esident Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 30 June 1998);
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 11 May 2004)
election results: Joseph Ejercito ESTRADA elected president; percent
of vote - approximately 40%; Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO elected vice
president; percent of vote - NA%

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 (221 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 11 May 1998 (next to be held 11 May
2001); House of Representatives - elections last held 11 May 1998
(next to be held 11 May 2001)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - LAMP 12, Lakas 5, PRP 2, LP 1, other 3; note - the Senate now
has only 23 members with one seat vacated when Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
became vice president; the seat can only be filled by election and is
likely to remain open until the next regular election in 2001; House
of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
LAMP 135, Lakas 37, LP 13, Aksyon Demokratiko 1, other 35

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

Political parties and leaders: Aksyon Demokratiko or Democratic Action
; Laban Ng Masang Pilipino or LAMP (Struggle of the
Filipino Masses) [Joseph ESTRADA, titular head, Eduardo "Danding"
COJUANGO, chairman, Edgardo ANGARA, party president]; Lakas [Raul
MANGLAPUS, chairman, Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, secretary general, Jose
DE VENECIA, party president]; Liberal Party or LP [Raul DAZA,
president, Jovito SALONGA, chairman, Florencio ABAD, secretary
general]; People's Reform Party or PRP

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, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCT