Politics of the Philippines takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of the Philippines is both head of state and head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of congress, the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.

The Republic of the Philippines has a representative democracy modeled after the United States of America system. The 1987 constitution, adopted during the Corazon Aquino administration, reestablished a presidential system of government with a bicameral legislature and an independent judiciary.

The executive branch is headed by the President, who functions as both head of state and government, as well as being the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The President is elected by popular vote to a term of 6 years, who then presides and appoints the cabinet members. The executive seat of government is located in the City of Manila. The President and may no longer run for re-election, unless he/she becomes president through constitutional succession and has served for no more than 4 years as president. Provision also was made in the constitution for autonomous regions in Muslim areas of Mindanao and in the Cordillera region of northern Luzon.

The government is pursuing corruption-related criminal cases against former President Estrada, who is currently under detention. The terrorist Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), which recently gained international notoriety with its kidnappings of foreign tourists in the southern islands, is a major problem for the government. In May 2001, the ASG kidnapped several Americans that it still holds. Efforts to track down and destroy the ASG have been unsuccessful. Rising crime and concerns about the security situation have begun to have a negative impact on tourism and foreign investment. The government continues to face threats from both Muslim separatist groups and communist insurgents and is pursuing peace talks with both groups.

[edit]
Legislative branch
The bicameral Philippine legislature, the Congress, consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives; members of both are elected by popular vote. The Senate is elected at large. There are currently 24 senators. Of a possible 250 members of the House of Representatives, 206 are elected from the single-member districts. The remainder of the House seats are designated for sectoral representatives elected at large through a complex "party list" system, hinging on the party receiving at least 2% to 6% of the national vote total. The upper house is located in Pasay City, while the lower house is located in Quezon City.

When Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo assumed the Presidency, her LAKAS-CMD party also regained its dominant position in Congress. The party leads the 187 member Sunshine Coalition composed of several major and minor parties. In the Senate, the pro-administration coalition controls 13 of the 24 seats. Members of the Philippine Congress tend to have weak party loyalties and change party affiliation easily. In October 2002, the Sunshine Coalition dissolved over Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's decision to seek election for the presidency which she came into by succeeding Joseph Estrada during the EDSA 2 Revolution of 2001.

Senate President: Manuel Villar

Speaker of the House of Representatives: Jose de Venecia

Presidents of the Senate

1916-1935 Manuel Luis Quezon (Philippine Legislature)
1935 Jose Avelino
1935-1941 Dissolved, Unicameral Legislature
1941-1945 Dissolved, World War II
1945-1946 Manuel A. Roxas (Commonwealth of the Philippines)
1946-1949 Jose Avelino
1949-1951 Mariano Jesus Cuenco
1952-1952 Quintin Paredes
1952-1952 Camilo Osias
1952-1953 Eulogio Rodriguez
1953-1953 Jose Zulueta
1953-1963 Eulogio Rodriguez
1963-1965 Ferdinand E. Marcos
1966-1967 Arturo M. Tolentino
1967-1972 Gil J. Puyat
1972-1978 Dissolved, Martial Law
1978-1986 Dissolved, Unicameral Legislature
1986-1987 Dissolved, Government Reorganization
1987-1992 Jovito R. Salonga
1992-1993 Neptali A. Gonzales
1993-1995 Edgardo J. Angara
1995-1996 Neptali A. Gonzales
1996-1998 Ernesto M. Maceda
1998-1998 Neptali A. Gonzales
1998-1999 Marcelo B. Fernan
1999-2000 Blas F. Ople
2000-2000 Franklin M. Drilon
2000-2001 Aquilino Pimentel
2001-2006 Franklin M. Drilon
2006-pres Manuel B. Villar, Jr.
Speakers of the House of Representatives

1907-1922 Sergio Osmeña (Philippine Assembly)
1922-1933 Manuel A. Roxas (House of Representatives)
1933-1935 Quintin Paredes (House of Representatives)
1935-1935 Gil Montilla (National Assembly)
1938-1941 Jose Yulo (National Assembly)
1941-1943 Vacant, World War II
1943-1944 Benigno Aquino Sr. (National Assembly, 2nd Republic)
1945-1946 Jose Zulueta (House of Representatives)
1946-1953 Eugenio Perez (House of Representatives)
1954-1957 Jose B. Laurel, Jr. (House of Representatives)
1957-1962 Daniel Romualdez (House of Representatives)
1962-1967 Cornelio Villareal (House of Representatives)
1967-1971 Jose B. Laurel, Jr. (House of Representatives)
1971-1972 Cornelio Villareal (House of Representatives)
1972-1978 Vacant, Dissolved
1978-1984 Querube C. Makalintal (Batasang Pambansa)
1984-1986 Nicanor E. Yniguez (Batasang Pambansa)
1986-1987 Vacant, Dissolved
1987-1992 Ramon V. Mitra (House of Representatives)
1992-1998 Jose C. De Venecia, Jr.(House of Representatives)
1998-2000 Manuel Villar Jr. (House of Representatives)
2000-2001 Arnulfo Fuentebella (House of Representatives)
2001 Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. (House of Representatives)
2001-pres Jose C. De Venecia, Jr. (House of Representatives)
[edit]
Judicial branch
The judiciary branch of the government is headed by the Supreme Court, which has a Chief Justice as its head and 14 Associate Justices, all appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial and Bar Council.

Supreme Court Chief Justice: Artemio Panganiban

Chief Justices of the Supreme Court

1901-1920 Cayetano L. Arellano
1920-1921 Victorino M. Mapa
1921-1924 Manuel G. Araullo
1925-1941 Ramon Q. Avaceña
1941-1942 Jose Abad Santos
1942-1944 Jose Yulo
1945-1951 Manuel V. Moran
1951-1961 Ricardo M. Paras
1961-1966 Cesar Bengzon
1966-1973 Roberto R. Concepcion
1973-1975 Querube C. Makalintal
1976-1979 Fred Ruiz Castro
1979-1985 Enrique M. Fernando
1985-1985 Felix V. Macasiar
1985-1986 Ramon C. Aquino
1986-1988 Claudio Teehankee, Sr.
1988-1988 Pedro L. Yap
1988-1991 Marcelo B. Fernan
1991-1998 Andres R. Narvasa
1998-2005 Hilario G. Davide, Jr.
2005-Pres Artemio Panganiban
[edit]
Offices of the Ombudsman
The government and all three of its branches are independently monitored by the Offices of the Ombudsman. The Ombudsman is given the mandate to investigate and prosecute any official/s in government that is allegedly guilty of crimes, especially Graft and Corruption. The Ombudsman leads a team composed of a sheriff and 6 deputies who lead the their respective divisions and/or bureaus.

Excerpted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_the_Philippines