GOVERNMENT

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

The executive branch is headed by the President, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (party affiliation: Kampi/Lakas-CMD) January 20, 2001, who functions as both the head of state and the head of government.

The president is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

The president is elected by popular vote to a term of 6 years.

The president, then, appoints (and may dismiss) his/her cabinet members whom he/she presides over.

The executive seat of government is administered officially from Malacañang Palace - also the official residence of the president - in Manila.

The President 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.

The second highest official, Vice-President Noli de Castro (party affiliation: Lakas-CMD/Independent) June 30, 2004, is also elected by popular vote.

The vice-president is first in line to succession should the president resign, be impeached or die in office.

The vice-president usually, though not always, may be 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 will be validated by a three-fourths vote of Congress voting separately.

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.

The district and sectoral representatives are elected with a term of three years.

They can be reelected but they are no longer eligible to run for a fourth consecutive term.

The senators are elected to a term of six years. They can be reelected but they are no longer eligible to run for a third consecutive term.

The House of Representatives may opt to pass a resolution for a vacancy of a legislative seat that will pave way for a special election.

The winner of the special election will serve the unfinished term of the previous district representative; this will be considered as one elective term.

The same rule applies in the Senate however it only applies if the seat is vacated before a regular legislative election.

This case applies when Senator Teofisto Guingona was appointed Vice President before the May 2001 election.

Senator Gregorio Honasan was in the 13th position in the Senatorial election and he served the unfinished term of Guingona.

Honasan is no longer eligible to run for the 2004 elections.

The case did not apply in 1998 when Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was elected as Vice President and in 2004 when Noli de Castro was elected as Vice President.