Philippines Country Profile
General Information
Official Name: Republic of the Philippines (Republika ng Pilipinas)
Capital: Manila (Executive offices, including the President, are located in Metro Manila)
Population: 113.88 million (as of 2023)
Official Languages: Filipino and English
Currency: Philippine Peso (PHP)
Geographic Location: Southeast Asia, with a total land area of 300,000 square kilometres, composed of 7,641 islands.
Major Regions: Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao
Political Context
Government Type: The Philippines is a unitary presidential constitutional republic. The 1987 Constitution lays out a tripartite system of government composed of the Executive, Legislative, and Judiciary branches.
Recent Administration: The current president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., was elected in 2022. His administration is focused on economic growth, infrastructure development, and balancing relations with both China and the U.S. Marcos Jr.'s presidency represents the return of the Marcos family to power after Ferdinand Marcos Sr.'s dictatorship, which lasted from 1965 to 1986.
Historical Background: The political system in the Philippines has been influenced by colonial periods under Spain and the U.S. A major event was the imposition of martial law in 1972 under Ferdinand Marcos Sr., leading to a dictatorship until his ousting in 1986, which restored democracy.
Political Parties
The Philippines has a multi-party system. Political parties generally form alliances during elections, and personalities tend to dominate over party platforms.
PDP-Laban (Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan): Associated with Rodrigo Duterte and his allies.
Lakas-CMD (Lakas–Christian Muslim Democrats): A centrist party currently aligned with Vice President Sara Duterte.
Nacionalista Party: The oldest political party in the Philippines, currently affiliated with the Marcos family.
Liberal Party: Historically the primary opposition party, with a pro-democracy and liberal agenda.
Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC): Centrist party with wide support across provinces.
Party-List Representation: Minor parties represent marginalized sectors like labourers, women, and indigenous peoples.
Parliamentary Structure
The Philippine Congress is bicameral, consisting of:
Senate: Composed of 24 senators, elected nationally for six-year terms. They serve as part of the upper house and play a key role in foreign policy, approving treaties, and other legislative matters.
House of Representatives: Composed of 316 members. Of these, 253 represent legislative districts and 63 are elected through a party-list system to ensure representation of marginalized sectors. Members serve for three-year terms, and the House initiates revenue bills and can impeach officials.
Hierarchy in the State
President: Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. (since 2022)
Role: The head of state and government, responsible for foreign affairs, military leadership, and policy directives.
Vice President: Sara Duterte (since 2022)
Role: Also serves as the Secretary of Education under the current administration.
Senate President: Juan Miguel Zubiri (since 2022)
Role: Presides over the Senate and ensures the passage of legislative measures.
Speaker of the House: Martin Romualdez (since 2022)
Role: Leads the House of Representatives and coordinates legislative agendas.
Secretary of Foreign Affairs (MFA): Enrique Manalo
Role: Oversees the country’s diplomatic relations and foreign policy.
Secretary of the Interior and Local Government (MIA): Benhur Abalos
Role: Manages local government operations and ensures public safety.
Secretary of National Defense: Gilberto Teodoro Jr.
Role: Responsible for defence policy and overseeing the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Table of Elections
Election Type Last Held Next Scheduled Details
Presidential Election May 9, 2022 May 2028 Ferdinand Marcos Jr. won with 58.77% of the vote. The President serves a six-year term with no possibility of re-election.
Senatorial Election May 9, 2022 May 2025 Senators are elected for six-year terms, with half the Senate up for re-election every three years.
House of Representatives May 9, 2022 May 2025 Members serve three-year terms. Both district representatives and party-list representatives are elected.
Local Elections May 9, 2022 May 2025 Includes governors, mayors, and other local officials.
Way of Voting: Presidential, Legislative, and Local Elections
Presidential Elections:
Election Frequency: Every six years.
Eligibility: Filipino citizens at least 18 years old who have resided in the Philippines for at least one year and in their voting district for at least six months prior to the election.
Process: The Philippines uses a first-past-the-post system for the Presidential
and Vice-Presidential elections, meaning the candidate with the most votes wins.
Voters cast their ballots directly for the President and Vice President, who are elected separately.
Senate Elections:
Election Frequency: Every three years, with half of the 24 Senate seats up for election.
Eligibility: Filipino citizens aged 18 and above, subject to the same residency requirements.
Process: Senators are elected at-large (nationwide), with voters selecting up to 12 candidates during election years. The top 12 candidates with the most votes win the seats.
House of Representatives Elections:
Election Frequency: Every three years.
Eligibility: Same as for other national elections.
Process: The House of Representatives consists of two types of seats:
District Representatives: Elected through a first-past-the-post system in single-member districts.
Party-list Representatives: Selected based on proportional
representation. Voters choose a party, and the number of seats a party wins depends on the total number of votes it receives nationwide.
Party-list seats are reserved for marginalized groups.
Local Elections:
Election Frequency: Held every three years, concurrently with congressional elections.
Process: Local officials, including governors, mayors, and councillors, are elected via first-past-the-post voting within their respective provinces, cities, or municipalities.
Electronic Voting and Counting:
The Philippines has adopted automated voting systems using Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines. These machines scan paper ballots where voters mark their chosen candidates.
The votes are then automatically counted and transmitted electronically, ensuring a faster and more transparent tallying process.
Last Election Results
Presidential Election (May 9, 2022):
President: Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (PDP-Laban/Partido Federal ng Pilipinas)
Votes: 31.63 million (58.77%)
Vice President: Sara Duterte (Lakas-CMD)
Votes: 32.2 million (61.53%)
Main Opponent: Leni Robredo (Independent), who received around 15 million votes (27.94%).
Senate Elections (May 9, 2022):
Half of the 24 Senate seats were up for election.
Top 12 Elected Senators: Some key winners included Robinhood Padilla (17.6 million votes), Loren Legarda (24 million votes), and Raffy Tulfo (23.3 million votes).
House of Representatives Elections (May 9, 2022):
District Representatives: PDP-Laban won the largest number of district seats.
Party-list Representatives: The ACT-CIS Party-list secured the most votes in the party-list system. [1]
Economic Context
GDP: $402.6 billion (2023)
GDP Growth Rate: The economy is recovering post-pandemic with a growth rate of 6.4% in 2023, driven by domestic consumption, government spending on infrastructure, and strong remittance inflows.
Key Sectors: The economy is heavily service-oriented, particularly in Business Process Outsourcing (BPO). Other key sectors include manufacturing, agriculture, and tourism.
Challenges: The country faces rising inflation, high public debt due to pandemic-related expenditures, and poverty (around 18% of the population lives below the poverty line).
Remittances: Remittances from Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) contribute around 10% of the GDP, making them a critical driver of household consumption.
International Political Context
Relations with the United States: The Philippines is a close U.S. ally, with strong historical ties and a Mutual Defense Treaty signed in 1951. There are ongoing military exercises between the two nations.
South China Sea Dispute: The Philippines is engaged in a territorial dispute with China over the South China Sea (referred to as the West Philippine Sea locally). Despite a favourable ruling from the Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016, China continues to assert its claims. The Marcos administration has sought a more balanced approach, working with both China on economic cooperation and maintaining strong security ties with the U.S.
ASEAN Relations: As a founding member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Philippines plays an active role in regional diplomacy, especially regarding security, economic integration, and addressing climate change.
Counter-Terrorism: The government continues to address security issues related to the communist insurgency (New People's Army) and Islamist extremist groups like Abu Sayyaf and ISIS-affiliated factions in Mindanao.
