Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of the Philippines
conventional short form: Philippines
local short form: Pilipinas
local long form: Republika ng Pilipinas
Government type:
republic
Capital:
Manila
Administrative divisions:
73 provinces and 61 chartered cities*; Abra, Agusan del Norte,
Agusan del Sur, Aklan, Albay, Angeles*, Antique, Aurora, Bacolod*,
Bago*, Baguio*, Bais*, Basilan, Basilan City*, Bataan, Batanes,
Batangas, Batangas City*, Benguet, Bohol, Bukidnon, Bulacan,
Butuan*, Cabanatuan*, Cadiz*, Cagayan, Cagayan de Oro*, Calbayog*,
Caloocan*, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Camiguin, Canlaon*,
Capiz, Catanduanes, Cavite, Cavite City*, Cebu, Cebu City*,
Cotabato*, Dagupan*, Danao*, Dapitan*, Davao City*, Davao del Norte,
Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Dipolog*, Dumaguete*, Eastern Samar,
General Santos*, Gingoog*, Ifugao, Iligan*, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos
Sur, Iloilo, Iloilo City*, Iriga*, Isabela, Kalinga-Apayao, La
Carlota*, Laguna, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Laoag*,
Lapu-Lapu*, La Union, Legaspi*, Leyte, Lipa*, Lucena*, Maguindanao,
Mandaue*, Manila*, Marawi*, Marinduque, Masbate, Mindoro Occidental,
Mindoro Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Mountain,
Naga*, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, North Cotabato, Northern
Samar, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Olongapo*, Ormoc*, Oroquieta*,
Ozamis*, Pagadian*, Palawan, Palayan*, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Pasay*,
Puerto Princesa*, Quezon, Quezon City*, Quirino, Rizal, Romblon,
Roxas*, Samar, San Carlos* (in Negros Occidental), San Carlos* (in
Pangasinan), San Jose*, San Pablo*, Silay*, Siquijor, Sorsogon,
South Cotabato, Southern Leyte, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Surigao*,
Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Tacloban*, Tagaytay*,
Tagbilaran*, Tangub*, Tarlac, Tawi-Tawi, Toledo*, Trece Martires*,
Zambales, Zamboanga*, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur
Independence:
12 June 1898 (from Spain)
National holiday:
Independence Day (from Spain), 12 June (1898); note - 12 June 1898
is the date of independence from Spain, 4 July 1946 is the date of
independence from the US
Constitution:
2 February 1987, effective 11 February 1987
Legal system:
based on Spanish and Anglo-American law; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 20 January
2001) and Vice President Teofisto GUINGONA (since 20 January 2001);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 20
January 2001) and Vice President Teofisto GUINGONA (since 20 January
2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with the consent of the
Commission of Appointments
elections: president and vice president elected on separate tickets
by popular vote for six-year terms; election last held 11 May 1998
(next to be held 16 May 2004)
election results: results of the last presidential election - Joseph
Ejercito ESTRADA elected president; percent of vote - approximately
40%; Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO elected vice president; percent of vote
- 55%; note - on 20 January 2001, Vice President Gloria
MACAPAGAL-ARROYO was sworn in as the constitutional successor to
President Joseph ESTRADA after the Supreme Court declared that
ESTRADA was unable to rule in view of the mass resignations from his
government; according to the Constitution, only in cases of death,
permanent disability, removal from office, or resignation of the
president, can the vice president serve for the unexpired term
Legislative branch:
bicameral Congress or Kongreso consists of the Senate or Senado (24
seats - one-half elected every three years; members elected by
popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of
Representatives or Kapulungan Ng Mga Kinatawan (214 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; note - additional
members may be appointed by the president but the Constitution
prohibits the House of Representatives from having more than 250
members)
elections: Senate - last held 14 May 2001 (next to be held 16 May
2004); House of Representatives - elections last held 14 May 2001
(next to be held 16 May 2004)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - Lakas 13, PDP-Laban/LDP 11; House of Representatives -
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Lakas 86, NPC 51,
LDP 21, LP 20, independents 10, other 26
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (justices are appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the Judicial and Bar Council and serve until 70
years of age)
Political parties and leaders:
Laban Ng Demokratikong Pilipino (Struggle of Filipino Democrats) or
LDP [Edgardo ANGARA, president, Agapito AQUINO, secretary general];
Lakas Ng Edsa (National Union of Christian Democrats) or Lakas [Jose
DE VENECIA, president]; Liberal Party or LP [Florencio ABAD,
president; Franklin DRILON, chairman]; National People's Coalition
or NPC [Eduardo COJUANGCO, chairman emeritus; Frisco SAN JUAN,
president; Faustino DY, chairman]; PDP-Laban [Aquilino PIMENTEL,
chairman; Jejomar BINAY, president]; PMP [Horacio MORALES,
president]; Aksyon Demokratiko Party [Raul ROCO, president]; Reporma
[Renato DE VILLA, chairman]; PROMDI [Emilio OSMENA, president]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS
(observer), OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISET, UNU,
UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Albert DEL ROSARIO
consulate(s): San Diego
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, San
Francisco, San Jose (Northern Mariana Islands), Tamuning (Guam)
FAX: [1] (202) 328-7614
telephone: [1] (202) 467-9300
chancery: 1600 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Francis J. RICCIARDONE
embassy: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Manila
mailing address: PSC 500, FPO AP 96515-1000
telephone: [63] (2) 523-1001
FAX: [63] (2) 522-4361
Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a white
equilateral triangle based on the hoist side; in the center of the
triangle is a yellow sun with eight primary rays (each containing
three individual rays) and in each corner of the triangle is a small
yellow five-pointed star