Philippines Government 1997

Country name
conventional long form : Republic of the Philippines
conventional short form: Philippines
local long form: Republika ng Pilipinas
local short form: Pilipinas

Data code RP

Government type republic

National capital Manila

Administrative divisions 72 provinces and 61 chartered cities*; Abra, Agusan del Norte, Agusandel 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, 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*, LaUnion, Legaspi*, Leyte, Lipa*, Lucena*, Maguindanao, Mandaue*, Manila*, Marawi*,Marinduque, Masbate, Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro Oriental, Misamis Occidental,Misamis Oriental, Mountain, Naga*, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, NorthCotabato, Northern Samar, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Olongapo*, Ormoc*, Oroquieta*,Ozamis*, Pagadian*, Palawan, Palayan*, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Pasay*, PuertoPrincesa*, Quezon, Quezon City*, Quirino, Rizal, Romblon, Roxas*, Samar, SanCarlos* (in Negros Occidental), San Carlos* (in Pangasinan), San Jose*, SanPablo*, Silay*, Siquijor, Sorsogon, South Cotabato, Southern Leyte, SultanKudarat, Sulu, Surigao*, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Tacloban*, Tagaytay*,Tagbilaran*, Tangub*, Tarlac, Tawitawi, Toledo*, Trece Martires*, Zambales,Zamboanga*, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur

Independence 4 July 1946 (from US)

National holiday Independence Day, 12 June (1898) (from Spain)

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 Fidel Valdes RAMOS (since 30 June 1992) and Vice PresidentJoseph Ejercito ESTRADA (since 30 June 1992); note - the president is boththe chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Fidel Valdes RAMOS (since 30 June 1992) and Vice PresidentJoseph Ejercito ESTRADA (since 30 June 1992); note - the president is boththe chief of state and head of government
cabinet : Cabinet appointed by the president with the consent of the Commissionof Appointments
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular votefor six-year terms; election last held 11 May 1992 (next to be held NA May1998)
election results: Fidel Valdes RAMOS elected president; percent of vote - Fidel ValdesRAMOS 23.6% (a narrow plurality)

Legislative branch bicameral Congress or Kongreso consists of the Senate or Senado (24seats - one-half elected every three years; members elected by popular voteto serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Kapulungan NgMga Kinatawan (204 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; note - an additional 50 members may be appointed by the president)
elections : Senate - last held 8 May 1995 (next to be held NA May 1998); House ofRepresentatives - elections last held 8 May 1995 (next to be held NA May 1998)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LDP 14, Lakas/NUCD5, NPC 2, LP 1, PRP 1, independent 1; House of Representatives - percent ofvote by party - NA; seats by party - Lakas/NUCD 129, LDP 29, NPC (opposition)25, LP 6, PDP 3, KBL/NPC 1, results pending 11

Judicial branch Supreme Court, justices are appointed for four-year terms by the presidenton the recommendation of the Judicial and Bar Council

Political parties and leaders Democratic Filipino Struggle (Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino, LDP),Edgardo ANGARA; People Power-National Union of Christian Democrats (Lakasng EDSA-NUCD or Lakas-NUCD), Raul MANGLAPUS, president, and Jose DE VENECIA,secretary general; Liberal Party (LP), Raul DAZA; National People's Coalition(NPC), Eduardo COJUANGCO; People's Reform Party (PRP), Miriam DEFENSOR-SANTIAGO;New Society Movement (Kilusan Bagong Lipunan, KBL), Imelda MARCOS; NacionalistaParty (NP), Salvador H. LAUREL, president; Filipino Democratic Party (PartidoDemokratikong Philipinas or PDP), Jose COJUANGCO, is part of the ruling coalitionwith the LDP

International organization participation APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat,Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, Mekong Group, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Raul Chaves RABE
chancery: 1600 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 467-9300
FAX: [1] (202) 328-7614
consulate(s) general: Agana (Guam), Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco,and Seattle
consulate(s): San Jose (Saipan)

Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission : Ambassador Thomas C. HUBBARD
embassy: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Ermita Manila 1000
mailing address: APO AP 96440
telephone: [63] (2) 521-71-16
FAX: [63] (2) 522-43-61

Flag description two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a white equilateraltriangle 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 ineach corner of the triangle is a small yellow five-pointed star

NOTE: The information regarding Philippines on this page is re-published from the 1997 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Philippines Government 1997 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Philippines Government 1997 should be addressed to the CIA.