The Philippines is a republic with a presidential form of government wherein power is equally divided

among its three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. The government seeks to act in the best

interests of its citizens through this system of check and balance.

The Legislative branch is authorized to make laws, alter, and repeal them through the power vested
in the Philippine Congress. This institution is divided into the Senate and the House of
Representatives.

The Legislative Branch enacts legislation, confirms or rejects Presidential appointments, and has the
authority to declare war. This branch includes Congress (the Senate and House of Representatives)
and several agencies that provide support services to Congress.

The Senate is composed of 24 Senators who are elected at large by the qualified voters of the
Philippines.

The House of Representatives is composed of about 250 members elected from legislative districts
in the provinces, cities, and municipalities, and representatives elected through a party-list system of
registered national, regional, and sectoral parties or organizations.

The party-list representatives shall constitute twenty per cent of the total number of representatives
including those under the party list. For three consecutive terms after the ratification of this
Constitution, one-half of the seats allocated to party-list representatives shall be filled, as provided
by law, by selection or election from the labor, peasant, urban poor, indigenous cultural
communities, women, youth, and such other sectors as may be provided by law, except the religious
sector.

The Executive branch is composed of the President and the Vice President who are elected by direct
popular vote and serve a term of six years. The Constitution grants the President authority to appoint
his Cabinet. These departments form a large portion of the country’s bureaucracy.

The executive branch carries out and enforces laws. It includes the President, Vice President,
the Cabinet, executive departments, independent agencies, boards, commissions, and committees.

The President leads the country. He or she is the head of state, leader of the national government,
and Commander-in-Chief of all armed forces of the Philippines. The President serves a six-year term
and cannot be re-elected.

The Vice President supports the President. If the President is unable to serve, the Vice President
becomes President. He or she also serves a six-year term.

Cabinet members serve as advisors to the President. They include the Vice President and the heads
of executive departments. Cabinet members are nominated by the President and must be confirmed
by the Commission of Appointments.
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The Judicial branch holds the power to settle controversies involving rights that are legally
demandable and enforceable. This branch determines whether or not there has been a grave abuse
of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction on the part and instrumentality of the
government. It is made up of a Supreme Court and lower courts.

The judicial branch interprets the meaning of laws, applies laws to individual cases, and decides if
laws violate the Constitution. The judicial power shall be vested in one Supreme Court and in such
lower courts as may be established by law.

Judicial power includes the duty of the courts of justice to settle actual controversies involving rights,
which are legally demandable and enforceable, and to determine whether or not there has been a
grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction on the part of any branch or
instrumentality of the Government. The judicial branch interprets the meaning of laws, applies laws
to individual cases, and decides if laws violate the Constitution.