as the primary unit. As of 2007, there are 81 provinces in the country. Provinces are further subdivided into cities
Cities of the Philippines
A city is a tier of local government in the Philippines. All Philippine cities are chartered cities, whose existence as corporate and administrative entities is governed by their own specific charters in addition to the Local Government Code of 1991, which specifies the administrative structure...
and municipalities, which are in turn, composed of barangay
Barangay
A barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward...
s. The barangay is the smallest local government unit. A Philippine province is headed by a Governor. A Provincial Council (Sangguniang Panlalawigan
Sangguniang Panlalawigan
The Sangguniang Panlalawigan is the legislature of all provinces in the Philippines. It passes ordinances and resolutions for the effective administration of the province...
) is composed of a Vice Governor (Presiding Officer) and Provincial Board Members. A Philippine city or municipality is headed by a Mayor. a City Council (Sangguniang Panlungsod
Sangguniang Panlungsod
The Sangguniang Panlungsod is the local legislative branch of city governments in the Philippines. The term is coined from the Tagalog words "sanggunian" and "lungsod" which means "city council". It passes ordinances and resolutions for the administration of the city. Its powers are defined by the...
) or Municipal Council (Sangguniang Bayan
Sangguniang Bayan
The Sangguniang Bayan is the legislature of municipal governments in the Philippines. It passes ordinances and resolutions for the effective administration of the municipality...
) is composed of a Vice Mayor (Presiding Officer) and City or Municipal Councillors. A barangay is headed by a Barangay Captain
Cabeza de Barangay
The Cabeza de Barangay was the leader or chief of a barangay in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial period. The post was inherited from the first datus who became cabezas de barangay when the many independent barangays fell under the rule of the Spanish Crown...
, who is also the presiding officer of the Barangay council (Sangguniang Barangay
Sangguniang Barangay
The Sangguniang Barangay is the legislative body of barangay governments in the Philippines. The term is coined from the Tagalog words "sanggunian" and "baranggay" which means "barangay advisory council". It passes ordinances and resolutions for the effective administration of the barangay...
). The Barangay Council is composed of seven Barangay Kagawad
Barangay Kagawad
A Barangay Kagawad, abbreviated as "Kgwd.", is an elected government official who is a member of the Sangguniang Barangay of a particular barangay, the smallest political unit in the Philippines...
s. A similar unit called a Youth Council (Sangguniang Kabataan
Sangguniang Kabataan
The Sangguniang Kabataan is the governing body in every chapter of the Katipunan ng Kabataan . Each barangay in the Philippines is mandated by law to have its own chapter of the Katipunan ng Kabataan, aging from 15 to 18 years old who resides in their respective barangays for at least 6months...
) is headed by an SK Chairperson with a similar rank to a Barangay KAGAWAD. The council is composed of SK Members.
The term of office for all local elected officials is three years, starting from noon of June 30 of an election year. No local elective official may serve for more than three consecutive terms in the same position. Voluntary renunciation of the office for any length of time is not considered as an interruption in the continuity of service for the full term for which the elective official concerned was elected. Barangay and SK officials are elected to a term of five years, starting from noon of the date as prescribed by law. The current barangay organic law sets the date of November 12, 2007 as the effective date. Current barangay and SK officials started terms August 15, 2002. The next barangay and SK election will be on October 29, 2007.
All provinces are grouped into 17 regions
Regions of the Philippines
In the Philippines, regions are administrative divisions that serve primarily to organize the provinces of the country for administrative convenience. Currently, the archipelagic republic of the Philippines is divided into 17 regions...
for administrative convenience. Most government offices establish regional offices to serve the constituent provinces. The regions themselves do not possess a separate local government, with the exception of the Muslim Mindanao
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao is the region, located in the Mindanao island group of the Philippines, that is composed of predominantly Muslim provinces, namely: Basilan , Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. It is the only region that has its own government...
region, which is autonomous. The Cordillera Administrative Region
Cordillera Administrative Region
The Cordillera Administrative Region is a region in the Philippines composed of the provinces of Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga and Mountain Province, as well as Baguio City, the regional center. The Cordillera Administrative Region encompasses most of the areas within the Cordillera...
will become an autonomous region and will receive the setup granted to Muslim Mindanao if voters would approve an organic law that would create a Cordillera Autonomous Region.
International organization participation
The Philippines is a founding and active member of the United NationsUnited Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
since its inception on October 24, 1945 and is a founding member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
Association of Southeast Asian Nations
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, commonly abbreviated ASEAN rarely ), is a geo-political and economic organization of ten countries located in Southeast Asia, which was formed on 8 August 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Since then, membership has...
(ASEAN). The Philippines is also a member of the East Asia Summit
East Asia Summit
The East Asia Summit is a forum held annually by leaders of, initially, 16 countries in the East Asian region. Membership will expand to 18 countries including the United States and Russia at the Sixth EAS in 2011. EAS meetings are held after annual ASEAN leaders’ meetings...
(EAS), an active player in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation is a forum for 21 Pacific Rim countries that seeks to promote free trade and economic cooperation throughout the Asia-Pacific region...
(APEC), the Latin Union
Latin Union
The Latin Union is an international organization of nations that use Romance languages, with the aim of protecting, projecting, and promoting the common cultural heritage and unifying identities of the Latin, and Latin-influenced, world. It was created in 1954 in Madrid, Spain, and has existed as a...
and a member of the Group of 24. The country is a major non-NATO ally
Major non-NATO ally
Major non-NATO ally is a designation given by the United States government to close allies who have strategic working relationships with US armed forces but are not members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization...
of the U.S., and also a member of the Non-Aligned Movement
Non-Aligned Movement
The Non-Aligned Movement is a group of states considering themselves not aligned formally with or against any major power bloc. As of 2011, the movement had 120 members and 17 observer countries...
.
See also
- Senate of the PhilippinesSenate of the PhilippinesThe Senate of the Philippines is the upper chamber of the bicameral legislature of the Philippines, the Congress of the Philippines...
- Regions of the PhilippinesRegions of the PhilippinesIn the Philippines, regions are administrative divisions that serve primarily to organize the provinces of the country for administrative convenience. Currently, the archipelagic republic of the Philippines is divided into 17 regions...
- Provinces of the PhilippinesProvinces of the PhilippinesThe Provinces of the Philippines are the primary political and administrative divisions of the Philippines. There are 80 provinces at present, further subdivided into component cities and municipalities. The National Capital Region, as well as independent cities, are autonomous from any provincial...
- Cities of the PhilippinesCities of the PhilippinesA city is a tier of local government in the Philippines. All Philippine cities are chartered cities, whose existence as corporate and administrative entities is governed by their own specific charters in addition to the Local Government Code of 1991, which specifies the administrative structure...
- Philippine municipality
- BarangayBarangayA barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward...
- Political dynasties in the PhilippinesPolitical dynasties in the PhilippinesPolitics in the Philippines has been under the control of a few notable families. It is normal for a politician's son, wife, brother, or other kinsman, to run for the same or other government office...
- Timeline of Philippine sovereigntyTimeline of Philippine sovereigntyThis article presents a timeline of the sovereignty of the Republic of the Philippines, showing transitions of sovereignty over the Philippine archipelago...
- Sovereignty of the PhilippinesSovereignty of the PhilippinesThe Sovereignty of the Philippines refers to the status of the Philippine Nation as an Independent sovereign state. This article covers sovereignty transitions relating to the Philippines, with particular emphasis on the passing of sovereignty from Spain to the United States in the Treaty of Paris...